Creating a payroll journal (LODAS / Lohn & Gehalt)

Creating a payroll journal

The payroll journal is the central report for payroll. For each employee it contains all values relevant to payroll: base hours, surcharges, absences, and special payments — ready for import into DATEV.

LODAS or Lohn & Gehalt?

DATEV offers two payroll programs:

  • DATEV LODAS: Common among tax advisors who run payroll for many clients. Movement data comes as CSV.
  • DATEV Lohn & Gehalt: The classic payroll program for in-house payroll accountants. Its own import format (ASCII).
Ask your tax advisor which program they use — Shiftdesk supports both.

Prerequisites

  • All time entries for the month are released.
  • Wage types are mapped — see Wage type mapping.
  • Employees have a DATEV personnel number.
  • The advisor and client numbers are stored under Settings → Payroll → DATEV.

Step by step

  1. Go to Reports → Payroll journal.
  2. Choose the billing month (e.g. March 2026).
  3. Optional: filter by Team, Location, or cost center.
  4. Check the preview: Is the total of hours correct? Are all employees included?
  5. Choose the format:
- DATEV LODAS - DATEV Lohn & Gehalt - CSV for your own further processing
  1. Click Export.

What's in the payroll journal?

  • Base hours per wage type
  • Surcharges (night, Sunday, public holiday)
  • Vacation and sick days
  • Flat rates (e.g. travel costs), if configured
> Tip: Always export after the month-end close. Corrections made after the export must be submitted again. More on this under DATEV export.

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The 7 report types at a glance

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Payroll overview for staff-cost analysis

Related articles

Setting up the DATEV export

With the DATEV export you hand over hours, surcharges, and absences directly to your tax advisor. Shiftdesk generates a file in DATEV format that can be imported into **LODAS** or **Lohn & Gehalt**.

Creating and exporting reports

With reports you analyze working hours, staff costs, and shifts. Every report follows the same scheme: **choose a type**, **set filters**, **choose a format**, **start the download**.

The 7 report types at a glance

Shiftdesk offers seven standard reports. Each has a clear purpose and a target role. The following table helps you choose.

Payroll overview for staff-cost analysis

The **payroll overview** shows you what your employees really cost. Unlike the [payroll journal](/dashboard/help/lohnjournal), it is not a billing document but a **controlling tool** for management and HR.

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Creating a payroll journal (LODAS / Lohn & Gehalt) · Knowledge base | Shiftdesk