One payroll, three pay patterns
Keep one salary structure logic for everyone and let the inputs differ. Direct Payroll breaks each monthly gross down into Basic, DA, HRA and Special using one set of company percentages, with Basic plus DA kept at half or more of total remuneration under the wage definition rule. Warehouse pay changes each month through overtime and paid days, delivery pay through incentives and reimbursements, and office pay through bonuses and arrears. Direct Payroll handles all three in the same regular run, so finance sees one wage bill instead of three spreadsheets.
Worked example: a delivery associate's month
Imran, a delivery associate in Hyderabad, has a fixed monthly gross of ₹16,000. His company pays ₹10 for every delivery above 500 in a month, and he completes 720, so his incentive is 220 x ₹10 = ₹2,200. He rides his own bike and is reimbursed fuel at ₹2.50 a km for 1,200 km logged in the delivery app, which is ₹3,000. His earnings for the month are ₹16,000 + ₹2,200 + ₹3,000 = ₹21,200 before deductions. The delivery app supplies the counts; HR enters the incentive and the reimbursement as payroll inputs.
Deductions that need care
Cash-on-delivery shortages and damaged goods tempt managers to deduct from pay. Deductions from wages are allowed only as the law permits, so read what the Code on Wages allows under deductions from wages before recovering anything, record the reason and keep the amount reasonable. In Direct Payroll, fines, advance recoveries and adjustments are separate deduction inputs, each visible on the payslip. A COD shortage settled the same evening at the hub, with the associate present, causes far fewer disputes than a surprise deduction at month end.
Sites, states and loss of pay
Warehouses and offices can use different loss of pay rules. The deduction policy has branch overrides, so a warehouse can use a fixed 26-day basis while the head office uses calendar days. Direct Payroll deducts state professional tax, so confirm the professional tax treatment for each new site's state when it opens. Close attendance for all sites first, move the regular run from draft to review, seal it, and release payment batches so wages reach every hub by the 7th of the next month.
How to set it up in ZeniaHR
- Set company percentages so Basic plus DA is at least half of gross for every pay pattern.
- Use the deduction policy's branch overrides where warehouses and offices need different loss of pay rules.
- Agree a monthly file from the delivery app with delivery counts, incentives and kilometres per associate.
- Enter incentives, fuel reimbursements, bonuses and recoveries as payroll inputs before the regular run.
- Close attendance for every site, finalize the run and release payment batches before the 7th.
Read more about payroll in ZeniaHR.
Roles this applies to
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How are delivery associates paid in e-commerce?
Usually a fixed monthly gross plus a per-delivery incentive above a monthly target, and fuel or vehicle reimbursement if they use their own two-wheeler. The delivery app provides counts and kilometres. In ZeniaHR, HR enters incentives and reimbursements as payroll inputs, while Direct Payroll handles the PF, ESI and professional tax deductions.
Can an e-commerce company deduct COD shortages from salary?
Only in the way the Code on Wages permits deductions from wages, with the reason recorded and the employee informed. Settling cash at the hub the same evening avoids most month-end deductions. Check the rules on authorised deductions before making any recovery, and show it as a separate line on the payslip.
Does ZeniaHR support different pay rules for warehouses and offices?
Yes. The payroll deduction policy supports branch overrides, so a warehouse and the head office can use different loss of pay bases, half-day pay fractions and rules on paid weekly offs and holidays. Salary structures use the same company percentages, and each site's inputs go into the same payroll run.