This guide explains how to use Easy Employer’s custom export functionality to create tailored export files for payroll or billing purposes. It includes details on creating exports, using format strings and filters, and configuring export options for third-party systems — all without requiring custom development.
Contents
- Overview
- Create custom exports
- Provider format options
- Custom export examples
- Use custom payroll exports
- Use custom billing exports
- Videos
Related Articles
Overview
The custom export feature allows your organisation to build export format files tailored to third-party systems. This removes the need for custom development when integrating with new providers.
Custom exports give organisations control over the format and structure of exported data. This method is typically more cost-effective and flexible than hardcoded integrations. Once enabled, organisations can create or modify export formats as their needs evolve.
Create custom exports
Custom exports can be created from within the Easy Employer interface by following these steps:
- Click on Organisation in the navigation bar.
- Select Import/Export.
- Click on Custom Exports.
- A list of existing custom exports will be displayed.
- Click Create to make a new custom export.
The export creation process will guide you through configuring export format options including:
- Export name – A label for your export format.
-
Export type – Choose from:
- Payroll application (timesheet) – for raw timesheet data.
- Payroll application (costs) – for interpreted costs by award rules.
- Billing application – for billing entities or invoicing systems.
Once a type is selected, the relevant format options and provider fields will become available. You can configure:
- File type – CSV (comma-separated) or TSV (tab-separated)
-
File name format – Use format strings such as
{now|date:d/m/Y} -
File extension – Enter
csvortxt(no dot) - Include headers – Tick this box to include column headers in your export
Columns are then added using providers from the Provider format options panel on the right.
- Each column requires a name and at least one provider.
- Multiple providers can be set with priority order (fallback if the first is empty).
- Use curly brackets for valid providers (e.g.
{user_export_code}). - If you enter plain text without brackets, that exact value will appear in the export.
Once all fields and columns have been configured, click Save to store the custom export.
Provider format options
Provider format options are used to populate values in each column of a custom export. These options define what data will appear in your export file and how it will be formatted. Format strings and string filters let you dynamically generate values using Easy Employer data.
Format strings
Format strings are placeholders that dynamically output data from the Easy Employer system. They must be wrapped in curly brackets like this: {example}.
-
{now}– Outputs the current Unix timestamp (e.g. 1620958228).
To make values human-readable, apply a string filter to the format string using the pipe character |.
-
{now|date}– Converts Unix timestamp to human-readable date (e.g. 16th Jul 2014). -
{now|date:d/m/Y}– Formats date asdd/mm/yyyy(e.g. 16/06/2014).
These filters can be chained with parameters to customise output. For example:
-
{now|date:d/m/y|prepend:test}→test10/12/19 -
{now|date:d/m/y|append:test}→10/12/19test
String filters
String filters are applied to format strings using the | symbol. These modify the output value (e.g. format it, transform it, round it, etc.).
| Filter | Description | Filter Parameters |
|---|---|---|
date |
Format date or time values | Follows PHP date format syntax (e.g. d/m/Y)PHP date format reference |
initials |
Convert full name to initials | Integer – Number of characters to use per word |
upper |
Convert string to UPPERCASE | None |
lower |
Convert string to lowercase | None |
prepend |
Add prefix to string | String – text to prepend |
append |
Add suffix to string | String – text to append |
pad |
Pad value to specified length | 1) Integer – length to pad 2) String – character to use |
trimr |
Trim characters from right side | Integer – number of characters to keep |
triml |
Trim characters from left side | Integer – number of characters to keep |
math |
Apply math operations | Format: |math:operation,valueSupported operations: add, subtract, multiply, divide
|
round |
Round number to decimal places | Integer – number of decimal places |
Filters can be chained together to produce complex output logic. For example: {duration|math:multiply,60|round:0} – converts hours to whole minutes.
Custom export examples
Below are example tables showing how you can structure custom export columns for common use cases.
Payroll cost-based export
| Column | Provider | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| User export code | {user_export_code} | The user’s export code |
| Shift start date | {shift_start_date|date:d/m/Y} | The shift’s start date in format dd/mm/yyyy
|
| Shift end date | {shift_end_date|date:d/m/Y} | The shift’s end date in format dd/mm/yyyy
|
| Shift start to end date | {shift_start_date|date:Y/m/d} - {shift_end_date|date:Y/m/d} | Range from start to end in format yyyy/mm/dd - yyyy/mm/dd
|
| Shift start time | {shift_start_date|date:H:i} | Start time in 24-hour format (HH:MM) |
| Shift end time | {shift_end_date|date:H:i} | End time in 24-hour format (HH:MM) |
| Shift site | {site} | Site of the shift |
| Shift site address | {addr} | Address of the shift’s site |
| Site cost centre | {site_cost_centre_code} | Site-level cost centre code |
| Shift area | {area} | Area assigned to the shift |
| Shift role | {role} | Role assigned to the shift |
| Role cost centre | {role_cost_centre_code} | Role-level cost centre code |
| Role job code | {role_job_code} | Job code assigned to the role |
| Calculated cost centre | {cost_centre_code} | Auto-selected cost centre (custom entity or fallback to role) |
| Billing job code | {billing_job_code} | Job code from billing entity (if defined) |
| Billing entity name | {billing_entity_name} | Name of the billing entity on the shift |
Billing application export
| Column | Provider | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction ID | {transaction_id} | Auto-generated; set starting value in Organisation → Settings → Applications |
| User export code | {user_export_code} | User’s export code |
| User given name | {given_names} | User’s first/given name(s) |
| User surname | {surname} | User’s surname |
| User labour details name | {user_labour_details_name} | Name from labour details |
| User labour details type | {user_labour_details_type} | Type from labour details |
| User labour details ABN | {user_labour_details_abn} | ABN from labour details |
| User state | {user_state_territory} | State or territory from labour details |
| Clocked start date | {start|date:d/m/Y} | Clocked shift start date (dd/mm/yyyy) |
| Clocked end date | {end|date:d/m/Y} | Clocked shift end date (dd/mm/yyyy) |
| Clocked start time | {start|date:H:i} | Clocked shift start time (HH:MM, 24h) |
| Clocked end time | {end|date:H:i} | Clocked shift end time (HH:MM, 24h) |
| Paid start date | {paid_start|date:d/m/Y} | Paid start date (dd/mm/yyyy) |
| Paid end date | {paid_end|date:d/m/Y} | Paid end date (dd/mm/yyyy) |
| Paid start time | {paid_start|date:H:i} | Paid start time (HH:MM, 24h) |
| Paid end time | {paid_end|date:H:i} | Paid end time (HH:MM, 24h) |
| Shift units | {units} | Number of units for the shift |
| Prioritised rate | {prioritised_rate} | Effective rate used in billing |
| Total billing amount | {gross_amount} | Billing rate × shift units |
| Tax rate (custom entity) | {entity_tax_amount} | Tax rate from custom entity |
| Tax rate (user) | {user_tax_amount} | Tax rate from user profile |
| User-based total amount | {cost_amount} | Hourly rate × shift units |
| Shift site | {site} | Assigned site name |
| Site address | {addr} | Site address |
| Site cost centre | {site_cost_centre_code} | Site-level cost centre |
| Shift area | {area} | Assigned area |
| Shift role | {role} | Assigned role |
| Role cost centre | {role_cost_centre_code} | Role-level cost centre |
| Role job code | {role_job_code} | Job code from role |
| Calculated cost centre | {cost_centre_code} | Priority-based cost centre (custom → role) |
| Billing job code | {billing_job_code} | Billing job code from assigned entity |
| Billing entity name | {billing_entity_name} | Billing entity assigned to shift |
Use custom payroll exports
Once a custom payroll export has been created, it can be selected for use on the Settings page for a payroll entity.
Use custom billing exports
Once a custom billing export has been created, it can be selected for use in the Settings page for a payroll entity.
Videos
Creating a custom billing export
This video provides a step-by-step walkthrough of how to create a custom billing export in Easy Employer.