The goal of this checklist is to make sure employees and managers are registered and comfortable using the new timeclock system before the first day of the pay period. Early exposure helps reduce confusion, builds confidence, and supports a smooth transition on go-live day.

Preparation Period

Begin preparations one or two weeks before the first punch date. This timeframe allows for proper setup, training, and troubleshooting, enabling employees to punch in confidently and accurately on the first day.

1. Database Handoff Call: Complete this milestone to facilitate smooth implementation.
2. Registration Instructions: Send employee’s the Paycor registration instructions How to send employee's Paycor Registration Instructions and direct them to the Help for Employees article for further assistance.
3. Grant Clock Access: Once you've provided the required employee clock access details, your Time Implementation Consultant will grant clock access. Employees need this access to start punching in.

This checklist is created to verify that all necessary elements for a successful first payroll are correctly set up and prepared for launch.

Timing: The Payroll Admin should complete this checklist seven to fourteen days before the go-live date.

1. Verify bank account info for funding payroll and turn off any debit blockers.
2. Confirm delivery addresses are accurate for delivery of checks.
3. If applicable, notify your Paycard vendor of transition to Paycor.
4. Notify previous payroll vendor of transition to Paycor (most clients wait until after first processing in Paycor).
5. Hire, terminate, and process employee leaves that occurred after the database handoff call.  
6. Send employee’s the Paycor registration instructions How to send employee's Paycor Registration Instructions. Direct them to the Help for Employees article.
7. After processing the final payroll in your current system, submit the required Year-To-Date (YTD) reports as requested by your Paycor Implementation Team. These reports are essential for completing the Balance Entry process, which will secure the accuracy of W-2s as well as the correct distribution of employee wages and taxes.

The Balance Entry milestone is designed to accurately input all Year-to-Date (YTD) payroll data into Paycor before processing your first payroll. 

This step is crucial for:

• Making sure W-2 forms are accurate at year-end.
• Verifying that employees are taxed correctly from their first Paycor paycheck.

Timing:

After you have processed the final payroll in your current system, the Payroll Admin must submit the essential Year-To-Date (YTD) reports as instructed by your Paycor Implementation Team. This step must be completed before processing your first payroll in Paycor. The exact timing will depend on your Paycor Go-Live date.

1. Make sure to follow the steps in the Best Practices for Dual Maintenance.
2. Add all tracked new hires to the Paycor database before your Balance Entry extraction date which will be determined by your implementation team.  

3. After you have processed the final payroll in your current payroll system, submit requested YTD reports to your Implementation Team.
4. When Balance Entry Milestone begins, your Paycor Database will be locked (read only). Work with your Implementation Team to understand what information is locked in your database and when you can expect to it to be unlocked so you can begin first payroll processing task.

Purpose: This checklist helps Payroll Administrators with the important steps to process their first payroll in Paycor. Using this checklist reduces mistakes, confirms data is correct, and makes sure you have a smooth start during go-live.

Timing: Use this checklist during go-live week while processing your first payroll in Paycor. 

Setup Payroll Checklist

1. Confirm Direct Deposit Setup: Use Report Builder to generate the Bank/Direct Deposit report and verify that employee banking information is accurate.
2. Review Time Dashboard: Make sure employees are clocking in correctly and that time data is being recorded properly.
3. Remind Managers of Timecard Deadlines: Send reminders to managers to approve timecards and time off requests before payroll starts.
4. Validate Employee Setup: Use Report Builder to run the HR report: Employee Roster (Admin). Check this list to confirm that all new hires and terminations are correctly processed in Paycor.
5. Review Advanced Payroll Settings: Navigate through each tab > General > Paystubs > Range Warnings > Workweek > Tipped Employer to verify settings before beginning payroll.

Processing Payroll Checklist

1. Begin Payrun: Make sure the pay period and check date are correct, then click Begin.
2. Import Timecards (if applicable): Import timecards and check totals to ensure they are correctly entered into the grid.
3. Customize Paygrid: Add or remove columns from the paygrid and rearrange them as needed.
4. Review Payrun Tasks: Check the menu for any open tasks and resolve them.
5. Enter Payroll Adjustments:
   • For one-time adjustments, click on the employee's name and select the appropriate tab (earning, deduction, tax) as needed. This adjustment will only apply to this payrun.
   • For permanent changes, update the employee profile directly.
6. Validate Hours and Totals: Review the hour totals at the bottom of the paygrid and confirm their accuracy.
7. Review Payrun: Carefully examine all pay data, then click ‘Review Payrun.’
8. Review Pre-Post Payroll Reports: Use the reports available at the bottom of the Review Payrun screen to validate payroll accuracy before submitting.
9. Submit Payroll: Once submitted, employee paystubs and payroll reports will be generated within a few hours.

Note:

• By default, employee's get access to paystubs on the check date. To adjust this setting go to the Advanced Payroll Settings > Paystubs menu. 
• More information on how to update this setting can be found in this article: Advanced Payroll Settings.

This checklist makes sure your employee management and onboarding settings are properly configured before go-live. It helps verify workflows, permissions, employee and job settings, manager assignments, and onboarding documents - so your team is set up for a smooth launch, and employees have a positive first experience with Paycor.

Timing: 

The HR Administrator must complete this checklist after HR configuration is complete and before pay period start date.

1. Review all automated workflows: Verify approvals and routing logic are configured correctly.
2. Verify user permissions: Confirm role-based access controls align with your organizational structure.
3. Review Employee Settings menu: Confirm settings for Employee Conduct, Recognition, Self Service, Employee Personal. Information, Employee Immunizations, Termination Wizard, Duplicate Employee Records, and Employee Pay Rates are configured appropriately.
4. Confirm Job Management menu is complete: Navigate to People> People Settings> Job Management to review job title details including EEO, work locations, etc.
5. Confirm Management Assignments: Navigate to People> All People and review manager assignments.
   • Quick Tip: Use the filters on the left menu to see Manager assignments. You can use the Bulk Actions feature to reassign managers.
6. Review Forms and Documents Library: Confirm that all forms and documents are setup and attached to the correct onboarding groups.
7. Configure Engage: Prepare a Welcome Message with tasks to be on the Engage feeds when employees log into Paycor the first time. Link helpful articles or instructions to review employee information and make updates for self-service if this feature is enabled. 

Purpose: This checklist ensures administrators, managers, and employees are trained, have proper access, and understand go-live expectations for timeclock usage.

Timing: The Time Admin should complete this checklist after the Time Configuration milestone is finalized and before the start of the first pay period. This ensures all setup tasks are complete and payroll processing begins smoothly.

1. Send employees the How to send employee's Paycor Registration Instructions and direct them to the Help for Employees articles.
2. Assign manager user access roles: Manager Administration Role
3. Confirm employees are assigned to punch profile and policy group: How Do I Add a New Employee to a Policy Group?
4. Communicate go live punching date to managers and employees.
5. Confirm punching is happening on the Time Dashboard: How Do I Use the Time Dashboard?
6. Communicate Timecard Approval deadlines to managers: Choose a deadline at least 24 hours prior to beginning the first payroll processing task.
7. Address timecard exceptions daily/weekly to get ahead of any issues prior to importing timecards for first payroll processing.

Purpose: This checklist helps make sure scheduling and labor forecasting tools are completely and correctly set up before employees start using them. These steps helps prevent disruptions, secure correct scheduling, and support a smooth switch to Paycor, which avoids negative effects on employee experience and operational efficiency.

Timing: Time Admin must complete this checklist after time configuration is complete and prior to pay period start date.

Scheduling Checklist 

1. Make sure all EEs have a job title
2. Create scheduling groups  
3. Create recurring/schedule templates if needed
4. Publish schedule  

Labor Forecasting Checklist

1. Learn about Labor Forecasting here: How Do I Use Labor Forecasting with Paycor Scheduling Pro?
2. Setup forecasting polices here: Do I Setup Labor Forecasting with Paycor Scheduling Pro?