Glossary
What is a payroll register?
What a payroll register shows, how it ties to the salary journal, and why it is the first report to check before approving a month's pay.
Updated
In short
A payroll register is the table of every employee's earnings, deductions and net pay for one pay period, with totals. SimpleERP produces it for every payroll run, with every component as a column, exportable to CSV.
A payroll register, also called a salary or wage register, is a report of one pay period with a row for each employee and a column for each earning and deduction, ending in net pay. Its totals give the month's gross salary, each statutory deduction to pay over and the net to transfer, and they must match the salary journal. Wage laws require a register in a prescribed form.
Payroll register: a worked example
Part of Lakshmi Steel Furnitures' payroll register for October 2026. Professional tax is shown at ₹180 for illustration.
| Employee | Gross | PF | ESI | PT | Net pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karthik R | ₹30,000 | ₹2,160 | ₹180 | ₹27,660 | |
| Muthu K | ₹19,500 | ₹1,560 | ₹146.25 | ₹180 | ₹17,613.75 |
| Priya S | ₹25,000 | ₹1,800 | ₹180 | ₹23,020 | |
| Total | ₹74,500 | ₹5,520 | ₹146.25 | ₹540 | ₹68,293.75 |
FAQ
Questions, answered
What is the difference between a payroll register and a payslip?
A payslip is one employee's statement for the month. The payroll register is the whole month for everyone in one table. The register is for the business and its auditors; payslips are for employees.
Why check the payroll register before approving payroll?
Scanning one table catches mistakes a single payslip hides: a missing employee, an unexpected loss of pay, a deduction left at zero, or a net pay far from last month. Once a run is approved in SimpleERP, it is frozen.
Is a payroll register a legal requirement?
A payroll register is a legal requirement. The Code on Wages 2019, as notified, and state shops and establishments acts require employers to keep a register of wages in a prescribed form for a set number of years, and to produce it on inspection. The form varies; check the current rules for your state.
Can I export the payroll register from SimpleERP?
The payroll register exports to CSV from SimpleERP. It is in the reports catalogue for each run, and like every report it exports to CSV for your CA or for building a state-specific form. Payslips for the whole run can also be printed together.
Related
Keep reading
Payslip
The monthly statement of paid days, each earning, each deduction and the net pay an employee receives.
Read moreStatutory deductions
Deductions from salary required by law, such as PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS, held as liabilities until paid.
Read morePayroll
Salary structures, monthly runs and payslips with PF, PT and TDS, posted to the books.
Read more
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