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What does a Payroll do?

Photo of Brenna Goyette
Brenna Goyette
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Published 3 min read

A payroll is a company's list of its employees, as well as the amounts of money they are to be paid.

Payroll job duties include:

  • Review timesheets and attendance records to ensure accuracy
  • Calculate wages, including overtime, vacation pay, and sick leave
  • Process payroll deductions, such as taxes, insurance, and retirement contributions
  • Prepare and issue paychecks or direct deposit payments
  • Keep records of employee earnings and deductions
  • Update payroll records when changes occur, such as employee raises or terminations
  • Reconcile payroll accounts by resolving discrepancies
  • Generate reports, such as payroll summaries and year-end reports
  • Answer employees’ questions about their pay or payroll procedures

Payroll Job Requirements

There are no formal education requirements for payroll positions, although most employers prefer candidates with at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some payroll positions may require certification from the American Payroll Association or other professional organizations. Many payroll positions also require at least one year of experience working in payroll or a related field.

Payroll Skills

  • Communication
  • Organization
  • Time management
  • Payroll software
  • Microsoft Office
  • Customer service
  • Data entry
  • 10-key
  • Math
  • Accuracy
  • Attention to detail
  • Problem solving

Related: Top Payroll Skills: Definition and Examples

How to become a Payroll

There are many steps that one must take in order to become a payroll. The most important step is to have a strong understanding of numbers and how they work. This is because payroll is all about managing money and ensuring that employees are paid correctly. Without a strong foundation in mathematics, it will be very difficult to become a payroll.

Another key step is to have excellent organizational skills. Payroll involves keeping track of a lot of different information and making sure that everything is up to date. This can be a challenge, so it is important to be able to stay organized and on top of things.

Finally, it is also important to have good people skills. Payroll involves working closely with employees and dealing with their personal information. It is important to be able to build trust and rapport with employees in order to do this effectively.

If you have a strong foundation in mathematics, excellent organizational skills, and good people skills, then you may have what it takes to become a payroll.

Related: Payroll Resume Example

Related: Payroll Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

Editorial staff

Photo of Brenna Goyette, Editor

Editor

Brenna Goyette

Expert Verified

Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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