Setting Up Pay Automation

Updated: November 2025

Pay automation can reduce the need to complete timesheets manually every pay.

It works best where :

• Employees are paid the same amount on a regular weekly or fortnightly pay cycle 
• There are no additional pay types allowances required or
• Leave liability recording may not be required. 

It is not as useful if : 

• Your employee's hours change each pay.
• You have different pay cycles for different employees.
• Employees have regular deductions and allowances 
  • The quick load options of 'Default pay' or 'Copy last' may work better   

 

Let's set up the pay automation, one step at a time:

• Step 1: Set up your default pay day and pay cycle
• Step 2: Check your employees' default standard pay settings
• Step 3: Create a template pay for pay automation
• Step 4: Activate pay automation for this payroll account
• What about correction pays or one-off pays?

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Step 1: Set your default pay day and pay cycle

The two settings that must be the same for all employees on pay automation are their pay day and pay cycle length. 

What to do: 

From the dashboard, go to Settings and select 'Pay Day Settings' from the dropdown menu. This will take you to the Pay Day Settings page, where you set the pay day and pay cycle.

1. Check that your default pay day is correct. You can update this by selecting a different day if needed.
   1. All your employees on pay automation will be paid on this same pay day.
   2. In this example, the employees will be paid on a Thursday.
2. The system will default to your selected pay day in this tab (Point 1) provided your deposit is received by 6pm the evening before, regardless of the fees processing option.
   
   
3. Check that the pay cycle is correct. You can update this by selecting a different pay interval.
   1. All your employees on pay automation will be paid in the same pay period cycle.
   2. In this example, all pay automation employees will be paid on a Thursday, fortnightly.
4. Update the settings to save whatever changes you've made.

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Step 2: Check your employees' default standard pay settings

Pay automation includes all employees who have 'default entries saved in their standard pay row' in their Employee Profile. 

What to do: 

Go to Employees in the top menu bar and select 'Standard Pay' from the dropdown menu. This will take you to the Standard Pay page of your  employee, check their default timesheet row settings reflect their regular hours.

1. Check that your employee's pay rate is correct. 
   1. The employee's standard pay can be entered as per year, weekly, or hourly to match their employment agreement. Follow this link for more information on entering standard pay settings for different employment types.
   2. In this example, the employee's rate is entered as $ 520 per week.
2. Check that the employee's tax code is correct.
3. Check that the 'default entries for the standard pay row of the timesheet' is correct. This should always be updated to reflect any new work patterns.

Pay Automation only uses this row for the timesheets. No other timesheet rows are created through pay automation. 

1. 1. Every employee who has entries in this row will be included in every pay automation pay run.
   2. If you don't want an employee to be included their 'default entries row' must be empty.
      
   Update and next the tab to save whatever changes you make. Go through all employee's Standard Pay tab to make sure their settings are correct for inclusion/exclusion from pay automation.

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Step 3: If you have not processed earlier pays through Thankyou Payroll or are changing your pay cycle.

Create a pay to set your dates going forward. 

Create a pay to check that everything is set up correctly. This will also give you the amount needed for your automatic payment to the Thankyou Payroll Trust account.

What to do: 

1. On the dashboard, create a new pay by clicking the 'Create a new pay' button.
2. Check that the 'pay day' and the 'pay period starting date' are both correct.
   1. You can update these by clicking on the calendar icon next to each.
3. Click the 'default pay' option in the Quick Load menu section. This will create a pay run based on the 'default entries for the standard pay row' for your employees..
   1. What you see on this dashboard sets the start point for your future pays.
4. Pay Automation priorities your pay day. Provided your deposit is received by 6pm the evening before your selected pay day a pay will be created and process.
5. All employees with 'default entries in the standard pay row' of their Employee Profiles saved will be included in this pay.
   1. It is important to check that the employees you want to pay through pay automation are toggled on and have the correct pay amount next to their name.
   2. If employees are missing, it means that they will not be included in automation pay runs.
      1. To include them in pay automation, enter their 'default entries for the standard pay row' in their Employee Profile. See step 2.
6. Employees who are toggled off will not be included in pay automation. 
   1. To pay these employees, you can add them manually to a pay run, or do a separate manual pay for them as needed. Remember to deposit any extra funds  if you add more employees.
7. The 'You Deposit' amount is the amount required for your automatic payment.
   1. When we apply a deposit to your client account, your pay automation cycle will be triggered.
   2. Any deposit will create the next pay in your cycle, but a pay will not process until it is fully funded.
   3. WARNING: If there is an unprocessed pay on the dashboard. Automation will not overwrite this pay or create a new pay.
      
      
      
8. Keep this pay on the dashboard to be processed with your first deposit.
   1. Your second deposit will trigger the pay automation cycle for the next pay.

 

Remember to update and save settings if you change anything in the Employee Profile or Settings Tabs.

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