Create an Off-Cycle Payroll

The article provides guidance on running off-cycle payrolls in BambooHR, which are necessary for situations such as terminations or bonus payouts. To create an off-cycle payroll, users must navigate to the Payroll tab, select "Off-Cycle Payroll," and follow prompts to name the payroll, set pay dates, and choose employees for payment. The article outlines steps for managing these payroll runs, including how to start, continue, or delete them. It differentiates off-cycle payrolls from regular ones, noting that they do not incur extra processing fees. The article emphasizes the importance of compliance in payroll management and suggests utilizing BambooHR Services for expert assistance in navigating complex payroll tasks.

  • Jul 8, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Create an Off-Cycle Payroll
Article Text
Off-cycle payrolls are part of Payroll that is an add-on feature.

How do I run an off-cycle payroll?

Purpose: Off-cycle payrolls are for additional runs such as terminations, bonus payouts, or underpaid employees. You can run off-cycle payrolls from the Payroll tab in BambooHR. This help guide will show you how to create, process, and delete manual payroll runs.

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Table of Contents

Create an off-cycle payroll run

To create an off-cycle payroll run, navigate to the payroll tab and click Off-Cycle Payroll in the top right corner. Upon clicking this button, the following view will appear for you to set up the new payroll.  

  1. Payroll Name: You have the option to name the payroll run, which will help you make the distinction between your off-cycle payrolls and scheduled payrolls. If you do not provide a name, the system will default the name to "[Month of Pay Date] [Date of Pay Date] Payroll (Off-Cycle)" (i.e., October 31 Payroll (Off-Cycle)). The payroll name must be 48 characters or fewer.
  2. Pay Date: By default, the earliest pay date will already be chosen (two days or three days if created after 12 PM PST), but you can use the calendar to select future pay dates. If you need to pay out an employee on the same day, keep the earliest default pay date and change the payment method to Paper Check on the employee's Payment Detail page. Click here for more information.
  3. Pay Period Start Date: Choose a start date for the pay period.
  4. Pay Period End Date: Choose an end date for the pay period. This date must be after or equal to the selected start date.
  5. Who should be paid in this payroll?: You can pay out a single employee or a group of employees by selecting the associated tile.
    • If paying out a single employee, all active employees based on the pay date and pay period in a syncing pay schedule for that EIN will appear in the dropdown list.
    • If you intend to pay out a group of employees, choose the correct pay schedule, and a list of available employees will appear. You can filter this list by Department, Division, Location, and Status.
  6. Start Payroll: After selecting at least one employee, the Start Payroll button will be highlighted for you to click. You will then land on the Edit page to complete the payroll setup in BambooHR.
  7. Save & Start Later: If you wish to create the payroll run but have not yet started it, click Save & Start Later. You will land back on the Payroll tab and can start the off-cycle run at another time.

*If paper checks get issued as part of the off-cycle run, companies often use their next regular payroll start, end, and pay dates to avoid an off-cycle debit to their bank account. However, you can still issue the checks same-day if necessary.

After you click Start Payroll, the Off-Cycle Payroll Options view will appear for you to set up any global overrides that may pertain to the payroll. Selecting Use my Default Settings will leave the payroll as is, allowing you to make your changes manually on the Edit page after starting the off-cycle payroll.

If you select Choose Custom Settings, the following settings will appear for you to make changes to the entire payroll.

If you choose to override a category, you will be presented with the same setting options as global overrides. Once you complete the override setup, click Continue to finish the off-cycle setup. 

Managing the payroll run

The pay date carousel on the Payroll tab will now display the pay dates of off-cycle payroll runs after you have created them. If there is more than one payroll run within a pay date (scheduled or unscheduled), the total number of payrolls will display in the corner of the pay date carousel. 

Off-cycle payroll runs will also appear before scheduled payroll runs within the same pay date and in the order they were created. You can determine an off-cycle payroll run from a scheduled payroll one by the hand and money icon. 

Like scheduled payroll runs, you can start payroll, continue payroll, or reopen payroll from the payroll information box. If you need to change the pay date, you must delete the payroll and create a new one. Starting or continuing payroll for an off-cycle payroll run will only validate the information for the employees selected to be paid.

To delete an off-cycle payroll run, hover over the payroll information box and click Delete this Payroll at the bottom. If the payroll has been approved, you must reopen it before deleting the payroll run.

Off-cycle payroll runs vs. regular payroll runs
  1. Off-cycle payrolls do not incur additional fees to process, though they may reflect the monthly base fee if it is your first payroll of the month.
  2. As always, you can suppress deductions to avoid over-collecting by using a global payroll override.
  3. Taxes for all payments will always be calculated based on the employee's tax elections unless manually changed on the employee's Payment Details page. 

Is your payroll process manual, error-prone, and constantly delayed, leading to late paychecks, frustrated employees, and major inefficiencies? If you're also concerned about staying compliant with changing regulations, especially when it comes to off-cycle payroll and terminations like correctly handling final pay and meeting state deadlines, it's time for expert assistance. Instead of navigating these complex and critical tasks internally, delegate the intricacies of payroll management to a trusted expert.

Our HR BambooHR Services offer a streamlined, compliant payroll process that saves time and reduces risk, including expert guidance on off-cycle pay, terminations, and all your compliance requirements. This paid service ensures accurate and timely payroll, allowing you to focus on strategic business initiatives with complete peace of mind.

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