What does a payroll representative do?
A payroll representative typically works in a company's human resources department, where their role focuses on processing payrolls and assisting employees. Although the extent of their duties depends on their company or industry of employment, it often includes answering employee inquiries about salaries and benefits, preparing and processing requests, and resolving issues and concerns. Moreover, a payroll representative is also responsible for tracking employee work hours, updating databases, and maintaining an active communication line with team members for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Payroll representative responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real payroll representative resumes:
- Initial set up of associates and day to day processes within Kronos
- Field and answer employee payroll questions, assisting staff with determining quota balances, union contract terms, and proper timekeeping.
- Prepare tax reports and reconciliations.
- Provide individual assistance with timekeeping system as needed.
- Compile and provide earning statements while utilizing PeopleSoft and excel spreadsheets.
- Prepare and analyze payroll management reports for supervisors and managers, utilizing PeopleSoft reporting.
- Review of select account reconciliations and any other financial schedules or analysis as assigned.
- Create journal entries for accounting department on various allocations and accruals for workers comp/overtime hours/401k payments/vacation-sick time.
- Administer bi-weekly payroll via QuickBooks ensuring accuracy for every paycheck and handling garnishments as required.
Payroll representative skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Payroll Representatives are proficient in Data Entry, Payroll Data, and Payroll System. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Payroll Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Entry, 7%
Processed data entry hours into automated system for payroll processing.
- Payroll Data, 7%
Participated in testing for PeopleSoft 8.8 upgrade- a new web-based application used for updating sensitive payroll data
- Payroll System, 6%
Ensured that the payroll system was operating accurately by performing various balancing and reconciliation procedures.
- Human Resources, 6%
Participated in testing for new Human Resources (HR) system upgrades and enhancements with Empower Software Solutions time management system.
- Kronos, 4%
Review and take corrective action on exception reports from Kronos Time Keeper System.
- Customer Service, 4%
Recognized for quality of customer service and accuracy.
Common skills that a payroll representative uses to do their job include "data entry," "payroll data," and "payroll system." You can find details on the most important payroll representative responsibilities below.
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a payroll representative to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "financial clerks should be able to explain policies and procedures to colleagues and customers." Payroll representatives often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "process weekly time sheets, including data entry, filing and communication with 100-200 field employees to resolve issues. "
Math skills. Many payroll representative duties rely on math skills. "the job duties of financial clerks includes calculating charges and updating financial records.," so a payroll representative will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways payroll representative responsibilities rely on math skills: "process monthly accruals, workers compensation premiums and labor statistics. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for payroll representatives to perform their duties. For an example of how payroll representative responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "financial clerks must be able to arrange files so they can find them quickly and efficiently." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a payroll representative: "analyze for accuracy and organizational policy compliance and process bonus payments and salary adjustments perform compliance review and enter all wage garnishments".
The three companies that hire the most payroll representatives are:
- Inspira Health Network4 payroll representatives jobs
- Carrols Restaurant Group2 payroll representatives jobs
- Ultimate Software
2 payroll representatives jobs
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Compare different payroll representatives
Payroll representative vs. Commission clerk
A Timekeeper works in various industries and organizations and is typically hired as the acting liaison between payroll coordinators and employees. This is to make sure the pay distribution process runs smoothly. As a timekeeper, you will be required to maintain an accurate track of the total number of hours worked for payroll purposes. This involves compiling payroll data from timesheets, computing wages, including the removal of taxes and social security withholding, and putting it into the computer system.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a payroll representative are more likely to require skills like "payroll data," "payroll system," "human resources," and "kronos." On the other hand, a job as a commission clerk requires skills like "journal entries," "planning commission," "legal notices," and "commission payments." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Commission clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than payroll representatives. In fact, commission clerks are 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.4% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Payroll representative vs. Timekeeper
Each career also uses different skills, according to real payroll representative resumes. While payroll representative responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "manual checks," "payroll deductions," and "payroll policies," timekeepers use skills like "per diem," "turnaround," "purchase orders," and "office equipment."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Timekeepers tend to reach similar levels of education than payroll representatives. In fact, they're 2.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Payroll representative vs. Benefits clerk
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 representative resumes include skills like "payroll data," "kronos," "customer service," and "manual checks," whereas a benefits clerk is more likely to list skills in "open enrollment," "cobra," "life insurance," and "health insurance. "
Benefits clerks earn the best pay in the government industry, where they command an average salary of $40,253. Payroll representatives earn the highest pay from the health care industry, with an average salary of $47,033.When it comes to education, benefits clerks tend to earn similar degree levels compared to payroll representatives. In fact, they're 1.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Payroll representative vs. Paymaster
Types of payroll representative
Updated January 8, 2025
