Payroll Definition

Payroll is the process of paying employees. It is the total amount of salaries, wages, and/or additional compensation owed to employees for a specific period of time (e.g., weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly).

Payroll Extended Definition

Payroll refers to the process of producing and distributing paychecks or stubs. You will also find the word payroll used to refer to the employee records an employer must maintain in order to track payroll expenses (e.g., taxes, deductions, wages).

For small businesses, payroll can be a major expense.

Related Articles
What Is Payroll? The Employer’s Must-have Guide to Paying Employees 
How to Do Payroll: Your Step-by-step Guide on Paying Employees

Last Updated By

Rachel Blakely-Gray | Apr 28, 2023

Check out Our Payroll Software

See a Demo

Back to Top