> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Direct Deposit

> Pay employees via direct deposit.

Paper checks are a pain — you have to print them, sign them, distribute them, and then employees have to deposit them. Someone always loses one.

Direct deposit gets money into bank accounts automatically on pay day. No paper, no trips to the bank, no "my check got lost in the mail."

## Setting up direct deposit

### Your company funding account

First, we need a bank account to pull payroll funds from:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add your bank account">
    Go to **Settings → Payroll → Bank Account** and enter your business checking details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify ownership">
    We'll send two small deposits (under \$1) to confirm you control the account. Log into your bank, find the amounts, and enter them in Pluvel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Done">
    Your account is ready to fund payroll.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Verification takes 1-2 business days. Plan ahead before your first payroll.

### Employee bank accounts

Each employee needs their bank info on file:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open their profile">
    Go to **Payroll → Employees** and select the employee.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter bank details">
    * Bank name
    * Routing number (9 digits)
    * Account number
    * Account type (checking or savings)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Optional: verify with micro-deposits">
    Send a test deposit to catch typos before real money moves.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Employees can also add their own bank info through self-service if you've enabled it.

## Split deposits

Employees can send their paycheck to multiple accounts — great for auto-saving:

| Example            | How it works                                             |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| 80% / 20%          | 80% to checking, 20% to savings                          |
| \$500 / remainder  | \$500 to savings, whatever's left to checking            |
| $200 / $300 / rest | $200 to savings, $300 to vacation fund, rest to checking |

### Setting up splits

1. Open the employee's profile
2. Go to direct deposit
3. Add primary account
4. Click **Add Split**
5. Add secondary account(s)
6. Set amounts or percentages

Up to 3 accounts total. Employees can also set this up through self-service.

## Processing timeline

| When                           | What happens                     |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------------- |
| You submit payroll             | Payroll is locked in             |
| 2 business days before pay day | We debit your bank account       |
| Pay day morning                | Money lands in employee accounts |

The 2-day lead time is an ACH network requirement, not something we control. Plan your submissions accordingly.

### Same-day ACH

Need to pay someone today? Same-day ACH is available:

* Submit by morning cutoff (usually 10am PT)
* Funds arrive same business day
* Small additional fee per deposit

Useful for bonus payments, final paychecks, or "oops we forgot to add them to payroll" situations.

## Failed deposits

Sometimes deposits fail:

| Reason          | What happened                  | What to do                  |
| --------------- | ------------------------------ | --------------------------- |
| Invalid account | Typo in account/routing number | Get correct info, reprocess |
| Closed account  | Employee closed the account    | Get new account, reprocess  |
| Bank rejection  | Various reasons                | Contact the employee's bank |

You'll be notified immediately. The employee will need a paper check or reprocessed deposit.

## Prenote verification

Optional but recommended for new accounts:

1. We send a \$0 test transaction
2. Verifies the routing/account numbers are real
3. Catches errors before real money moves

Takes 3-5 business days. Worth it to avoid failed deposits on the employee's first payday.

## Security

Moving money requires serious security:

| Protection    | How it works                                    |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Encryption    | Bank numbers encrypted at rest and in transit   |
| Tokenization  | Full numbers never stored in plain text         |
| Verification  | Multi-step process to add new accounts          |
| Audit trail   | Every change logged with who/when               |
| Notifications | Employees notified when their bank info changes |

## Employee self-service

Let employees manage their own bank info:

1. Enable in **Settings → Self-Service**
2. Employees log into their portal
3. They add or update accounts
4. Changes take effect next payroll

You don't need to be in the loop for routine updates.

<Warning>
  Be cautious if an employee requests a bank change right before payday, especially via email. Payroll redirect fraud is real. Verify unusual requests through a phone call or in person.
</Warning>

## International payments

For employees outside the US:

* Wire transfers available
* Currency conversion included
* Additional fees and longer timelines

Not as seamless as domestic ACH, but it works.

<Card title="Run payroll" icon="money-check" href="/features/payroll/running-payroll">
  Everything's set up — now run your first payroll.
</Card>