Payslip preparation: Scope, preparation and costs
This service covers preparing, reviewing or correcting payslips, either once or regularly. A useful quote defines the people and periods involved and who supplies and approves the inputs. Delegating the surrounding ongoing process, including changes, reporting and annual work, is the broader payroll outsourcing assignment.
Define the payslip task
Define the payslips and outputs required, such as checked calculations, accounting entries or a prepared payment file. Recurring calculations can remain a payslip assignment while the surrounding processes are managed internally. Preparing a file does not authorise or execute the payment.
Recurring work needs an input deadline and approval. For corrections, identify the affected periods and any consequential reports, and agree who handles them. Annual salary certificates and ongoing insurance or tax reporting are not automatically included. Scope those responsibilities explicitly when commissioning payroll outsourcing.
| Task | Clarify in the quote |
|---|---|
| Regular preparation | People per run, deadlines and changes |
| One-off work | People and number of affected periods |
| Correction | Review, recalculation and follow-up reporting |
Count people and pay periods
Give the number of people requiring payslips and the employer entities involved. Part-time work and hourly pay affect effort without turning one person into several employees. Multiple entities may require separate records and reporting.
For one-off work, also count the pay periods. Previous months may require recalculation and reconciliation. Ask how extra runs, joiners, leavers and changes supplied after approval are charged.
Describe pay arrangements
Monthly, hourly and variable pay require different inputs. Describe the arrangements and any allowances, expenses or additional annual payments to process. Agreed pay components and correct classification matter.
Social insurance deductions and any withholding tax must reflect the actual circumstances. Cantonal responsibility, insurance arrangements and unusual employment situations need checking. A generic deductions table does not provide an individual net-pay calculation.
Organise inputs, checks and approval
Nominate an internal contact for hours, changes and questions. The process should move from collecting inputs to a reviewable draft and approval. Agree who resolves discrepancies and which version is final.
Arrange checks for the first run and reconcile previous figures when taking over. Review employee documents and accounting output separately. Preparing a payment file and authorising it at the bank are different responsibilities.
Transfer data and systems appropriately
Scope and processes are enough for comparing quotes. Individual pay, names, insurance identifiers, bank details and health information belong in later secure cooperation only where needed for the assignment. Describe the current system without login details.
Agree access permissions, processing locations, return, deletion and subprocessors. Check supported exports and electronic reporting. An interface must suit the actual recipient and does not replace professional checks.
Compare the full processing cost
Use the same people and period counts for every quote. Establish whether charges are per payslip, fixed or time-based. A low base charge may leave setup, corrections or annual work outside the price.
Include internal time for collecting and checking inputs. Request separate terms for extras, minimum billing, software and termination. Contractual cost depends on the assignment; employee pay and the service fee are separate amounts.
| Cost item | Comparison point |
|---|---|
| Setup | Transfer, rules and first checks |
| Payslips | People, periods and included changes |
| Additional outputs | Accounting entries, payment files and correction records |
| System and contract | Access, exports, minimum charge and exit |
Prepare the enquiry and start
First identify ongoing preparation, one-off work or corrections. Add people, employer entities, affected periods and pay arrangements. Use the common short field for the system, additional tasks and desired handover, without personal employee data.
Before work begins, document scope, responsibilities and output formats. Agree secure transfer, first checks and the approval deadline. For urgent corrections, also establish whether subsequent reports or completed payments are affected.
Frequently asked questions
Can I commission only individual payslips?
Yes, if the provider accepts one-off work. People, periods and completed preparation define the scope.
Is the annual salary certificate included?
Not automatically. An annual salary certificate is distinct from individual payslips. Agree it separately; ongoing responsibility for reporting and annual work belongs in the payroll outsourcing scope.
How do I count part-time employees?
Count people needing a payslip, not full-time equivalents. Also identify different pay arrangements.
Who authorises payments?
The agreed responsible party. Preparing a payment file does not authorise it at the bank.
Can a previous period be corrected?
Depending on the case. Scope review, recalculation and necessary follow-up reporting separately.
What documents are needed for the initial enquiry?
No employee dossiers. Describe scope and processes; necessary detailed inputs are transferred securely later for the agreed purpose.
