System Overview

The Personnel Input and Edit System (PINE) is a subsystem of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Payroll/Personnel System. PINE edits data released from Payroll/Personnel entry systems, personnel actions, payroll documents, and position data from the Position Management System Online (PMSO). PINE edits the data before it is applied to the Payroll/Personnel database, comparing the employee’s database record to the data being entered. PINE processes personnel actions and payroll documents Monday through Friday of each week and on the first Saturday of the pay period, regardless of the effective pay period.

Actions that pass PINE edits with a current or prior effective pay period are sent to the Personnel Processing System (PEPL) to update the Payroll/Personnel database. Actions that are effective in future pay periods and pass the PINE edits are placed in suspense. Actions that are held in suspense are reedited through PINE every pay period, including the effective pay period. After being successfully reprocessed for the effective pay period, they are applied to the Payroll/Personnel database.

Personnel actions and payroll documents that do not pass the PINE edits (regardless of the effective pay period) are placed in suspense and a PINE edit message appears on the Listing of Personnel Error Messages Report. PINE edit messages are available via links in EmpowHR and the Web-based Entry, Processing, Inquiry, and Correction System (EPIC Web). Users should refer to this report and correct the actions being held in suspense. After these actions are successfully corrected, they are returned to PINE, reprocessed, and (depending on the effective date) applied to the Payroll/Personnel database. If these reprocessed actions do not pass the PINE edits for a different reason, they are once again placed in suspense.

This procedure lists PINE edit messages by document type, identifying each PINE edit message, its corresponding code, and the corrective action needed to respond to the message. The following information will help you to use the procedure more effectively and to locate further assistance if needed.