> ## 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.
# Running Payroll
> Process payroll for your employees.
It's pay day. Your employees are counting on direct deposits hitting their accounts. The IRS expects taxes deposited on time. And somewhere in between, you need to make sure the numbers are right.
Running payroll sounds intimidating, but once you've done it twice, it's a 10-minute process. Here's how it works.
## Before your first payroll
Make sure these are done:
* [ ] Company EIN and state tax IDs entered in **Settings → Payroll**
* [ ] Payroll bank account connected
* [ ] At least one employee added with complete information
* [ ] Pay schedule set (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly)
Missing any of these? You'll get a warning when you try to run payroll.
## Run payroll step by step
Go to **Payroll → Run Payroll**. Select the pay period you're running.
If you're on schedule, Pluvel suggests the right period. If you need to run an off-cycle payroll (bonus, termination), click **Run Off-Cycle** instead.
You'll see everyone scheduled for this payroll. Check that:
* All employees who should be paid are included
* No one's accidentally listed who shouldn't be (terminated employees, those on leave)
Click **Add** or **Remove** to adjust if needed.
For each hourly employee, enter:
| Hours type | When to use |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Regular | Standard hours worked |
| Overtime | Hours over 40/week (or your state's threshold) |
| Double time | If your policy or state requires it |
| Holiday | Paid holiday hours |
| PTO | Paid time off used |
| Sick | Sick time used |
If you use time tracking software, you can import hours instead of entering manually.
Salaried employees don't need hours entered — their pay is the same each period (unless you're adjusting for unpaid leave).
Need to pay something extra this period?
| Type | Example |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Bonus | Performance bonus, holiday bonus, signing bonus |
| Commission | Sales commission payout |
| Reimbursement | Expense reimbursement |
| Tips | Reported tips |
| Other | Any custom payment |
Click **Add Earnings** on the employee's row, select the type, enter the amount.
Before submitting, check each employee's breakdown:
**Employee sees:**
* Gross pay (total earnings before anything comes out)
* Pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, health insurance)
* Taxes withheld (federal, state, Social Security, Medicare)
* Post-tax deductions (Roth 401k, wage garnishments)
* **Net pay** (what actually hits their bank account)
**You pay:**
* Total employee net pay
* Employer taxes (Social Security match, Medicare match, FUTA, SUTA)
* Employer benefit contributions
Click any employee to see the full detail. If something looks off, fix it now.
When everything looks right, click **Submit Payroll**.
You'll see:
* Total amount to be debited
* When funds leave your account
* When employees receive payment
Confirm and submit.
## What happens after you submit
| Event | Timing |
| ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Payroll submitted | Immediate |
| Funds debited from your bank | 2 business days before pay date |
| Direct deposits hit employee accounts | Pay date morning |
| Pay stubs available to employees | Immediately after submission |
| Tax deposits made | On schedule (semi-weekly or monthly depending on your deposit schedule) |
You don't need to do anything else. Pluvel handles tax deposits, pay stub delivery, and record keeping automatically.
## The payroll summary
Before you click submit, here's what you're looking at:
| Line item | What it means |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| **Gross pay** | Total wages before any deductions |
| **Employee taxes** | What's withheld from employees (federal, state, FICA) |
| **Employee deductions** | Benefits, retirement, etc. that come out of paychecks |
| **Net pay** | What employees actually receive |
| **Employer taxes** | Your matching taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA) |
| **Employer contributions** | Your benefit contributions |
| **Total cost** | The full amount leaving your bank account |
**Expect total cost to be 10-15% higher than gross pay.** Employer taxes and contributions add up. A $5,000 gross payroll might actually cost $5,700.
## Off-cycle payroll
Sometimes you need to pay outside the regular schedule:
* **Bonus payroll** — Holiday bonus, performance bonus, spot bonus
* **Final paycheck** — Terminated employee's last pay
* **Correction** — Fixing an error from a previous payroll
* **Commission** — Sales commission payout
To run an off-cycle:
1. Click **Run Off-Cycle** instead of the regular payroll
2. Select the payment type
3. Choose who's included
4. Enter amounts
5. Submit
Off-cycle payrolls follow the same debit and deposit timing as regular payrolls.
## Editing after you submit
**Before the processing deadline** (typically 2 days before pay date):
1. Find the payroll in **Payroll → History**
2. Click **Cancel**
3. Make your changes
4. Resubmit
**After the deadline:**
The payroll is locked. To fix an error:
* Overpaid someone? Deduct on next payroll or run an off-cycle correction
* Underpaid someone? Add the difference on next payroll or run an off-cycle
* Wrong tax withholding? Adjust the employee's settings; it'll correct over remaining pay periods
Major errors may need manual adjustment. Contact support if you're not sure how to fix something.
## Direct deposit timing
For deposits to hit on pay day:
| Pay day | Submit by |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Friday | Wednesday 5pm |
| Last day of month | 2 business days prior by 5pm |
| Any day | 2 business days prior by 5pm |
If you miss the deadline, deposits hit the next business day after your scheduled pay date. Employees won't be happy, so set calendar reminders.
## Tax deposits
Pluvel makes tax deposits on your behalf:
| Deposit type | Frequency |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Federal (941 taxes) | Semi-weekly or monthly (based on your deposit schedule) |
| State income tax | Varies by state |
| State unemployment | Quarterly |
| Federal unemployment | Quarterly |
You don't need to remember schedules or make manual payments. Just fund your payroll account, and we handle the rest.
## Payroll history
Every payroll is saved forever:
1. Go to **Payroll → History**
2. See all past payroll runs
3. Click any payroll to see full details
4. Download reports (summary, individual pay stubs, tax liability)
This is your record for tax time, audits, and employee questions.
## Common payroll mistakes
**Forgetting overtime.** Hours over 40 must be paid at 1.5x (or higher in some states). If you enter 45 regular hours, Pluvel auto-calculates overtime — but only if you've set up overtime rules correctly.
**Missing the deadline.** Payroll needs 2 business days to process. Submit late, and employees get paid late. They remember.
**Wrong work state.** Remote employee in California but you have them set to Texas? Wrong taxes. Wrong withholding. Fix it before your next payroll.
**Ignoring the preview.** That extra zero on someone's bonus? The preview would've caught it. Always check before submitting.
Once payroll processes, direct deposits cannot be reversed. Triple-check large or unusual payments before submitting.
## What's next
How employees access their pay information.
Understanding tax deposits and filings.