How to automate your payroll in 3 simple steps

On Payroller, automated payroll is not some complex, scary feature—it’s a simple switch you can flip. I’m going to show you how to automate your payroll runs in 3 simple steps, so you can get back to the “why” of your business.

First, let’s clear up what payroll automation means. It’s integrated software that handles the repetitive, manual data entry for you, but you’re still the boss. You still give the final approval.

Automation is not:

• A “black box” you can’t see inside.
• Letting software send payments without your approval.
• Complicated, time-consuming, or expensive to set up.

Automation is:

• A “set and forget” template for all your stable, recurring pay run data.
• A massive time-saver that eliminates manual calculations.
• A safety net that flags potential issues before they become problems.
• You, still in complete control, just with 90% of the manual work already done.

Our automation is designed to give small businesses back their time. It handles the boring stuff:

• Creating the pay run.
• Importing timesheets.
• Applying leave requests.
• Calculating tax and super.
• Creating payslips.

All it leaves for you is the final, most important step: a quick review and the click of a button.

How do I set up automated pay runs in 3 simple steps?

This is the best part. No complex wizards, no 50-page manuals. If your last pay run is ready to go, this will take you less than 60 seconds.

Step 1: Find the automation banner

Log in to your Payroller account and go to your main Payroll (STP) page.

Once your latest pay run is finalised and up-to-date, a new banner will appear right at the top of the page. It introduces automated pay runs. You can’t miss it.

Step 2: Enable automated pay runs

This is it. The “hard” part.

1. Click the “Enable” button on that banner.
2. We’ll show you a quick pop-up explaining what’s about to happen.
3. Click the “Automate pay runs” button to confirm.

And… you’re done. Seriously. Your pay runs are now set to automate.

Step 3: Review, finalise, and stay in control

So what happens next? You don’t just lose control. We don’t send anything without you.

Here’s your new, stress-free workflow:

1. Payroller prepares it: A few days before your next pay day (you can even adjust this, which I’ll get to), Payroller will automatically create your next pay run in the background. It will use your last pay run as a template and pull in any approved timesheets or leave.
2. Payroller notifies you: You’ll get an email from us saying, “Hey, your next pay run is prepared and ready for your review”.
3. You review it: The new, automated pay run will appear at the top of your Payroll (STP) page. You click into it, give it a quick scan to make sure everything looks right, and make any last-minute adjustments (like adding a bonus or processing a termination).
4. You finalise it: Once you’re happy, you hit the buttons to send payslips, report to the ATO (STP), and pay super.

You maintain 100% control over the final “go” button. We’ve just done all the tedious prep work for you.

What do I need to automate my payruns on Payroller?

Before you flip the switch, just do these two quick checks:

1. Have an active Payroller subscription: Automation is a feature of our paid plans.
2. Make sure your latest pay run is perfect: This is the most important part. Payroller’s automation uses your most recent pay run as the “template” for all future automated pay runs.

So, before you enable automation, open your last finalised pay run and give it one final check.

• Are all the right employees included?
• Are their regular hours, pay rates, and bank details correct?
• Are their tax and super details right?

If that last pay run looks good, you’re ready. That’s all the “prep” you need.

What if I need to change my automated payrun? (You’re still in charge!)

This is the number one question I get, and it’s a good one. “What if my pay run isn’t the same every week? What about casuals? What if I need to add a one-off allowance?”

We built our automation for real small businesses, not for perfect, unchanging robots. You always have control.

The power of the “Review” button

That “Review” step (Step 3 above) is your power. When you open the auto-generated pay run, it’s not locked. It’s just a draft. You can click on any employee and:

• Add a one-off bonus or commission.
• Manually add sick leave.
• Change their hours for that week.
• Process a termination (though we have guides for that, too!).

The automation gets you 90% of the way there; your review is the final 10%.

How to adjust your automation settings

Want the automated pay run created 5 days before payday, not 2? No problem.

You can change when the pay run is generated by going to your Settings (in your profile menu). Under Payroll STP > Automation, you can select your preferred preparation day and click “Save”. This gives you as much time as you need to review.

Smart warnings that stop the process

What if something is really wrong? Like an employee has no bank details, or their leave balance is about to go negative?

Other systems might just push those errors through. We don’t.

Our platform has built-in smart warnings. If the automation process runs into a critical warning (like a pending leave request that hasn’t been approved, or an employee taking more leave than they have), it will stop the automation and notify you.

This is quality assurance, built-in. The system won’t finalise a pay run it knows has a problem. It flags it and asks you, the human, to make the final call. This ensures you can fix any issues without compromising the correctness of your employee’s pay.

Set it, float it, forget. That’s payroll.

Payroll doesn’t have to be hard. You didn’t start a business to become a payroll expert—that’s our job.

If you’re already a Payroller user, go to your Payroll (STP) page and look for that banner. You can have this set up before you finish your next coffee.

If you’re not using Payroller yet, what are you waiting for? Our platform is built specifically for Australian small businesses to make payroll simple, fast, and stress-free. You can get set up in minutes and run your first pay run today.