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Guide to Running Your First Payroll with Atto

Updated today

Welcome to Atto Payroll! This guide walks you through the process of running your first payroll, step by step.


1. Pre-Payroll Approval Checklist

Before running your first payroll, make sure to:


2. Payroll Dashboard Overview

After logging into your Atto Payroll account, you’ll land on the Payroll Dashboard, which includes:

  • Pay Period Dates – The time range for calculating payroll hours.

    🔄 To update: Changing Pay Schedule

  • Pay Day Date – The day your employees will receive payment.

  • Approval Deadline – The last day to approve payroll for timely processing.


Need to run payroll outside your regular schedule?

🔗 Running Off-Cycle Payroll

Once everything looks right, click “Run Regular Payroll” to begin.


3. Reviewing Payroll Details


After starting payroll:

  • You’ll see a list of all employees and contractors eligible for payment.

Click to expand each row to view:

  • Hours worked

  • Total pay

  • Payment method (Direct Deposit or Manual)


Adding New Earnings Items

To add bonuses, commissions, or reimbursements:

  1. Expand the employee or contractor row

  2. Click “+ New Earnings”

  3. Select the type, enter the amount, and add a note (optional)

Once everything is reviewed, click “Preview Payroll”.


4. Approving Payroll

In the Preview Payroll section, confirm all the payroll components:

  • Pay Breakdown

    View gross and net pay, reimbursements, and PTO/Sick Leave totals.

  • Tax Breakdown

    See a breakdown of:

    • Company Taxes (e.g., employer Social Security, Medicare)

    • Employee Taxes (e.g., federal/state income tax, FICA)

  • Cash Requirements

    The total amount needed to process payroll, including wages and taxes.

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  • Cash Requirement

    At the bottom left corner of the payroll preview, you’ll see the total amount needed to fund the payroll. This includes gross wages, employer taxes, and any additional items like reimbursements or post-tax deductions.

  • Breakdown of Funds

    Click to view a detailed summary showing how the total is distributed—covering gross pay, taxes, and other cash outflows related to payroll. This helps ensure transparency before you submit payroll.

  • Post-Tax Deductions

    Deductions like HSA or 401(k) contributions made after taxes.

  • Hourly Breakdown

    Total hours: regular, overtime, or other wage types.

  • Benefits

    If enabled, this section shows benefits like health insurance or retirement contributions.

Double-check all payroll details. When ready, click “Submit Payroll.”


5. Processing Payroll

After you submit:

  • Email Confirmation

    You’ll receive a confirmation that payroll has been processed.

  • Automatic Tax Filings

    Atto files your company’s taxes and withholds employee taxes on your behalf.

  • Wage Transfer

    Direct deposits are processed, or checks are issued based on the employee’s setup.


Need more help?

Just message us via in-app chat or reach out to our team — we’ve got you.

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