Email template
Payroll onboarding request email
Payroll onboarding runs backward from the first pay date. This email asks for the business registrations, the employee forms and the prior payroll history in one request, with a due date before the first payroll cutoff.
When to use it
Send this after the payroll engagement is agreed and at least two weeks before the first pay date.
Payroll setup: records for {{first_pay_date}}
Hi {{client_name}},
We are setting up payroll for {{first_pay_date}}. Please send the records below by {{due_date}} so the first payroll is on time.
{{checklist_link}}
We need the EIN letter, the payroll bank account, the state withholding and unemployment accounts, and the employee roster with each employee's W-4 and state withholding form.
If you are switching from another payroll provider, include the year-to-date register, the payroll tax returns filed this year and the last pay stubs.
Please upload the documents through the secure link. Do not email bank account numbers or Social Security numbers.
Thank you, {{firm_name}}
Replace the placeholders in braces with the client's details. Keep the client's tax ID or account number out of the email.
Notes before you send
- Work backward from the first pay date.
- Confirm the state withholding and unemployment accounts before the first run.
- Ask for the prior payroll history if the client is switching mid-year.
- Use the secure link for bank details and employee forms.
Questions about this template
What is needed to start payroll for a new client?
The EIN, the payroll bank account, the pay schedule, the state registrations and the employee roster with Forms W-4 and state withholding forms. A mid-year switch also needs the year-to-date register, the filed payroll returns and the last pay stubs.
Can the client switch payroll providers mid-year?
Yes. The new provider needs the year-to-date register, the payroll tax returns filed so far and the last pay stubs, so the annual W-2s and the quarterly returns agree.
Who enters direct deposit details?
Have employees enter their own bank details in the payroll provider's self-service portal where possible. If the firm collects them, use a secure field.
When should the first payroll be approved?
Before the payroll provider's cutoff, which is usually a few days before the pay date. A late approval can delay the first paycheck.