Use the approved payroll calendar
Pay dates and cutoffs depend on the current calendar for your employee group.
Check the current approved payroll calendar for the pay period you are reviewing. It is the source for actual pay dates and time-entry cutoffs; this fictional example supplies no dates. If another deadline reference conflicts with the calendar, confirm which source is current before relying on it.
What to confirm
Check the approved calendar and correction guidance.
| Calendar detail | What to check |
|---|---|
| Pay period | The start and end dates for the cycle you are reviewing. |
| Pay date | The date listed in the current approved calendar. |
| Time-entry cutoff | The applicable deadline and time zone, if stated in the approved source. |
| Correction route | The approved process for reporting a missing or incorrect time entry. |
Common paystub labels
Labels and placement vary by payroll system. These plain-language descriptions are not tax advice or a determination of eligibility.
Gross pay
Pay shown before listed deductions or other adjustments.
Net pay
The amount shown after entries applied to that pay statement.
Hours and pay period
Hours recorded for the period; compare with the time record for those same dates.
- Check the pay-period date range.
- Compare the matching dates in Time & Attendance.
Year to date (YTD)
A running total for the year, as labeled by the payroll system.
Prepare a clear pay question
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1
Find the pay period
Locate the dates covered by the statement and identify the work dates you are reviewing.
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2
Compare the hours
Open Time & Attendance and compare the time record for the same period.
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3
Note the detail that does not match
Write down the work date, the label as shown, and what you already checked. Use the approved time-correction route for a missing or incorrect punch.
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4
Ask through the approved payroll route
If the calendar or paystub remains unclear, use Northstar's confirmed payroll support process. This sample does not supply a support contact.