Step-by-Step Process:
Log in to your CStore Essentials Web Account
Open your browser and go to:
https://www.pdicstoreessentials.com/On the top-right corner, click CSE Login.
Enter your User Name & Password and click Login to access your account.
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Navigate to the Employees Section
On the left side of the screen, click on Payroll
Next, click on Employees
Click on the “+” button to add a new employee
Enter the Employee Information
Fields on the Create Employee Page
1. First Name / Last Name
Enter the employee’s first name and last name.
These are mandatory fields for identifying the employee in the system.
2. Clock In/Out Mode
Dropdown field to select the employee’s clock-in/clock-out mode.
Options include:
Password – Employee can clock in/out using password.
Finger Print – Employee can clock in/out using fingerprint. Currently under development, employees can only clock in and out using passwords.
3. Create Pay Checks from CStorePro
Yes/No option to enable or disable pay check creation for this employee.
Select Yes if you want the system to generate pay checks for this employee.
4. Last 4 Digits of SSN
Enter the last four digits of the employee’s Social Security Number (optional)
Used for identification and payroll compliance.
5. Pay Type
Dropdown field to select the pay type:
Hourly – Employee is paid based on hours worked.
Salary – Employee is paid a fixed amount per pay period.
6. Pay Rate
Enter the employee’s hourly rate or salary amount based on the selected pay type.
This value is used to calculate gross pay during payroll processing.
7. Next payroll period start date
Start date can be customized for each individual employees profile.
Useful for new hires, employees with different pay schedules, or mid-period adjustments
Individual settings override the default pay cycle for that specific employee only
8. Tax Withholdings
Enter applicable tax $ amounts for:
Federal
State
Local
Local Service
These values determine deductions from the employee’s pay check.
Important Notes:
Dollar ($) withholding fields are optional overrides. Standard payroll calculations rely on statutory, percentage-based tax tables.
Employee-level dollar withholding amounts default to $0.00.
Payroll deductions are calculated automatically using percentage-based payroll settings, unless additional withholding is authorized by the employee.
Why $0.00 Is the “Standard Default”
✔ Avoids over-withholding
✔ Reduces payroll disputes
✔ Keeps system compliant with statutory calculations
✔ Matches IRS & State guidance (employee-initiated only)
When Dollar Amounts Are Typically Used
✔ Employee wants predictable extra deduction
✔ Year-end tax planning
✔ Correcting prior under-withholding
Best Practice:
Dollar withholding fields should only change with written employee consent (e.g., W-4 / State form).
9. Payroll Advance Account
Optional field to link an advance account for tracking any cash advances given to the employee.
Choose an existing Payroll Advance Account, or add a new account if needed
Action Buttons
Cancel – Discards the entry and closes the window.
Create Employee – Saves the employee details and adds them to the employee dashboard.
✅ Note: The fingerprint option is currently under development; only the password option is supported at this time
Steps to Update existing Employee Details:
Navigate to Payroll → Employees
Under Employee's list, Locate the employee you want to update
Click the ✏️pencil icon(Update Employee) located to the far right of the employee’s name.
Update the necessary information in the employee profile
Click Save to apply your changes
Steps to Delete an Employee profile:
Employees whose data is already associated with reports will be marked as Inactive and will still appear in the system.
Employees without any associated data will be permanently deleted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit employee details after adding them?
Can I edit employee details after adding them?
Yes, you can update an employee's information by navigating to the Employees section and selecting the employee’s profile.
Is the fingerprint clock-in/out feature available?
Is the fingerprint clock-in/out feature available?
Not yet. The fingerprint option is under development. Currently, employees can only clock in and out using passwords.
What happens if I don’t select “YES” for payroll checks?
What happens if I don’t select “YES” for payroll checks?
If you choose NO, you will not be able to print payroll checks directly from PDI CStore Essentials for that employee.
Can I delete an employee after they’ve been added?
Can I delete an employee after they’ve been added?
Yes. Employees can be removed from the Employee List page by choosing the Delete option.