AutonAI is designed to support Australian care providers in managing payroll under the SCHADS Award, streamlining the review process from ShiftCare to Xero Payroll. This article explains how AutonAI applies SCHADS rules, identifies exceptions, and ensures smooth payroll workflows for organisations using ShiftCare and Xero.

How AutonAI Integrates with ShiftCare and Xero

AutonAI connects directly to your ShiftCare account, monitoring your workspace to enhance operational visibility. Once connected, it brings together timesheet data, applies SCHADS Award interpretations, and prepares payroll-ready exports for Xero, all in one integrated workflow.

End-to-End Payroll Flow

1. Continue rostering and approving timesheets in ShiftCare as usual.
2. AutonAI automatically imports and reviews timesheet data, applying your configured SCHADS rules.
3. Review the processed results in AutonAI—exceptions and unclear cases are highlighted for your attention.
4. Once reviewed, export the mapped hours and allowances directly to Xero Payroll for payment processing.

Success means your payroll data moves from ShiftCare to Xero with SCHADS rules correctly applied, and any issues are visible before payroll is run.

SCHADS Rules AutonAI Applies

AutonAI is built to handle the complexities of the SCHADS Award, making it easier to process payroll accurately. The following rules are covered:

• Minimum engagement: Ensures a minimum of two paid hours per engagement, consolidating related shifts where appropriate.
• Weekday loadings: Applies correct pay rates for ordinary hours (6am–8pm), afternoon loadings (shifts finishing after 8pm), and night loadings (shifts starting before 6am or finishing after midnight).
• Weekend and public holiday rates: Classifies and pays Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday hours separately.
• Overtime thresholds and rates: Detects overtime after 10 paid hours in a day, or after 38 hours in a week/76 in a fortnight, and applies the correct rate (1.5× for the first two overtime hours, then 2×; 2× on Sundays, 2.5× on public holidays).
• Day-worker spans: Classifies time outside 6am–8pm as overtime when required by the worker’s profile.
• Sleepovers and active overnights: Separates eligible eight-hour sleepovers from worked time, ensuring Awake Time is recognised and paid correctly.
• Broken shifts: Automatically detects broken shifts (where configured), applies break allowances, and classifies work after a 12-hour span at double time.

Rules are only applied when all required evidence is available (worker profile, pay cycle, holiday, and shift details). Anything unclear remains visible for your review before export.

Reviewing and Resolving Exceptions

AutonAI not only processes timesheets but also highlights issues and exceptions that need your attention:

• Missed clock-ins are detected and carers notified via SMS (if enabled).
• Unassigned incident forms or missing client data are flagged with ready-to-fix options.
• Any timesheet or award interpretation that cannot be confidently resolved stays visible for manual review.

This ensures you can address potential payroll issues early, reducing errors and rework before exporting to Xero.

Special Scenarios Supported

• Single-shift sleepovers: Roster the whole overnight as one shift—AutonAI automatically separates sleepover and worked hours.
• Active overnights: Awake Time is handled and paid correctly, without double-counting or missing sleepover allowances.
• Automatic overtime detection: Daily, pay-period, and shift-based overtime are all recognised and classified appropriately.

Common Errors and Safe Next Steps

• If a rule cannot be applied due to missing data, AutonAI will leave the item for your review. Check worker profiles, pay cycles, or holiday records in ShiftCare as needed.
• For unclear award interpretations, review flagged shifts in AutonAI before exporting to Xero.
• If you notice unexpected results or cannot resolve an issue, contact AutonAI support before running payroll to avoid incorrect payments.

What Success Looks Like

• All timesheets are reviewed and exceptions resolved in AutonAI.
• Payroll-ready data is exported to Xero with SCHADS rules correctly applied.
• Fewer payroll errors, less manual checking, and greater confidence in compliance with SCHADS requirements.

Need Help?

If you have questions about how SCHADS rules are being applied, or if you see unexpected results in your review, please contact AutonAI support. The team can assist with configuration, troubleshooting, and best practices for your ShiftCare-to-Xero workflow.