Q: How does the entire payroll process work — from submitting payroll to employees getting paid?
A: Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
You run and submit payroll: Review your payroll draft in Workstream — make sure hours, wages, and any deductions are correct. Then click “Submit Payroll.” This locks payroll and kicks off the processing.
Workstream pulls funds from your bank: Funds are debited from your connected bank account on the same day you submit payroll.
Workstream processes the payments: Once the funds clear, Workstream
Allocates the correct wages to each employee
Withholds and files employee and employer taxes
Applies any deductions automatically
Employees get paid on payday: Employees receive their pay via direct deposit on your scheduled payday — as long as payroll was submitted on time.
Garnishment payments
Child support: Workstream automatically sends these to the appropriate agencies.
Other garnishments: You’re responsible for sending these manually.
Q: When should I submit payroll to ensure employees are paid on time?
A: The number of business days you need to submit payroll before payday depends on your processing speed, which is set during your account setup with your implementation specialist. This processing schedule determines how early payroll must be submitted so that Workstream has enough time to pull funds and deposit them into your employees’ accounts on payday.
2-day processing: Submit payroll at least 2 business days before payday
(Example: Submit by Wednesday for a Friday payday)3-day processing: Submit payroll at least 3 business days before payday
(Example: Submit by Tuesday for a Friday payday)4-day processing: Submit payroll at least 4 business days before payday
(Example: Submit by Monday for a Friday payday)
Check your approval deadline
To make sure your team gets paid on time, submit payroll before the approval deadline. Missing the deadline can delay employee payments or require you to send them manually. Banking holidays may also shift your deadline earlier, so be sure to check the Payroll tab in Workstream — we’ll always show the correct approval date based on your setup and pay schedule.
You can find your exact payroll approval deadline in two places:
Inside the payroll draft - Open your draft and check the Payroll summary section:
From the Payroll tab - Go to the Upcoming or Drafts tab to view a table showing the Approval deadline for each pay period.
Q: When are payroll funds pulled from my bank?
A: Workstream now pulls payroll funds on the same day you submit payroll, not the next day. That means once you click “Submit Payroll”, the funds begin processing immediately.
If you submit payroll BEFORE your processing deadline, we debit funds at 7am on the processing date.
If you submit payroll ON your processing deadline, we debit funds approx. 60 minutes after submission.
Q: When do employees get paid?
A: Employees are paid on your scheduled payday—as long as you finalize and submit payroll by your processing deadline. For example, if you're on a 2-day processing schedule, you’ll need to submit payroll by Wednesday for a Friday payday.
Not sure about your processing timeline? See “When should I submit payroll to ensure employees are paid on time?” for more details.
Q: How do I know if I submitted payroll correctly?
A: Once you finalize payroll, your draft will lock and show in the "Submitted" tab in Payroll. You’ll also get a confirmation email. If you’re unsure, go back into the Payroll tab to double-check — unsubmitted drafts are still editable.
Keep in mind that employees will not get paid if a payroll is in draft.
Q: How do I prevent my bank from blocking payroll transactions?
A: Some banks block large or unfamiliar transactions for security reasons. To avoid this, whitelist the following ACH ID used by Workstream: 1209306000.
Before you run your first payroll, contact your bank and ask them to approve (or "whitelist") Workstream’s ACH ID. This helps make sure your payroll payments aren’t blocked or delayed.
Some banks call this step “adding trusted accounts” or “pre-approved accounts.” If you're not sure how to do this, your bank’s support team can walk you through it.
💡 We've also prepared a letter template you can send to your bank to help make this process easier. You can download it here:
Q: What should I do if I miss the payroll deadline?
A: If you miss the payroll submission deadline, you have a few options:
Manual payment: You can pay employees directly—by check, cash, or another method. To calculate accurate net pay and withholdings, run a manual payroll in Workstream.
Next Day Pay: If you're on 2-day processing, you can switch to Next Day Pay and submit payroll one business day before payday. This costs an additional $1 per employee, and must be selected in your payroll draft settings before submitting payroll. See the screenshot for where to enable it:
📌 Need help? If you’ve missed the deadline and can’t make a manual payment, contact support as soon as possible. We’ll check if there are any available options based on your processing.
Q: What is Next Day Pay?
A: It’s an optional feature that lets you submit payroll just one business day before payday, instead of two.
Available only to customers on 2-day processing
Must submit by 5 PM PT the day before payday
Pricing: $1 per employee
This can be adjusted when submitting your payroll draft:
Q: Can I switch to faster payroll processing?
A: It depends on your current processing time:
If you're on 2-day processing, you can switch to Next Day Pay when submitting your payroll draft
If you're on 3-day or 4-day processing, this option won't appear. Your processing time is based on factors like account history and risk assessment, and it's set when your payroll account is first created. At this time, it can’t be manually changed