Talon
What鈥檚 Changing
As 麻豆果冻传媒 transitions to Talon, moving away from Banner, we're excited to streamline processes, enhance data security, and improve user experiences across the university, ensuring we stay at the forefront of operational excellence. The 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Changing鈥� section will be used to highlight changes to systems, processes, and applications as the Talon project moves forward.
Pay Frequency
The Business Office is excited to share payroll changes coming with Talon, Tennessee Techs鈥� new Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) that will replace Banner Finance and HR in January 2026.
In response to the campus-wide survey conducted in early 2024, we are excited to transition to a bi-weekly payroll for all students, graduate assistants, temporary employees, and clerical and staff employees! Pay will be issued every two weeks based on reported hours worked. With this comes more frequent pay, shorter wait times for retro pay or start of pay, and a predictable pay schedule.
Faculty and administrative employees will stay on a monthly payroll. However, the payroll cutoff for entry items will be moved to the 25th of the month, instead of the 15th of the month. Pay will still occur at the end of the month, but with a shorter period for variance, payroll changes and entry items will be easier to capture.
We will have the ability to process and pay a separate payroll outside the normal schedule. Employees will no longer be asked to wait for the next monthly payroll for significant payroll items outside of the normal pay schedule.
Payroll dashboards will be at your fingertips to see your personal payroll information, as well as, for those employees you approve time for or budgets you manage.
Download Payroll Biweekly Schedule with salary calculator example
This is a link to an Excel spreadsheet that can be used to calculate your bi-weekly pay and compare it to the monthly pay schedule. To use this, input your salary in the green shaded cell, and the calculations will automatically be generated.
FAQs for pay frequency
Can I opt out of bi-weekly pay and stay on a monthly pay frequency?
System configuration in addition to tax requirements will not allow hourly employees to opt out of the bi-weekly payroll schedule.
If I am an exempt or salaried faculty or staff member, can I switch to bi-weekly pay?
System configuration in addition to tax requirements will not allow exempt employees to be paid on a bi-weekly pay frequency.
How many pay periods will there be in a year?
A bi-weekly pay frequency will be based on 26 pay periods in a year. The payroll schedule for 2026 is still being finalized and will be shared when it is completed.
How will donations be handled?
Foundation contributions are flat-rate contributions. They will be processed as other flat-rate deductions. One-half will be deducted from the first pay period of the month, and the other half will be deducted from the second pay period of the month.
How will this affect longevity payments?
Longevity payments will be processed similarly to other awards and supplemental pay. It will be paid in full at the first pay period in which one qualifies.
Will approvals need to be done twice a month for TCP supervisors?
Time approval by supervisors will need to be done before each biweekly payroll. Our new system will include timekeeping and integrate directly into Oracle. We will not be using TimeClock Plus. Instead, those who clock in and out will use the web clock provided in the system. Time will automatically flow to the timecard for supervisors to approve.
When will supervisors need to approve payroll with this new schedule?
Supervisors will approve timecards every other week, by noon on Monday mornings the week pay is processed.
What if I have additional withholdings taken from my check? Will I need to make adjustments?
Withholding calculations will change. We would advise that you watch your withholding balance throughout the year and adjust your W4 to include your additional withholding as needed.
How will 401K contributions be deducted?
Flat rate 401K contributions will be divided into two. One-half will be deducted from the first pay period of the month; the other half will be deducted from the second pay period of the month. Percentage-based 401K contributions will be deducted from every pay period.
It looks like we will get paid on December 1st and won't paid again until January 16th, when the new pay schedule is implemented. Is this correct?
Employees on the biweekly pay schedule will be paid on December 4th, 18th, and 31st in 2026. Then, in 2027, the next pay date will be January 15th. Payroll will continue to be processed through the December holiday. You can access the proposed calendar on the TTU website. Search "Talon", the name of the new system. The download with the proposed calendar and salary calculator is available under "What鈥檚 Changing鈥� under 鈥淧ay Frequency鈥�.
Will I be clocking in and out using this new pay system?
Employees who currently clock in and out will continue to clock in and out in the new system using webclock. There is also a phone application that allows you to clock in and out using a smartphone. This applies to students, temporary hourly, and a specific population of our university police and facilities employees. Clerical employees who do not clock in and out will continue to report their time directly on their timecards as they do now for their leave reports.
When was the pay frequency survey done?
The survey was conducted from January 31st 鈥� February 2nd, 2024. A link to the survey was made available at the top of the TechExpress page.
How many employees responded to the survey?
For Clerical & Support Employees, 187 employees out of a total of 272 C&S employees responded to the survey, resulting in a 69% participation rate. There were 242 administrative employees out of a total of 552 who completed the survey with a 44% participation rate, and 177 faculty members (tenure, tenure-track, and non-tenure track) out of a total of 436 completed the survey with a 41% Participation rate.
Some employees are required to work during breaks and cannot submit their pay in advance. How will those individuals be impacted?
Employees who work over the breaks can still submit their time during breaks. Payroll will work with supervisors on approvals. Any overtime recorded will be paid out on the corresponding pay date for the pay period in which it was earned.
How will additional withholdings be handled? Which check will that be on? Will the amount be split between the checks?
Additional withholding will be added to your withholding calculation every pay period. We would advise you to watch your withholding balance throughout the year and adjust your W4, to include your additional withholding as needed.
For students who currently use TCP, will they use TCP until December 2025 and then be expected to use the new web clock when they return from the holiday break in Jan. 2026?
Correct. There will be communication and training in the Fall of 2025 to help with this transition.
What employee groups are impacted by this change?
Students, Graduate Assistants, Resident Assistants, Temporary Hourly, Temporary Salary, and Clerical employees (including all CL, S8, and part-time clerical employees) will move to a biweekly pay schedule.
Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Executive, and Administrative employees will stay on the monthly schedule.