Pay periods
How to create the pay period that a payroll run uses — frequency, start and end dates, and expected hours.
A pay period defines the window of time a payroll run is built for: its frequency, its start and end dates, and the expected hours for the period. You create the pay period first, then run payroll against it.
Who can manage pay periods
Payroll Admin and Tenant Owner / Admin can create and manage pay periods. This is where you set up a new period before running payroll.
Creating a pay period
Navigate to Payroll and open the Pay periods tab.
Choose the frequency.
Pick how often this period recurs: weekly, fortnightly, semi-monthly, or monthly. The frequency determines how statutory amounts (PAYE, NIS, allowances) are prorated when payroll runs.
Set the start and end dates.
Enter the period's start and end dates. These define the window of attendance and contract data the payroll run will draw on.
Set the expected hours.
Enter the expected hours for the period. This is the baseline the run uses for employees who are paid against a standard period.
Save the period.
The period is now available to select when you create a payroll run.
Frequencies
| Frequency | Period length |
|---|---|
| Weekly | One week. |
| Fortnightly | Two weeks. |
| Semi-monthly | Twice per month (typically two fixed periods per calendar month). |
| Monthly | One calendar month. |
Effective-dated statutory rules
Statutory amounts are stored as annual figures and prorated per pay frequency. A fortnightly period uses a fortnightly share of the annual allowance, a monthly period uses a monthly share, and so on. The rule set itself is resolved by the run's pay date — see Effective-dated rules.
How pay periods connect to runs
A pay period is the input a payroll run is built against. The workflow is:
What to check
- The right frequency — the frequency drives proration. A period set to the wrong frequency will prorate statutory amounts incorrectly.
- Dates align with the cycle — start and end dates should match your organisation's intended pay cycle so attendance for the right window is picked up.
- Expected hours are set — a missing or incorrect expected-hours value can throw off period-based pay calculations.
Troubleshooting
I can't find where to create a payroll period
Pay periods are created under Payroll → Pay periods. You must have Payroll Admin or Tenant Owner / Admin access for the tab to appear.
My period isn't available when I create a run
Confirm the period was saved and that its dates and frequency are set. Runs select from existing pay periods.
Statutory amounts look too high or too low for the period
Check the period's frequency. Statutory amounts are prorated by frequency, so a fortnightly period set as monthly (or vice versa) will produce the wrong share.
Auto-open the next period
Skip the manual step
Turn on Payroll → Settings → Automation → "Auto-open the next pay period on close" and the system opens the next period for you whenever you close one — same frequency and length, dates rolled forward with no gap. It's idempotent (it won't create a duplicate if that period already exists) and is off by default, so nothing changes until an admin enables it.