How to print payroll stubs
Offering your employees physical paychecks can be easy with the right tools. Here are three simple steps for printing payroll checks.
1. Gather your supplies
Your business may need these supplies before you can print checks in-house:
- A printer. Standard office printers are usually capable of printing payroll stubs.
- Pay stub templates or software. A template can help you create pay stubs manually, and many are available online. Payroll software can cover the process without needing a template.
- Check stock. Printing on check stock is a security measure that helps prevent checks from being altered.
- Magnetic ink. Check-readers are built to understand magnetic ink (or toner), which is compatible with most standard printers. If you print checks with normal ink, banks may charge your employees processing fees.
- Envelopes. Windowed envelopes are the standard choice for mailing checks because they show your organization’s and the employee’s names and addresses.
2. Choose your software
When selecting a payroll software tool, you might consider options such as:
- APS Payroll
- Intuit QuickBooks Online
- RUN by ADP
- Gusto
- Square Payroll
When evaluating your options, consider security and user-friendliness. Scalability is also an important factor if you need software that can grow with your business.
Additional features, such as tax services, may support your investment by providing opportunities to save time for future tasks. Cost can also affect which programs fit into your company’s human resources (HR) budget.
3. Print and distribute
Once employee data is uploaded and payroll checks are formatted, you can start printing pay stubs for distribution. Proper supplies, accurate records and efficient software can simplify in-house printing for your HR department.
Once you start offering physical payroll checks, consider ways to secure the information they carry. This might involve educating your HR staff about how to handle sensitive data, keeping blank check stock in a secure area or investing in quality computer security on the systems that contain payroll software.
Why do some employees prefer physical paychecks?
Despite the convenience and security of direct deposit, employees might prefer physical checks for a variety of reasons. For example, employees might:
- Prefer managing their finances with cash rather than relying on digital transactions
- Not have a bank account
- Want to avoid direct deposit fees associated with some financial institutions
Though their reasons may vary, some workers still prefer to receive printed checks. By offering to print payroll stubs or providing your HR team with the necessary tools, you enable each employee to select their preferred method of receiving payment.
Printing payroll checks: The pros and cons
Besides giving your employees more agency over how they’re paid, several benefits may result from printing payroll checks. In many cases, it can be simpler and potentially more affordable than partnering with a financial institution for a direct deposit service.
Printing payroll checks within your organization also means you control when and how they’re distributed.
Printing payroll stubs within your organization generally requires a higher level of security to ensure each check reaches the correct employee safely. You and your payroll team might also need to spend more time bookkeeping to keep accurate records and utilize payroll software correctly.
If you prefer to keep most business operations in-house, the time and development required to process payroll from start to finish might be worth it.
FAQs about printing payroll checks
Who can I hire to manage my company’s payroll?
As your business grows, you might need extra help managing payroll. Hiring a payroll manager or payroll specialist can help you maintain accurate data, maintain compliance and improve the overall accuracy of your payroll operations.
A payroll manager may record data in spreadsheets, review timesheets, adjust salaries for raises or bonuses and even print checks. If your payroll team needs further support, consider adding a specialist to your HR team.
Can I print old payroll stubs for employees?
An employee might request print payroll stubs from past pay cycles for their records or to correct an error. Most payroll software lets you or your payroll team print old pay stubs as long as the employee can provide the date of the paycheck in question.
Should I outsource my company’s payroll?
Though the steps above can simplify the check-printing process, some companies prefer not to manage payroll in-house at all. Outsourcing payroll is a common solution that passes the responsibility to a third party, allowing your team to focus their attention on other areas.
Outsourcing may be the right choice if your company aims to reduce the time spent on payroll.
