How To Void or Cancel an Employee Paycheck

_{This article’s video shows the steps for voiding or canceling an employee paycheck in Patriot Payroll. It covers where to find the Void Payroll tool, how to select checks to void, how to confirm the void, and where to confirm that the check was voided afterward.}

Available for Basic Payroll, Full Service Payroll

This article explains how to void or cancel an employee paycheck in Patriot Payroll and is available both Basic Payroll and Full Service Payroll.

What does it mean to void a paycheck?
Voiding a paycheck cancels the paycheck in Patriot Payroll and reverses the payroll amounts tied to that check. This includes the employee’s pay, deductions, contributions, and payroll taxes. Voiding is different from deleting because the paycheck remains in your records as a voided check.

In other words, voiding a paycheck reverses the payment made to the employee. This includes the paycheck’s:

• Earnings
• Deductions
• Contributions
• Employee taxes
• Employer taxes

Note:  If you are a Full-Service Payroll customer, you can only void checks that have not yet been included in tax filings.

Notes on Voiding a Paycheck

Review these details before voiding a paycheck:

• You can void employee paychecks from the Void Payroll tool, the Payroll Register report, or the employee’s Paychecks tab.
• The Void Payroll tool can void up to 10 checks at one time.
• If you need to void more than 10 checks, repeat the void process after completing the first batch.
• If the paycheck was paid by direct deposit, Patriot may be able to stop the collection from your bank account and the payment to the employee if you void the paycheck before the deadline.
• The direct deposit collection status appears at the end of each row when you void the paycheck.

There are several places the software offers the void an employee paycheck:

• Void Payroll Tool – for single or bulk paycheck voids
• Payroll Register Report – best for single paycheck voids
• Employee Paycheck Report – best for single paycheck voids
  
  Contractors and Vendors
• For voiding contractor payments in payroll, read, “Voiding a Contractor Payment.”
• To void a payment to a vendor in accounting, read “Voiding a Vendor Payment.”

How to Void a Paycheck with the Void Payroll Tool

Learn how to void or cancel an employee payroll, employee payroll history, or an S-Corp update. With this tool, you can void up to 10 checks at a time.

1. Go to Payroll > Payroll Tasks > Void Payroll
2. In Step 1, a list of voidable checks will appear.  If you have our payroll tax filing service, you will not be able to void checks from past tax periods that have already been filed.  If needed, you can select a different pay date (back to the previous month), and click “Run Report.”
   • You can click “View Details” beside each check to confirm this is the check that you want to void.
3. Check the box beside each check to void
4. “Continue” to move to Step 2. 
   • You can void up to 10 checks at one time. 
   • To void more checks, repeat these steps.
5. In Step 2, review the checks to be voided. 
   • If you are a Full Service customer, you will see a refund of the payroll taxes as a result of the voided checks. 
6. After reviewing your selections, proceed by clicking “Void Payroll Entries,” or click “Cancel” to return to the payroll detail screen without voiding.
7. If you use direct deposit, you may be able to stop the collection and payment to the employee, if you have voided before the deadline.  The status of the collection appears at the end of each row.
   • See Voided Direct Deposit Paycheck Refund Scenarios for details.
8. In the Payroll Register and Employee Check History, you will see that the check has been voided in red lettering at the top of the check, and the date the check was voided.

How to Void a Paycheck on the Payroll Register Report

You can also void a single check directly from a report:

1. Go to Reports > Payroll Reports > Payroll Register
2. Select the pay date range to find the check you want to void.
3. Click the “Void This Check” link located at the bottom of the check detail.
   • A confirmation will show the details, and any taxes collected to be refunded.
4. Click “Yes,” for the question “Are you sure you want to void this check?” to confirm, or “cancel” leave without voiding.

How to Void a Paycheck on the Employee Paycheck Report

1. Go to Payroll > Employees > Employee List
2. Select the name of the employee whose check you want to void.
3. Click the “Paychecks” tab on the employee record.
4. Select the pay date range to find the check you want to void.
5. At the bottom of the check detail, click the “Void This Check” link.
   • A confirmation page will show the details, and any taxes collected to be refunded. 
6. Click “Yes,” for the question “Are you sure you want to void this check?” to confirm, or “cancel” leave without voiding.

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