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What does a payroll associate do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
What does a payroll associate do

A payroll associate performs payroll tasks, including timesheet hours verification, document filing, and payroll data entering and balancing. Payroll associates may be required to do the whole payroll process from start to finish. They are in-charge in reviewing and calculating time cards. It is their job to compute salaries and wages and perform voluntary and mandatory deductions. Also, they generate direct deposit files and paychecks as well as pay stubs.

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Payroll associate responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real payroll associate resumes:

  • Manage annual professional liability in PeopleSoft for faculty and fellows.
  • Used Kronos, Lawson, and company intranet on a daily basis.
  • Train and monitor time entry employees and enter data in the KRONOS system.
  • Import PTO time that are taken each pay period and update the PTO accruals and balances system.
  • Review in HRIS; hours work, wages, positions hold, and total pay per learning center.
  • Perform HRIS maintenance for new hires, transfers, separations, pays increases, and all other changes.
  • Process employee changes in PeopleSoft for shift differential changes, position changes, promotions, address and name changes.
  • Process both exempt and non-exempt payroll, including verification of hours work, PTO and accuracy in benefit deductions.
  • Maintain accurate and timely consultant timekeeping records in order to comply with labor laws and other legal employment requirements.
  • Process all status changes including job transfers, terminations, changes in benefits & W-4s.
  • Match accounts payable invoices to purchase orders and post relevant information in QuickBooks for company record.
  • Assist with paying practice utility, clinical, and other invoices through the use of QuickBooks.
  • Process payroll, vacation request, merit increases, new hire setup, terminations, W2, garnishments and wage assignments
  • Assist in the processing payroll fiscal and calendar year-end procedures including initializing contracts, implementing salary increases and W2 reconciliation.

Payroll associate skills and personality traits

We calculated that 12% of Payroll Associates are proficient in Customer Service, Data Entry, and ADP. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Payroll Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 12%

    Increased levels of responsibility beginning as an Operations Representative and ending as a Senior Customer Service Associate.

  • Data Entry, 7%

    Maintained accuracy and efficiency performing data entry and employee filing.

  • ADP, 6%

    Addressed inquiries pertaining to all payroll issues: furnished employment verification letters, generate reports utilizing ADP Reporting for bank reconciliation.

  • Payroll System, 6%

    Prepared technical correspondence pertaining to the payroll and coordinated and interacted the payroll system pertaining to employee compensation and deductions.

  • Payroll Data, 5%

    Managed/maintained all instructor/contract payroll data and transferred data from excel format to a Microsoft access database for document retention.

  • PeopleSoft, 4%

    Worked with Senior Management and IT implementation team to integrate antiquated SASSI system into an internet-based PeopleSoft System.

Most payroll associates use their skills in "customer service," "data entry," and "adp" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential payroll associate responsibilities here:

Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a payroll associate to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "financial clerks should be able to explain policies and procedures to colleagues and customers." Additionally, a payroll associate resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "point of communication to payroll and human resources contacts with assigned divisions. "

Math skills. Many payroll associate duties rely on math skills. "the job duties of financial clerks includes calculating charges and updating financial records.," so a payroll associate will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways payroll associate responsibilities rely on math skills: "performed basic math calculations including percentages and fractions. "

Organizational skills. payroll associates are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to payroll associate responsibilities, because "financial clerks must be able to arrange files so they can find them quickly and efficiently." A payroll associate resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "supplied responsible support services for the organizational unit's human resources and payroll departments. "

All payroll associate skills

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Compare different payroll associates

Payroll associate vs. Accounting clerk

Accounting clerks are employees assigned to manage administrative and clerical tasks in the accounting department. Accounting clerks handle office accounting records and ensure that files are properly labeled and stored. They validate records and check whether these are updated. They also sort through documents to ensure that they are in their proper storage bins. Aside from document handling, they also help with creating and validating financial statements and bookkeeping. As such, accounting clerks should have a strong background in accounting to manage their tasks better.

We looked at the average payroll associate salary and compared it with the wages of an accounting clerk. Generally speaking, accounting clerks are paid $6,549 lower than payroll associates per year.Even though payroll associates and accounting clerks are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer service, data entry, and adp in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a payroll associate are more likely to require skills like "payroll system," "payroll data," "kronos," and "payroll issues." On the other hand, a job as an accounting clerk requires skills like "purchase orders," "vendor invoices," "hr," and "credit card payments." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Accounting clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than payroll associates. In fact, accounting clerks are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Payroll associate vs. Accounts receivable clerk

An Accounts Receivable Clerk specializes in processing payment records and bill statements of a company or organization. Among the duties include calculating total revenues and unpaid invoices, maintaining financial records and keeping a detailed and organized database, and verifying financial transactions and payment delinquencies. Furthermore, an Accounts Receivable Clerk must resolve and examine deductions, prepare invoices and necessary documentation, and review customer payment plans and history records and coordinate with the collections department should there be any issues.

A career as a accounts receivable clerk brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a payroll associate. In fact, accounts receivable clerks salary is $8,807 lower than the salary of payroll associates per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both payroll associates and accounts receivable clerks have skills such as "customer service," "data entry," and "adp. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that payroll associate responsibilities requires skills like "payroll system," "payroll data," "peoplesoft," and "kronos." But an accounts receivable clerk might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "collection calls," "financial data," "credit card payments," and "process payments."

In general, accounts receivable clerks achieve similar levels of education than payroll associates. They're 2.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Payroll associate vs. Accountable clerk

The duties of an accountable clerk vary in one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the financial aspects of a company, including revenue and budget. They mostly process payments and income, ensuring accuracy in every detail and transaction. An accountable clerk may also have clerical tasks such as producing progress reports, answering calls and correspondence, coordinating with various department personnel, and maintaining a database of information. Should there be any issues, it is essential to report to a manager right away.

On average scale, accountable clerks bring in lower salaries than payroll associates. In fact, they earn a $7,112 lower salary per year.payroll associates and accountable clerks both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "customer service," "data entry," and "peoplesoft," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from payroll associate resumes include skills like "adp," "payroll system," "payroll data," and "kronos," whereas an accountable clerk is more likely to list skills in "financial reports," "purchase orders," "office equipment," and "payment vouchers. "

Most accountable clerks achieve a similar degree level compared to payroll associates. For example, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Payroll associate vs. Accounts payable clerk

An accounts payable clerk is responsible for supporting the accounting department by performing clerical duties to file financial reports timely and accurately. Accounts payable clerks manage and verify invoices documents, reconcile balance spreadsheets, process payments for suppliers and vendors, resolve billing discrepancies, confirm and post account statements, record outstanding credits, and maintain an organized record of transactions. An accounts payable clerk must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles to deliver high-quality services and help the business minimize excessive financial loss.

Accounts payable clerks tend to earn a lower pay than payroll associates by an average of $6,899 per year.While both payroll associates and accounts payable clerks complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer service, data entry, and adp, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A payroll associate uses "payroll system," "payroll data," "kronos," and "payroll issues." Accounts payable clerks are more likely to have duties that require skills in "purchase orders," "vendor invoices," "vendor statements," and "payroll. "The average resume of accounts payable clerks showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to payroll associates. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.

Types of payroll associate

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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