--- title: "Create a payroll" method: POST path: "/payrolls (COPY)" --- # Create a payroll `POST /payrolls (COPY)` ## Request - Base URL: `https://sandbox.checkhq.com` - URL: `https://sandbox.checkhq.com/payrolls (COPY)` - Auth: API key in header `Authorization` - TypeScript: (a function with typed inputs; its response is checked against the schema) Creates a payroll. ## Request body - object - `company` string, required: ID of the company to run payroll for. - `period_start` string, date, required: The start of the date range that the payroll covers. - `period_end` string, date, required: The end of the date range that the payroll covers. - `payday` string, date, required: The date on which employees will be paid for the payroll. - `processing_period` string: The processing period of the payroll.

One of `four_day`, `two_day`, or `one_day`.

The processing period determines the approval deadline of the payroll. For a payroll with a Friday payday, `four_day` will mean the approval deadline is on Monday, whereas `two_day` will mean the approval deadline is on Wednesday, and `one_day` will mean the approval deadline is on Thursday.

The possible values for this field are constrained by the processing periods the company is approved for.

Default: `processing_period` of the company - `type` string: Indicates whether the payroll is a regular, [off-cycle](doc:off-cycle-payroll), or amendment payroll.

One of `regular`,`off_cycle`, or `amendment`.

Default: `regular` - `pay_frequency` string: Frequency by which [employees](ref:the-employee-object) get paid.

One of `weekly`, `biweekly`, `semimonthly`, `monthly`, `quarterly`, or `annually`.

Default: `biweekly` - `funding_payment_method` string: Payment method for funding the payroll.

One of `ach`, `wire`, or `parafin`.

`ach` and `wire` can be set when creating or updating a payroll. `parafin` is set by Check when a payroll advance is accepted and cannot be set or changed via the API.

Default: `ach` - `pay_schedule` string: ID of the [pay schedule](ref:the-pay-schedule-object) that the payroll relates to. - `off_cycle_options` object: Additional configuration options controlling `off_cycle` payroll behavior. - `force_supplemental_withholding` boolean: Whether to tax all earnings as supplemental earnings.

Default: `false` - `apply_benefits` boolean: Whether to apply [benefit deductions and contributions](ref:the-employee-benefit-object) to the payroll.

Default: `false` - `apply_post_tax_deductions` boolean: Whether to apply [post-tax deductions](ref:the-post-tax-deduction-object) to the payroll.

Default: `false` - `items` object[]: The set of [payroll items](ref:the-payroll-item-object) associated with the payroll. - `employee` string, required - `payment_method` string - `earnings` object[] - `type` string: Type of earning. Can be one of the following earning types in Types of earnings - `workplace` string, required: ID of the workplace where work for this earning was performed - `earning_code` string: The earning code id which will be used to aggregate earnings on the paystub - `description` string: Readable description of the earning code that will show up on the paystub - `earning_rate` string: The earning rate id which will be used to calculate the gross wage. Required if type is “piece” - `amount` string: Amount earned for this earning

May be negative, for example to reverse or correct a previously reported earning - `hours` number, float: Number of hours worked for this earning - `piece_units` number, float: Number of units of work produced. Required if type is “piece” - `metadata` string, json: Additional loosely structured information to associate with the earning - `reimbursements` object[] - `amount` string, required: Amount of reimbursement

Must be greater than or equal to 0 on regular payrolls. Negative values are accepted on external payrolls - `description` string: Description for the reimbursement that will show up on the paystub - `code` string: Unique code to identify the reimbursement that will be used to aggregate reimbursements on the paystub. Recommended to always be included to have explicit groupings on the paystub. - `metadata` string, json: Additional loosely structured information to associate with the reimbursement - `benefit_overrides` object[]: The set of benefit override objects associated with this payroll item. - `benefit` string, required: ID of the employee benefit that is being overridden for the payroll item - `employee_contribution_amount` string: Updated employee contribution amount to use for this payroll only - `company_contribution_amount` string: Updated company contribution amount to use for this payroll only - `post_tax_deduction_overrides` object[]: The set of post-tax deduction override objects associated with this payroll item. - `post_tax_deduction` string, required: ID of the miscellaneous post-tax deduction that is being overridden. - `amount` string, required: Updated deduction amount to use for this payroll only - `tax_overrides` object[]: The set of tax override objects associated with this payroll item. - `tax` string, required: ID of the tax being overridden. Only Federal Income Tax and State Income Taxes are eligible. - `amount` string, required: Updated withholding amount to use for this payroll only. - `pto_balance_hours` number, float: The employee's remaining PTO hour balance, for display on the paystub - `sick_balance_hours` number, float: The employee's remaining sick hour balance, for display on the paystub - `state_covid_sick_balance_hours` number, float: The employee's remaining sick hour balance from state COVID relief bills, for display on the paystub - `supplemental_tax_calc_method` string: Controls the method used by Check to calculate tax on supplemental earnings. May be flat or aggregate - `paper_check_number` string: For accounting. The check number associated with any printed checks. Can be updated even after the associated payroll has been approved. See [Get a paper check](ref:get-a-paper-check) for more details. - `metadata` string, json: Additional loosely structured information to associate with the payroll item. - `contractor_payments` object[]: The set of [contractor payments](ref:the-contractor-payment-object) associated with the payroll. - `contractor` string, required: The id of the contractor being paid - `payment_method` string: The way the contractor will be paid, either “direct_deposit” or "manual" - `amount` string: The amount the contractor should be paid - `reimbursement_amount` string: The amount to reimburse the contractor - `paper_check_number` string: For accounting. The check number associated with any printed checks. Can be updated even after the associated payroll has been approved. See Get a paper check for more details. - `workplace` string: The Workplace ID associated with this payment. - `metadata` string, json: Additional loosely structured information to associate with the payroll. Values must be string. ## Response `200` 200 - object - `id` string - `company` string - `period_start` string - `period_end` string - `approval_deadline` string - `approved_at` string - `payday` string - `status` string - `type` string - `pay_frequency` string - `funding_payment_method` string - `processing_period` string - `off_cycle_options` unknown - `managed` boolean - `totals` object - `employee_gross` string - `employee_reimbursements` string - `employee_taxes` string - `employee_benefits` string - `post_tax_deductions` string - `employee_net` string - `contractor_gross` string - `contractor_reimbursements` string - `contractor_net` string - `company_taxes` string - `company_benefits` string - `liability` string - `cash_requirement` string - `items` object[] - `id` string - `payroll` string - `employee` string - `payment_method` string - `net_pay` string - `earnings` object[] - `amount` string - `hours` integer - `type` string - `workplace` string - `code` unknown - `description` unknown - `reimbursements` unknown[] - unknown - `taxes` object[] - `tax` string - `description` string - `amount` string - `payer` string - `benefits` unknown[] - unknown - `benefit_overrides` unknown[] - unknown - `post_tax_deductions` unknown[] - unknown - `post_tax_deduction_overrides` unknown[] - unknown - `tax_overrides` unknown[] - unknown - `warnings` unknown[] - unknown - `contractor_payments` object[] - `contractor` string - `payment_method` string - `amount` string - `reimbursement_amount` string - `is_void` boolean - `metadata` object ## Changes - **2026-11-03** `5a54f5eb888b`: 1 info - endpoint added [Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/checkhq/apis/check-api/changes/payrolls%20%28COPY%29/post.md) --- [API](https://skmtc.dev/checkhq/apis/check-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/checkhq/apis/check-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/checkhq/apis/check-api/revisions/5a54f5eb888b?raw)