Help and troubleshooting

Access

What you see	Likely cause	What to do
Payroll card greyed out with Access required	A module is off, or you lack a payroll view permission	Administrator: switch on Payroll, Employee, Party and Organization; give payroll.run.view or payroll.setup.view.
"Payroll access required" page	Same	Same. See Access.
Clicking Payroll on the dashboard does nothing	Payroll is off for the organisation	Ask an administrator to enable it.
"No payroll business-unit access is assigned to this user"	You are assigned to no business units	Ask for access to the employer unit.
A group or run is missing from the list	It belongs to an employer unit you aren't assigned to	Ask for access to that unit.
You see run totals but can't open an employee	You lack payroll.detail.view	Ask for it, if your job needs individual pay.
No Workflow history	You lack payroll.audit.view	Ask for it.
"Employee selection requires employee.view"	You can't list employees	Ask for employee.view.
Changes don't show after your role changed	Permissions are read at sign-in	Sign out and in.

Setup

Message	What to do
Payroll group code already exists	Codes are permanent; use a new code.
Country must be an ISO country code / Unsupported ISO currency	Use codes like GB and GBP.
BASE is reserved for agreed compensation	Choose another component code.
Component rule version already exists	Use a new rule version for the same code.
Invalid component dates	Effective to must be on or after effective from.

Runs and employees

Message	Meaning	What to do
Run dates require start <= end <= payment date	Dates out of order	Fix the dates.
Run number already exists	Run numbers are never reused	Use a new number, e.g. 2026-10B.
An uncancelled run already covers this group period	Another live run overlaps	Use that run, or cancel it first.
Service dates must be inside the run period	Entry dates outside the run	Use dates within the run.
… requires exactly one covering … record; split periods at HR changes	Employment, assignment or pay changes mid-period, or is missing	Split the entry, or fix the HR record.
Employment belongs to another payroll employer	Wrong group for this employee	Use the employer's group.
Compensation currency/frequency does not match payroll group	Agreement and group differ	Use the right group or correct the agreement.
Employee service period is already included in an uncancelled payroll run	Already paid for those dates	Check the other run.
Component must cover the entire entry service period	Wrong component version for the dates	Choose the version covering the whole period.
The resource was changed or conflicts with existing data	Duplicate source reference on a line	The line already exists; don't add it again.
Payroll run must be DRAFT	The run has been calculated	Reopen it first.

Calculation and approval

Message	Meaning	What to do
Cannot calculate an empty payroll run	No employees	Capture at least one employee.
Deductions exceed gross pay; negative net pay is unsupported	One employee's deductions are too large	Correct the deduction lines.
Reviewer/approver must differ from payroll preparers	You created, changed, calculated or reopened this run	Ask another person.
Approver must differ from reviewer	You reviewed it	Ask another person.
Only calculated or reviewed runs can be reopened	The run is a draft, approved or cancelled	Nothing to reopen.
Approved or cancelled payroll cannot be cancelled	The run is final	Approved runs can't be changed.
"Conflict: reloading current data…"	Someone saved first	Check the reloaded run, then submit again.

Frequently asked questions

Does Payroll calculate tax and national insurance? No. Work out statutory amounts elsewhere and enter them as deduction or employer contribution lines.

Does approving pay the employees? No. Approval records a checked calculation. Payment and accounting happen outside Payroll.

An employee's salary was corrected in Employees. Is the run updated? No. Snapshots never change. In a draft run, remove the entry and capture it again, then re-add its lines. An approved run can't be changed.

Can I fix an approved run? No. Approved runs are final. Off-cycle and correction runs are not yet supported.

Why can't I enter a negative adjustment? All amounts are positive. Use a deduction for money taken off.

Why did my 1/12 come out as 2,999.99? You entered quantity 0.083333. Enter quantity 1 and divisor 12.

How many people do I need? Three: a preparer, a reviewer, an approver.

Quick reference

I want to…	Go to
Set up a group	Payroll groups
Add an earning or deduction type	Component versions
Start a month	Create a pay run
Add an employee	Capture employees
Add overtime or pension	Component lines
Calculate, review, approve	Calculate, review and approve
Fix a mistake before approval	Reopen
See one employee's pay	Employee statement