Publishing dates the provider has not confirmed
Pay dates depend on the provider's processing schedule. Ask the provider for the dates in writing before you publish, and mark the calendar with the date it was confirmed.
HR & OperationsContent Creator
Payroll calendar: pay dates, cutoffs and approvals in one schedule
A payroll calendar lists each pay date, the cutoff for hours and changes that go into that run, and the approval deadline that comes before it. The dates depend on your pay frequency, your payroll provider's processing time and the pay rules that apply where your employees work. Confirm the calendar with your payroll provider or accountant before you publish it to staff.
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Example excerpt
Sample calendar for a biweekly crew, with the rules written out
Sample section
Illustrative example. The dates, provider and deadlines below are fictional. Confirm each one against your own pay frequency and provider schedule. Pay frequency: Every other Friday, for the two-week period that ends on the Sunday before the cutoff. Cutoff for hours and changes: 12:00 noon on the Monday after the period ends. Timesheet corrections, new hires and terminations received after the cutoff move to the following run. Approval deadline: Managers approve timesheets by 5:00 p.m. on the Monday after the period ends. Unapproved hours are not included in the run. Sample run: The period ends Sunday, 4 October. The cutoff is Monday, 5 October at noon. Approvals are due Monday, 5 October at 5:00 p.m. The pay date is Friday, 9 October. Holiday or early pay date: If a pay date falls on a public holiday, the payroll provider or accountant confirms the new date to staff in writing at least one week ahead. Do not assume the date has moved. Questions: Contact the payroll contact named in the staff notice, or the operations manager if that person is away.
Section outline
What a calendar needs so staff and managers can use it
Pay frequency and period
The pay frequency, the period each run covers and the date each period ends.
80 wordsPay dates
Each scheduled pay date, its day of the week and the rule for a date that falls on a public holiday.
120 wordsCutoffs and approvals
The cutoff for hours, changes and new hires, and the manager approval deadline before each run.
150 wordsStaff notices
What staff must do before a cutoff, such as submit timesheets or confirm direct deposit.
100 wordsExceptions and corrections
Off-cycle payments, corrections after a run and who handles each.
100 wordsContacts and owner
Who maintains the calendar and who answers questions for each group.
60 words
Total: 610 words
Mistakes to avoid
Mistakes that move pay dates without notice
Setting the cutoff on the pay date
If the cutoff falls on the day pay is processed, late timesheets miss the run. Set the cutoff a few working days before the pay date, and say so on the calendar.
Forgetting holiday and year-end runs
Holiday weeks and the first run of a new year often change processing time. List these exceptions on the calendar itself, not in a separate message.
Assuming the calendar sets the pay rules
A calendar sets when pay is processed. It does not decide how overtime, deductions or final pay are calculated, and your payroll provider and counsel should confirm those rules.
Share the finished page
Get the calendar to people before the first cutoff
Team link
Share the calendar with a team link so staff and managers open the same version. When a date changes, publish the revised page and send a short message that names the date that moved.
HTML download
Download a dated HTML copy each year, so you can show which calendar staff were given for any run.
WhatsApp share
Use the WhatsApp share button to send the link to managers only. Avoid group chats that include people outside the payroll and management team.
Printed copy
Print the page from your browser for the break room notice board, and check that the cutoff times are easy to read at that size.
Frequently asked questions
Is a payroll calendar template enough to run payroll?
A template helps you lay out the dates, but it is only as accurate as the dates your provider confirms. Build the calendar from your pay frequency, your provider's processing days and your holiday list, then check it with the provider before you use it.
What is a bi weekly payroll calendar?
A biweekly calendar schedules a pay date every two weeks. Each run covers a fixed period, so the cutoff and approval dates repeat on the same pattern. Some employers pay semi-monthly or monthly instead, so choose the frequency your provider and your state's rules allow.
Can the payroll calendar be shared as a PDF?
Not directly. The calendar comes out as one HTML page. Share it by link or download the HTML file, and print from your browser if staff need paper.
Do all staff need to see the full calendar?
Staff need the cutoff and approval dates that affect them, such as when to submit timesheets or time-off requests. Managers need the approval deadline. Sharing one page avoids arguments about which date applies to whom.
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How to build it
Follow the eight-step wizard: type, assets and description, images, branding, contact and call to action, Atty Suggestions, blueprint, and generate. Atty generates one HTML page in the background. Review it, then publish and share the page link or download the HTML file.
