Payroll
Payroll Setup Checks Before the First Pay Run
A focused payroll checklist for employee details, pay schedules, deductions, tax settings, and reporting confidence.
Review employee records
Payroll problems often start with missing employee details, incorrect pay types, or outdated tax information.
- Confirm employee names, addresses, start dates, and pay rates.
- Review tax withholding, deductions, benefits, and direct deposit details.
- Separate contractors from employees in the accounting workflow.
Confirm pay schedules and approval steps
Payroll runs more smoothly when the schedule, approval owner, and cutoff date are clear.
- Document weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly pay schedules.
- Set a time-entry approval process before payroll is submitted.
- Review overtime, reimbursements, and adjustments before final approval.
Match payroll to reports
Payroll should connect cleanly to job costing, departments, expense categories, and month-end reporting.
- Map wages, taxes, benefits, and liabilities to the right accounts.
- Review payroll summary reports after the first run.
- Reconcile payroll withdrawals against bank activity.