Final answer:
The best example of a hash total for a payroll transaction file is the sum of net pay, which verifies the accuracy and completeness of the transactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best example of a hash total for a payroll transaction file is B) sum of net pay. Hash totals are used to ensure the integrity of a batch of transaction data. They are often an aggregation that does not necessarily have direct financial significance, such as the sum of social security numbers, hours worked, or employee ID numbers. However, for payroll transactions, which typically involve calculations of compensation, the sum of net pay serves as a useful control total that can be used to verify the accuracy and completeness of the transactions processed. Calculation of net pay would include deductions for employee insurance (mainly health), retirement plans, employer payments to Social Security, unemployment and worker's compensation insurance, other benefits (like Medicare), and total compensation per hour.