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Set up and manage pay schedules in QuickBooks Online Core Payroll

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•48•Updated February 27, 2024

Whether you’re already using pay schedules for your payroll or need to set up multiple ones, we’ve got you covered. We’ll show you how to set up pay schedules and group employees based on their payment timing in QuickBooks Online Core Payroll.

Here are the types of pay schedules you can assign your employees to:

  • Weekly: pay your employees every week on a specific, recurring day of the week. Many businesses schedule paydays every Friday, which makes 52 payouts a year.
  • Monthly: pay your employees once a month on a specific, recurring date. This makes 12 payouts a year.

When it comes to setting up and assigning pay schedules, keeping a few things in mind will help ensure things go smoothly:

  • If an employee has been paid, you cannot create or modify their pay schedule.
  • Once a pay schedule is assigned to an employee and used in payroll, you cannot delete it.
  • Newly created pay schedules can be selected for both current and new employees.
  • To update the pay schedule for multiple employees, the setting must be changed for each employee.
  • By selecting the Use this pay schedule as the default for employees you add after this one option, the assigned pay schedule will automatically apply to all new employees added. 
  • Each employee's pay period can be adjusted in their individual employee profile.

Add a new pay schedule

  1. Go to Payroll and select Employees (Take me there).
  2. Select your employee.
  3. From the Employment details section, select Start or Edit.
  4. From the Pay schedule ▼ dropdown, select + Add pay schedule.
  5. Select a Pay frequency, Next payday, and End of next pay period.
  6. Enter a Pay schedule name.
    Note: Uncheck the box Use this pay schedule for employees you add after this one, if you don't wish to use this pay schedule for employees you add after this one.
  7. Select Save.

Assign employee a pay schedule

  1. Go to Payroll and select Employees (Take me there).
  2. Select your employee.
  3. In the Employment details section, select Start or Edit.
  4. From the Pay schedule ▼ dropdown, select an existing pay schedule.
  5. Select Save.

More help

Looking for guidance on navigating QuickBooks Online Core Payroll? Check out this resource page with how-to guides to help you.

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