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Pay run checklist for HR and Payroll classic (New Zealand)

Updated

Use this checklist for each New Zealand pay run on HR and Payroll classic. Work through the stages in order. The detailed guides at the end have the full steps.

Available for the following Payroll plans: Essentials, Standard, Premium, Core Payroll, Unlimited+Payroll

Available for the following user access levels: Admin

1. Before the pay run
  • IRD settings are complete, including your IRD number, payday filing method and contact details. You find these under Business Settings, then Payroll Settings, then IRD Settings.
  • Employee details are complete for payday filing. Each employee needs a full street address and a tax code declaration. Check the warnings on the Employee Details screen.
  • New starters are fully onboarded. Their details must reach IRD on or before their first payday.
  • Departing employees are terminated in the platform, so IRD is told about their departure.
  • Timesheets are reviewed and approved, and leave requests are approved.
  • Annual holiday pay is set up correctly. Holidays are paid at the greater of ordinary weekly pay (OWP) and average weekly earnings (AWE).
  • Employees on Pay-as-you-go (8%) still qualify. They must be on a genuine fixed-term agreement of under 12 months, or work so intermittently that four weeks of annual holidays is impractical, and they must have agreed to 8% in their employment agreement.
  • Public holiday pay rules are set up for timesheet employees. Rule sets are only available on the Premium plan.
  • KiwiSaver: new employees are checked for automatic enrolment and enrolled if eligible, and KiwiSaver details are up to date.
  • Tax code declarations are complete, including student loan status for employees who have one.
  • Salary changes, cost centre changes and employment status changes (for example, casual to part-time) are finalised.
  • Expense categories are set up in Payroll classic, and expense sync to payroll is on (Settings, then Payroll Settings, then Expense categories and policies). Approved expense claims sync to payroll and appear in the pay run.
  • The pay schedule and pay period dates are correct.
2. Create and check the pay run
  • Create the pay run from the Pay Runs menu. Don't tick 'Manually add payees to this pay run' or 'Create pay run with empty pay packets'.
  • Import timesheets for the pay period, then add or remove employees as needed.
  • Add any deductions for this pay run in the employee's pay run details (Actions, then Make a Deduction), such as child support or payroll donations.
  • Check that the expense lines in each employee's pay run match their approved claims.
  • Work through pay run warnings before you continue.
  • Recalculate the pay run after any changes, then compare the variance and audit reports with the last pay run.
  • If pay run approval is set up for the pay schedule, make sure the approver has approved the pay run before you finalise it.
3. Finalise and pay
  • Finalise the pay run from the Actions tab. Check the finalisation preferences, such as the date paid, publishing payslips, employee notifications and report packs.
  • File your payday filing (employment information) with IRD. Electronic filers must file within 2 working days of each payday. Paper filers have 10 working days.
  • Check the payday filing status on the pay run. If it's still queued after 6 hours, use the reset option that appears.
  • If you file manually instead of through the IRD gateway, upload the employment information file to IRD.
  • Download the payment file and upload it to your bank before the cut-off.
  • Pay PAYE and employer deductions to IRD by the due date for your payment frequency, which is set in IRD settings.
  • Check the KiwiSaver contribution report and the Expense Reimbursement Report for the pay run.
  • Export the pay run for your accounting system. Exports do not include leave records or system-generated earnings lines, such as leave loading.
4. If you need to correct a finalised pay run
  • Unlock the pay run from the Actions tab, then Pay Run Actions, then Unlock, and add a comment. Make your changes, recalculate and finalise again.
  • If you have already filed the employment information for the pay run, file an employment information amendment with IRD.

Detailed guides

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