A one-page payroll register for small businesses. List each employee once per pay period — hourly or salaried — and the Excel file works out regular pay, overtime, double time and gross pay, with totals for the whole payroll. The PDF is a printable version to fill in by hand.
What’s in the template
- Up to 25 employees per pay period, hourly or salaried
- Pay frequency setting (weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly) that splits salaries correctly
- Regular, overtime (1.5× or custom) and double-time pay, bonuses and other earnings
- Gross pay per employee and payroll totals
- An example payroll and a “How to use” tab
How to use the payroll register
- Enter the pay period dates and pay date, and choose the pay frequency.
- Add one row per employee: hourly rate and hours, or annual salary.
- Enter bonuses, commissions or other earnings for the period.
- Check the gross pay column and the totals, then run taxes and deductions in your payroll software.
Need a single paycheck? The paycheck calculator does the same math in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What is a payroll register?
A record of every employee’s pay for one pay period: hours, rates, earnings and gross pay (and, in full payroll systems, taxes and net pay). It is how employers check a payroll before paying it.
Does the template calculate taxes?
No. It calculates gross pay only. Federal and state income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare depend on each employee’s tax forms and current IRS tables, so use payroll software or the IRS guidance for those.
How long do I need to keep payroll records?
Under federal rules, payroll records must be kept for at least 3 years and the time cards used to compute wages for at least 2 years (29 CFR 516.5 and 516.6). States may require longer.