FAQ: Payroll Summary Report
Quick answers to common questions about running, reading, and using the Payroll Summary report.
Q: Why is the employee count different from my total headcount?
A: The employee count on the Payroll Summary report shows only employees who received payroll during the selected period. Employees on unpaid leave, separated during the period, or newly hired mid-period may not appear in the full count, or may appear with partial pay. To include all employees regardless of pay status, use the Show Zeros filter option.
Q: Can I compare two months side-by-side?
A: The Payroll Summary report shows a single date range. To compare two months, run the report twice and download each as an Excel file. Then use Excel's copy-paste or merge features to arrange them side-by-side for comparison. Alternatively, some organizations use a custom Dashboard or Ledger report for multi-period comparisons.
Q: Where do I find the report if my organization uses multiple payroll cycles?
A: Go to Reports → HR & Payroll Reports → Payroll Summary Report. You can filter by Payroll Cycle to narrow the results to a specific cycle (e.g., Bi-weekly, Monthly). Open in Usystems
Q: Why is the "Net Payroll" figure different from what I transferred to the bank?
A: Net payroll is calculated as Gross minus Deductions. However, if your organization also transfers payroll taxes separately, refunds, or arrears, those may not be included in the net figure. Review the Deductions column to see what was withheld, and check your Payments page for the actual bank transfer total.
Q: Can I drill down from the summary to individual employee records?
A: The Payroll Summary report is a rolled-up view. To see individual employee payroll details, run the Payroll by Employee report instead.
Q: My report is empty. What went wrong?
A: Check the following:
- Date range: Ensure your Start and End dates include at least one payroll run. If there was no payroll activity in that period, the report will be empty.
- Filters: If you applied department or cost center filters, verify that employees exist in those areas.
- Permissions: Confirm you have HR or admin permissions to access payroll reports.
- Data: Ask your HR admin if payroll runs were actually processed for the dates you selected.
Q: Can I export the report to my accounting software?
A: Yes. Export the report as CSV and import the file into your accounting or payroll software (if it supports CSV import). If your software requires a specific format, you may need to reformat the CSV columns using Excel. For integration support, contact your administrator or system vendor.
Was this helpful?