This article provides an introduction to the Preliminary payroll section and explains the structure and most important functions of the preliminary payroll area and payroll table. The Preliminary payroll section combines all payroll-relevant data and helps you manage monthly payroll processes efficiently. Here you can:

• Check personal and compensation data and time off, as well as data changes since the last approval.
• See details on data changes and navigate to an employee's profile to make adjustments.
• Approve the monthly payroll and freeze the Personal info, Salary and Time off tabs so you know exactly what data is considered for this payroll cycle.
• Create a Preliminary payroll export at any time with the current changes highlighted in the Excel file.
• Manage Preliminary payroll settings from the Manage tab.

To learn how to configure preliminary payroll settings, read our article on the topic. For more information on the behavior of Preliminary payroll, read our article on frequently asked questions in Preliminary payroll.

Note:
Something seems different? Preliminary payroll settings are moving from the Settings area to the Manage tab. After the initial rollout is completed, you can access them from both locations during the transition phase. Eventually, they will be available only in the Manage tab.

The payroll table

The Preliminary payroll area is organized by payroll month and payroll group if enabled. To access this section, go to Payroll in the navigation bar on the left. Customers who use Personio Payroll (Germany only) or payroll integrations for some of their legal entities can choose between Preliminary payroll, Personio Payroll, or their payroll integration depending on the legal entity. 

Note:
You don't have access to Personio's Preliminary payroll with these integrations: Xero, A3, and Loket. To use Preliminary payroll along with an integration, contact Support.

Here, you can:

• Choose the payroll month, group, and tab: Use the drop-down menu on the top left to navigate to the desired payroll month.
• Approve Preliminary payroll: On the top right of the preliminary payroll table, an overview displays the status of your preliminary payroll for the selected month, as well as the date since when changes are marked. You can approve by clicking the relevant button on the top right. An export is generated automatically.
• Generate exports: You can generate more exports anytime before and after approval of the month's preliminary payroll by clicking the respective button. Go to the Documents tab to download any exports.

It is also divided into several tabs. You can find more details on each tab below.

The People tab

View a table of employees organized into three preset views for each payroll period. Each view focuses on relevant attributes for a quick overview:

• All Employees: See key payroll information like gross salary (sum of salary and compensations for the payroll period), status, paid vacation taken in this period (sum of all time off from the category "Paid vacation"), and paid vacation balance (number of paid vacation days remaining in the year for each employee) of the chosen payroll group.
• Starters: Focus on new hires in the current payroll period and group. Ensure payroll details are correct. View hire dates, positions, and other important info.
• Leavers: Manage data for employees leaving the company in the current payroll period and group. Ensure all necessary data is entered. Review termination dates, reasons, and related details.

For each view, you can adjust the columns displayed and filter, sort and search employees according to your preference. Click on an employee's name to go to their profile for more information.

Note:
This tab does not highlight changes and is not included in exports. It also does not freeze upon approval.

The Personal info tab

Get a comprehensive overview of payroll data and changes for all employees. Here, you can:

• Get an overview: View a table of employees included in the payroll for each payroll period. Each employee is displayed in a row showing their personal info and compensation attributes.
• Review data changes: See at a glance what information has changed and make adjustments, if necessary.
• View details: Click on an employee's detail view. There, you can review data changes for this employee, see time off periods, and navigate to their profile to update any information if needed.

Once you approve preliminary payroll, the table view freezes and no further changes are marked.

The Salary tab

View a table of employees included in the payroll for each payroll period. Here, you can:

• View only compensation data: Get an overview of only compensation data and changes in the current payroll period. Each compensation type and its related salary component (Examples: base salary, recurring compensation type) is displayed in a separate row.
• View compensation details: See comments for compensation types like bonuses and recurring compensations directly in the table. Hover over an employee's name for further information and navigate to their profile to make updates if needed.

You can adjust the columns displayed and filter, sort, and search employees according to your preference. Once you approve preliminary payroll, the table view freezes and no further changes are marked.

Note:
The two columns Workplace and Department are not part of and cannot be exported via the Export file.

The Time off tab

Here, you can view a table of all the time off of employees included in the preliminary payroll for each payroll period. Here you can:

• View only time off data: Get an overview of only time off data, including pending time off periods and periods without an end date in the current payroll period. Each time off is displayed in a separate row.
• View details: View comments for time off, time off periods, and their approval status and employee's supervisors. Hover over a supervisor's name to contact them directly, for example in case of pending time off period approval. Hover over an employee's name for further information and navigate to their profile to make updates if needed.

You can adjust the columns displayed and filter, sort, and search employees according to your preference. Once you approve preliminary payroll, the table view freezes and no further changes are marked.

Note:
The two columns Workplace and Department are not part of and cannot be exported via the Export file.

The Employee changes tab

The Employee changes tab gives you a streamlined overview of all changes. Choose between two pre-set views:

• All changes: See changes for attributes you have chosen in the Settings and all Salary changes. Changes after approval are in the next payroll period. Note: You can find scheduled changes in the Personal info tab.
• Retroactive changes: See changes dated before the current payroll period.

For each view, you can change columns and filter, sort, or search employees. Click on an employee's name to go to their profile for more information.

Note:
This tab does not highlight changes and is not included in exports. It also does not freeze upon approval.

The Documents tab

In the Documents tab, you have an overview of and can download all payroll exports created within the displayed payroll period. It does not freeze upon approval.

The Manage tab

Note:
Preliminary payroll settings are moving from the Settings area to the Manage tab. During the transition, you can access them from both locations. Eventually, they will be available only in the Manage tab.

Set up and manage your preliminary payroll settings from the manage tab. Here you can:

• Legal entity settings: Manage settings on Legal entity level like data for the Personal info tab directly.
• Company-wide settings: Access settings on company-level set in the Settings area quickly.

For more detailed information on managing preliminary payroll settings, read our article on the topic.