· Reviewed by Nimra Khalid
What is payroll reconciliation?
Payroll reconciliation is the check that the wages, taxes, deductions and employer contributions in your payroll system match what was posted to the ledger, what left the bank, and what was reported to the tax authority or superannuation fund. It is done each pay run and at quarter and year-end, so payroll liability accounts hold only what is still owed.
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Payroll reconciliation: what we do and how it runs
Payroll reconciliation is the check that the wages, taxes, deductions and employer contributions in your payroll system match what was posted to the ledger, what left the bank, and what was reported to the tax authority or superannuation fund. It is done each pay run and at quarter and year-end, so payroll liability accounts hold only what is still owed.
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What it is
Payroll reconciliation is the check that the wages, taxes, deductions and employer contributions in your payroll system match what was posted to the ledger, what left the bank, and what was reported to the tax authority or superannuation fund. It is done each pay run and at quarter and year-end, so payroll liability accounts hold only what is still owed.
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What you get
Register, ledger, bank and filings agreed every pay run, not just year-end
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How it runs
Payroll liability accounts that clear to zero when the payment goes out
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Discovery call
We confirm your payroll provider, pay frequency, countries, benefit and super arrangements, and how the payroll journal reaches your ledger today.
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A named accountant, a backup and a team lead
Inside your own software, on a fixed close calendar, with a reply from a person within 1 business day. Call +1-657-777-0006 or start a quote.
Get a custom quote 06 / 06
Who it is for
Owner-operators with 5 to 50 staff
Payroll runs through Gusto, ADP or Xero Payroll but the wages and tax accounts on the balance sheet drift every quarter. You want them to tie without a year-end scramble.
Office managers who run payroll
You process the pay run but do not have time to post and check the journal, match the bank debits and agree the filings. A dedicated accountant closes that loop for you.
Australian employers
Payday Super from 1 July 2026 means super is paid with each pay run, and STP Phase 2 reports more detail to the ATO. You want every pay event, super payment and STP submission reconciled as it happens.
What's included
- Payroll register agreed to the payroll journal every pay run
- Net pay, tax and deduction bank debits matched to the register
- Gross wages, employer taxes and benefits posted by department or class
- Payroll liability accounts reconciled and cleared when payments go out
- Employer tax filings agreed to the register (941, RTI, T4 summary, STP)
- Superannuation payments agreed to the register and clearing house
- Payday Super timing reviewed each pay run for Australian clients
- STP Phase 2 pay events agreed to the ledger and year-end finalization
- Accrued wages and leave liabilities calculated and posted at month-end
- Workers compensation, garnishments and benefits deductions reconciled
- Year-end W-2, P60, T4 or income statement totals agreed to the ledger
- Variance log with cause, fix and owner for every difference
Deliverables and KPIs
| Deliverable | KPI we report | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Pay run reconciliation | Zero variance between register, journal and bank per pay run | Per pay run |
| Payroll liability reconciliation | Every payroll liability account agreed to amounts still owed | Monthly |
| Filing tie-out | Quarterly and annual filings agreed to the year-to-date register | Quarterly |
| Superannuation and benefits tie-out | Super, pension and benefit payments agreed to deductions and employer contributions | Per pay run |
| Accruals posted | Accrued wages and leave booked at month-end and reversed next period | Monthly |
| Reviewer sign-off | Team lead reviews each reconciliation under Two-Tier Review | Monthly |
KPIs are what we measure and report, agreed per engagement. Service-level commitments are set in your agreement.
How it works
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Discovery call
We confirm your payroll provider, pay frequency, countries, benefit and super arrangements, and how the payroll journal reaches your ledger today.
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Access and baseline tie-out
You grant report-only access to payroll and accountant access to your ledger. We reconcile the year-to-date register to the ledger and filings and list every historical difference.
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Dedicated accountant assigned
A named accountant, a trained backup and a team lead take over. Historical differences are cleared with your approval and the journal mapping is fixed so future runs post cleanly.
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Reconcile every pay run
After each pay run the accountant agrees register, journal, bank and filings, logs any variance, and the team lead reviews. Monthly, quarterly and year-end tie-outs go to LedgerDesk.
Software we work in
How much does payroll reconciliation cost?
Payroll reconciliation is priced as a flat monthly fee based on the number of pay runs per month, headcount band and the countries you employ in. It can be added to our payroll support or bookkeeping services. Pricing depends on volume and scope, so we send a custom quote within 1 business day.
What moves the quote
- Pay frequency and number of pay runs per month
- Headcount and number of pay groups or entities
- Countries and filings involved (US, UK, Canada, Australia)
- Superannuation, pension and benefit schemes to reconcile
Market benchmarks
| Market | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US | Payroll and bookkeeping support is usually bundled into outsourced bookkeeping at $150 to $1,600 per month; offshore accounting staff run $10 to $25 per hour versus $40 to $75 US-based | indinero, Madras, Acculink (2026) |
| UK | Fixed fees £100 to £1,500 per month; hourly £20 to £55 | UK provider pricing surveys (2026) |
| Canada | C$300 to C$2,000 per month for bookkeeping including payroll journals | Outsource Bookkeeping CA, TheAccTaxCo (2026) |
| Australia | Bookkeepers A$40 to A$100 per hour; fixed A$300 to A$1,500 per month | Australian bookkeeping fee surveys (2026) |
Third-party ranges for orientation, not our prices.
Get a custom quote No setup fee. Month-to-month.
Payroll reconciliation for your industry
Security and compliance
- Report-only payroll access; we never approve, submit or fund a pay run
- Employee data stays in your payroll system, never exported to local drives
- MFA everywhere, least-privilege roles, and a per-client access log
Full control list on the security page and country rules on the compliance page. Certifications are listed only when held.
Frequently asked questions
How much do payroll reconciliation services cost?
Pricing depends on volume and scope, and we send a custom quote within 1 business day. As a market reference, payroll journal and reconciliation work is usually bundled into US outsourced bookkeeping at $150 to $1,600 per month, and offshore accounting staff typically cost $10 to $25 per hour versus $40 to $75 US-based (indinero, Madras, Acculink, 2026). Pay frequency and headcount drive our quote.
Do you run my payroll?
No. Your payroll provider or your office manager runs the pay run and you approve and fund it. We reconcile what happened: register to journal, journal to bank, and both to the filings. If you want help preparing the pay run itself, timesheets and journals, our payroll support service covers that and this reconciliation sits on top.
Why do my payroll liability accounts never go to zero?
Usually because the journal posts the liability at one amount and the bank debit is matched to an expense account, or because employer tax and employee withholding are lumped together and paid on different dates. We map each liability to its payment so the account clears when the money leaves, and the remaining balance is only what is still owed.
What is Payday Super and how do you reconcile it?
From 1 July 2026 Australian employers must pay superannuation guarantee contributions at the same time as wages rather than quarterly. Each pay run we agree the super calculated on the register to the amount sent to the clearing house and to the bank debit, and log any shortfall or timing gap. The workpapers go to your TPB-registered BAS agent or accountant; we do not lodge anything.
Do you reconcile STP Phase 2 reporting?
Yes. Each STP Phase 2 pay event is agreed to the payroll register and the ledger, with the disaggregated gross components checked against how wages are posted. At year-end the STP finalization totals are agreed to the ledger before your agent finalizes. We prepare the reconciliation; the lodgment is done by you or your registered agent.
Which payroll systems do you work with?
Gusto, ADP, Paychex and QuickBooks Payroll in the US; Xero Payroll and KeyPay in Australia and the UK; Wagepoint and QuickBooks Payroll in Canada. We use report-only access to pull the register and filing reports. If your provider is not listed, we work from its standard register and liability reports.
Can you reconcile the quarterly and year-end filings?
Yes. Quarterly, the year-to-date register is agreed to Form 941 in the US, RTI submissions in the UK, and PD7A remittances in Canada. At year-end, W-2, P60, T4 or Australian income statement totals are agreed to the ledger. We prepare the tie-out; your payroll provider or registered agent files the forms.
How do you handle accrued wages and leave at month-end?
When a pay period straddles month-end we accrue the unpaid days and reverse the accrual in the next period, so each month carries its own wage cost. Leave liabilities are calculated from the payroll system's leave balances and the current pay rate and posted monthly. Both accruals are documented on the reconciliation binder for your accountant.
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