Paper Check Settings and Printing in BambooHR® Payroll

The Paper Checks feature in BambooHR® Payroll allows users to configure printed paper checks and generate PDFs directly within BambooHR, streamlining the payroll process. This feature is accessible to Payroll Admins and Full Admins with permission to edit payroll settings. Users can navigate to Paper Check Settings to adjust print settings, including check position and fields to display. Default configurations apply unless modified for specific pay schedules. Paper check PDFs can be accessed through various payroll reports, and users can assign check numbers during the print session. The article also addresses frequently asked questions related to field placement, check number retention, and employee eligibility for paper checks, ensuring clarity in the process.

  • Jul 9, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Paper Check Settings and Printing in BambooHR® Payroll
Article Text

How do I set up paper checks in BambooHR?

Summary

The Paper Checks feature in BambooHR® Payroll allows you to configure how printed paper checks appear and generate paper check PDFs directly in BambooHR, without accessing TRAXPayroll. This ensures a seamless payroll experience while maintaining compatibility with existing configurations.

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Table of Contents:

Who This Is For

  • Payroll Admins
  • Full Admins
  • Users with access to edit Payroll Settings

You must have permission to edit payroll settings and be an Admin or Payroll Admin to configure paper check settings.

Configure Paper Check Print Settings

Set Check Position on the Page

Under Print Settings, select where the check should print on the page:

  • Top
  • Middle
  • Bottom

Choose Fields to Print on the Check

You can control which fields appear on the printed check.

Default (Always Shown)

  • Check Date
  • Total Check Amount

Optional Fields

You may toggle the following fields on or off:

  • Company Name
  • Company Address
  • Employee Name
  • Employee Address
  • Employee Number Label
  • Employee Number
  • Bank Name
  • Check Number
  • Check Number Label
  • Check Date Label
  • Pay to the Order Label
  • Pay This Amount Label
  • Signature Line
  • Dollar Description Lines
  • Pay Amount Box

As fields are selected or deselected, the preview updates dynamically.

Default Configuration

Before you determine your own settings, the paper check will default to the following:

  • Position: Bottom
  • Show full name (next to “Pay to the Order of:”)
  • Show amount box
  • Show company name
  • Show company address
  • Show pay amount label
  • Show employee address
  • Show pay to the order of
  • Show amount word lines

You can modify these settings at any time.

Configure Settings by Pay Schedule

If different pay schedules require different check layouts:

  1. In Print Settings, click Configure by Pay Schedule.
  2. Confirm in the modal.
  3. Configure settings separately for each pay schedule.

If you later want all pay schedules to use the same configuration:

  1. Click Combine Configurations.
  2. Confirm in the modal.
  3. Default settings will be restored and applied to all pay schedules.

No Pay Schedules

If your account does not yet have any pay schedules, the Paper Checks section will display a blank state until at least one pay schedule is created.

Accessing Paper Check PDFs and Assigning Check Numbers

Paper check PDFs can be accessed from:

  1. Reports > Payroll Reports > Pay Date
  2. Payroll  > Payroll History/Approved Payroll > View employees with paper checks
  3. Payroll > Payroll History/Approved Payroll > Payroll Reports

When you select a Paper Check report:

  • A modal displays all employees receiving paper checks for that pay period.
  • You can assign check numbers and select check dates.

Assigning Check Numbers

1. Starting Check Number

  • Enter a number greater than 0.
  • Click Assign to apply sequential numbers.
  • You may also manually enter individual check numbers.
  • Check numbers cannot contain duplicates.
  • The Reset option clears all assigned check numbers.

Check numbers apply only to the immediate print session and are not saved.

Please note you must toggle on the ability to assign checks when configuring paper check settings in Settings > Payroll > Paper Checks. Otherwise the fields to assign check numbers will not appear in the modal.

2. Select Employees

Only employees set up to receive paper checks for that pay period will be selectable.

3. Start Check Date

For each check, you may choose:

  • Pay Date (the pay period pay date)
  • Immediately (uses the print date)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move fields around on the check?

No. Field placement is standardized and cannot be repositioned.

Are check numbers saved?

No. Check numbers apply only to the current print session and are not saved.

What if no employees receive paper checks?

If no paper checks exist for the selected pay date, you will see a modal stating that no paper checks were found.

Are paper checks available in Date Rage reports?

Paper checks are tied to specific pay dates and are available in the Pay Date reports only.

If I update paper check settings in TRAXPayroll will they automatically apply in BambooHR and vice versa?

Existing Paper Check settings from TRAXPayroll are backward compatible and automatically transfer into BambooHR Payroll. Use BambooHR to update paper check settings before navigating to TRAXPayroll.

How do I pay an employee the same day with a printed check?

Sometimes, there are those rare situations where you have to pay an employee that same day, and direct deposit does not process fast enough. For example, you’re terminating an employee who is based out of California, and legally, you have to pay them the day of termination. Below are the steps you need to take to make sure that happens:

1. Create an off-cycle payroll run that only includes the employee(s) you will need to create a same-day check for. You will select which employees you will want to include in the off-cycle settings.

Please note, you will need to assign the pay date two days in advance even though they will be paid that same day. We will show you how to update the date on the check in a later step.

2. You must then ensure the employee’s deposit method is set to a printed check. You can do this on the Off-Cycle Payroll Options modal by selecting Choose Custom Settings > Payment Method > I want to issue a paper check. You can also do this individually for each employee on their Payment Details page once you open the payroll.

3. Make any additional edits to the payroll on the Edit page, then click Calculate. On the Review page, check that the employee(s) who need to be paid through a paper check appear on the paper checks list within the Payroll Summary. You can also double-check if the payment method has been switched to a paper check by reviewing the employee's unapproved paystub within the Paystubs section at the bottom of the Review page. After reconciling, click Approve to process the payroll.

4. Now that the payroll is approved, you can print the employee’s check via BambooHR by locating the approved payroll reports and clicking View employees. You can now print the check on your company check stock and administer it to your employees within the same day.

What does a downloaded paper check look like?
What is the Company Phone field on downloaded pay checks based on?

The Company Phone field on downloaded pay checks displays the payroll contact phone number from BambooHR. If you need to update the phone number that appears, go to Settings > Payroll > Company Information, select the applicable company, and update the payroll contact phone number on the Edit Company Info page.

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