What does a payroll specialist do?
It is the primary duty of a payroll specialist to process payroll and maintain an accurate record of the personnel database and ensure employees are paid on time. Payroll specialists are in charge of addressing and resolving employee complaints regarding wages. Also, they manage the company's budget and expenses and prepare reports for the relevant departments. Those with a bachelor's degree in business or accounting are preferred to get the job. Candidates with related job experience and strong knowledge of tax, wage laws, and a good understanding of standard fiscal procedures are highly qualified for the position.
Payroll specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real payroll specialist resumes:
- Manage a bi-weekly payroll in accordance with establish processes, including auditing timekeeping records for compliance with establish standards and policies.
- Handle all FMLA, insurance, employee benefits and processing the payroll on bi-weekly bases through the KRONOS timekeeping system.
- Utilize KRONOS for timekeeping and to administer security access.
- Prepare payroll journal entry and provide guidance in general ledger reconciliations pertaining to payroll general ledger accounts and labor expense distribution
- Establish new hires in the KRONOS timekeeping system and provide guidance and assistance to associates to communicate their responsibilities regarding payroll/timekeeping.
- Input employee data into Lawson payroll program while using the utmost integrity to keep information confidential.
- Verify accuracy of hours work in TimeForce, correct any discrepancies, and import into UltiPro software.
- Maintain & input employee record changes, such as title, pay rate & direct deposit using UltiPro software.
- Process wage garnishments, distributing funds to multiple organizations as needed, and maintain a record of wages and PTO accrual.
- Process new hires, terminations, status changes, tax changes, deductions, and direct deposit and garnishments in ADP.
- Administer benefit programs and maintain ADP human resource records integrity.
- Process terminated employees by calculating final pay including accruals and severance.
- Validate system-generate vacation and personal leave balances and accruals each pay period.
- Perform salary administration including annual review maintenance and enter payroll changes into HRIS database.
- Document processes and results and maintain HRIS security, customization, documentation and operating procedures.
Payroll specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Payroll Specialists are proficient in Customer Service, Data Entry, and Payroll Data. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Payroll Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 13%
Provided outstanding customer service to assigned customers base providing timely and accurate feedback to appropriate questions relative to salon location.
- Data Entry, 7%
Managed multiple scheduling and payroll processes to include information gathering, related calculations, and data entry into internal payroll systems.
- Payroll Data, 5%
Managed bi-weekly payroll operations by entering employee payroll data into ADP vendor payroll database; maintained relations with provider.
- Human Resources, 4%
Coordinate with Human Resources Information Management concerning employee information to ensure appropriate payments, deductions and adjustments to employees.
- ADP Workforce, 4%
Processed payroll using ADP Workforce Now for a total of 275 employees on a bi-weekly basis including hourly and salary.
- Kronos, 3%
Utilized KRONOS for timekeeping and to administer security access.
Most payroll specialists use their skills in "customer service," "data entry," and "payroll data" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential payroll specialist responsibilities here:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a payroll specialist 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 specialist resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "monitor ach communications from bank to ensure error free employee direct deposits. "
Math skills. Another essential skill to perform payroll specialist duties is math skills. Payroll specialists responsibilities require that "the job duties of financial clerks includes calculating charges and updating financial records." Payroll specialists also use math skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "utilized excellent typing and data entry skills as well as basic math and comparison skills. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for payroll specialists to perform their duties. For an example of how payroll specialist 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 specialist: "maintained good verbal and written communication skills with excellent organizational and time management skills as well. ".
The three companies that hire the most payroll specialists are:
- Deloitte280 payroll specialists jobs
- CTG213 payroll specialists jobs
- Robert Half118 payroll specialists jobs
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Compare different payroll specialists
Payroll specialist vs. Benefits 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 specialist are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "payroll data," "adp workforce," and "kronos." On the other hand, a job as a benefits clerk requires skills like "payroll system," "open enrollment," "cobra," and "life insurance." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Benefits clerks tend to make the most money working in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $40,253. In contrast, payroll specialists make the biggest average salary, $46,995, in the technology industry.On average, benefits clerks reach similar levels of education than payroll specialists. Benefits clerks are 0.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Payroll specialist vs. Timekeeper
The main duty of a Payroll & Human Resources Assistant is to provide payroll information through collecting time and attendance records. They also answer questions regarding examinations, eligibility, salaries, benefits, and other important information.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real payroll specialist resumes. While payroll specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "adp workforce," "multi-state payroll," and "manual checks," 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 specialists. In fact, they're 2.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Payroll specialist vs. Paymaster
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 specialist resumes include skills like "customer service," "data entry," "adp workforce," and "kronos," whereas a paymaster is more likely to list skills in "adp," "payroll processing," "payroll system," and "labor reports. "
Most paymasters achieve a similar degree level compared to payroll specialists. For example, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Payroll specialist vs. Payroll & human resources assistant
Types of payroll specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
