Templates
Payroll template Excel free & workplace-ready
Free payroll template Excel download with gross-to-net formulas, pay period fields, and sample US/UK labels. Figures are examples only—not tax advice.
- 100% free
- Workplace-ready
- Excel & Google Sheets
What is a payslip and why do you need a template?
A payslip (or pay stub in the US) is an itemized statement of pay for a period: gross pay, deductions, and net pay. Employees use it for records, mortgages, and tax filings; employers use it to show lawful pay and withholdings.
A payroll template Excel is a reusable payroll format in spreadsheet form—ready-made rows for earnings, taxes, and net pay so you are not rebuilding a sheet every run. Salary usually means fixed monthly pay; wages often mean hourly or variable pay. Both fit the same layout with different inputs.
What is inside the workbook
Open Instructions first, then enter rates and hours on Employees (or your pay-stub rows). Use Overview to sanity-check totals before you pay anyone. A short Compliance orientation tab reminds you what to verify—orientation only, not legal advice.
Small teams in hospitality, retail, and services often start in Excel: enter hours and rates, let formulas calculate deductions. For growing teams, Ordio Payroll can pull hours from time tracking and scheduling. Estimate withholding with our payroll tax calculator before you lock template rates.
United States
Federal law does not require a specific payslip format for all employers, but many states mandate itemized wage statements (hours, rates, deductions). The FLSA underpins minimum wage and overtime (U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA); state rules may add daily overtime, meal premiums, and pay transparency.
United Kingdom
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended), workers must receive a written itemized pay statement before or when wages are paid (GOV.UK — payslips), showing gross pay, variable deductions, fixed deductions, and net pay, with additional detail where pay varies by time worked.
Operating in Germany? German pay slips follow different mandatory lines (tax class, social insurance, etc.)—use local payroll software or your tax adviser for statutory German layouts.
Structure and required fields on a payslip
Common payroll mistakes and corrected pay stubs
Spreadsheet payroll fails quietly when rows look fine but labels, rates, or periods are wrong. Watch for these patterns before you send pay:
- Stale withholding rates: Federal, state, or PAYE tables change—update placeholder columns each tax year or after employee W-4 / tax code updates.
- Hours missing on hourly stubs: Many US states and UK rules expect hours where pay depends on time worked—tie back to a timesheet or time export.
- Gross vs net confusion: Bonuses, tips, or reimbursements belong on separate lines so tax treatment stays clear.
- Wrong pay period: Biweekly vs semi-monthly dates affect overtime totals—match the header dates to the hours you imported.
If you find an error after paying, issue a corrected pay stub (or replacement payslip) showing what changed, keep the original on file, and document when you notified the employee. A structured template reduces typos; it does not replace your payroll provider for statutory filings. For ongoing runs, Ordio Payroll keeps calculations aligned with configured rules.
What you get in the free payroll Excel template
Payroll template vs timesheet and time tracking
Create a payslip or pay stub: step-by-step
Download the free template, open Instructions, then work on the Employees sheet (or your pay-stub tab). In Google Sheets, use Make a copy so payroll data stays in your Drive with edit permissions limited to managers.
- Check master data: Legal name, tax identifiers (SSN or National Insurance number where applicable), pay rate, and bank details are current.
- Collect hours: Import regular hours, overtime, and unpaid breaks from a timesheet if needed. With Ordio time tracking, hours can flow from the rota automatically.
- Calculate gross: Hourly rate × hours plus premiums (e.g. night or weekend where your policy applies) and allowances.
- Apply deductions: US: federal/state income tax, FICA, benefits. UK: PAYE, employee National Insurance, pension contributions, student loan if applicable.
- Net pay: Gross minus all deductions; verify against your payment file.
- Issue and archive: Deliver by secure email, employee portal, or print; retain copies per your retention policy.
Pay employees on the agreed schedule (e.g. monthly or biweekly). Digital delivery is common; keep proof of issue. Ordio Payroll can calculate from captured hours and master data—useful when headcount grows beyond manual Excel.
Calculation: gross, deductions, and net
The payslip shows the path from gross pay to net pay. Taxable gross may differ from total gross when you have pre-tax benefits—keep those on separate rows so audits stay clear.
United States
Gross includes base pay, overtime (typically 1.5× for non-exempt hours over 40 in a workweek under federal rules—states may differ), commissions, and taxable benefits. Common deductions: federal income tax withholding (see IRS Publication 15), state/local tax where applicable, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), health insurance, retirement contributions, and garnishments. Verify federal and state minimum wage; tipped employees have separate rules.
United Kingdom
Gross includes salary, hourly pay, bonuses, and taxable benefits. Deductions often include PAYE income tax, employee National Insurance, workplace pension (auto-enrolment), and student loan repayments. Pay must meet National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage for the worker’s age band.
After all deductions, net pay is the amount paid to the employee. Bonuses and irregular payments may have different tax treatment—update template rates annually or use software that tracks law changes. Ordio Payroll reduces manual formula maintenance as rules evolve.
Worked example (illustrative only)
These numbers show how pay rows might look on the template—they are not tax advice or live rates.
US biweekly hourly (example)
| Line | Example (US) |
|---|---|
| Regular hours | 80 h × $18.00 = $1,440.00 gross |
| Overtime | 4 h × $27.00 = $108.00 |
| Federal income tax (withheld) | −$220.00 (placeholder rate) |
| FICA | −$114.91 (illustrative) |
| Net pay | $1,213.09 |
UK monthly salary (example)
| Line | Example (UK) |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £2,800.00 |
| PAYE income tax | −£420.00 (placeholder) |
| Employee NI | −£198.40 (illustrative) |
| Pension (employee) | −£112.00 |
| Net pay | £2,069.60 |
Match labels to your payroll provider and confirm rates against National Minimum Wage rules where hourly pay applies. Cross-check US estimates with the payroll tax calculator when relevant.
Excel, Word, or PDF for payroll?
Excel payroll template vs payroll software
Abbreviations on the payslip
How to read a pay stub (top to bottom)
Reading order is the same in the US and UK even when labels differ. Walk through the sheet in this sequence when you review pay before approval:
- Header: Confirm employer name, employee name, pay period dates, and pay date match the run you intended.
- Earnings: Check regular hours × rate, overtime, commissions, and taxable allowances—gross pay should equal the sum of earning lines.
- Pre-tax deductions: Health insurance, retirement deferrals, or other items that reduce taxable pay (where applicable).
- Taxes: US: federal and state withholding plus FICA. UK: PAYE and employee National Insurance—compare to your provider’s calculation.
- Post-tax deductions: Garnishments, union dues, or loan repayments after tax.
- Net pay: Amount actually paid—reconcile to your bank file before you submit transfers.
- YTD columns: Year-to-date totals help spot drift (e.g. tax withheld too low over several months).
In this download, the Overview sheet summarizes each employee so you can scan net pay before you issue PDFs. Clear row labels reduce back-and-forth—rename them once to match your payroll software export.
Checklist before you run payroll
Special cases: part-time, tipped, and variable pay
Not every worker fits a standard hourly or salaried line. Plan separate rows or tabs for these situations:
United States
- Part-time and variable hours: Track hours for non-exempt staff; salaried exempt staff may not need daily hours on the stub but keep policy documentation.
- Tipped employees: Show cash wage, tips, and tip credit only if your state allows—rules vary widely.
- Contractors: Independent contractors are usually paid via invoice, not a wage payslip with tax withholding—do not misclassify employees.
- Supplemental pay: Bonuses may use different withholding methods—confirm IRS guidance or your payroll provider.
United Kingdom
- Zero-hours and variable contracts: Payslips must still show hours where pay depends on time worked.
- Apprentices: Apply the correct minimum wage apprentice rate.
- Statutory payments: Sick pay, parental pay, or redundancy may need separate lines—follow HMRC employer payroll guidance.
The Ordio template offers flexible earning and deduction rows; complex cases benefit from Ordio Payroll or your accountant. Link pay to scheduling so hours and pay periods stay aligned.
Payslip template from Ordio
The Ordio payroll template Excel is a free download with gross pay, tax and contribution lines, and net pay—ready to adapt for US or UK labels. Enter your data, review on Overview, and issue payslips for small teams or pilot runs.
Planning note: Spreadsheets are not a substitute for certified payroll software in every jurisdiction. Use this file for structure and internal review; involve a payroll provider or counsel for statutory filings and audit-ready archives.
Before you send pay: Revisit the mistake checklist above, use a clear file name per period (e.g. payroll-2026-03-final.xlsx), and restrict edit access after sign-off. Avoid emailing unprotected PDFs that expose full bank details.
Pair this download with the timesheet template, time tracking Excel template, and employee information form for hours and master data. When spreadsheets become the bottleneck, Ordio Payroll connects time tracking, scheduling, and pay runs in one workflow.
Automate payroll with Ordio
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Automatic calculations
Minimum wage, overtime, and premiums calculated automatically
Direct accounting export
No manual re-entry — your accountant gets digital exports
Save 10 hours per week
Automation keeps manual work to a minimum
95% fewer errors
Automatic checks help prevent costly payroll mistakes
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Frequently asked questions about Payroll template Excel
Is there a free payroll template in Excel?
Yes. This page offers a free payroll template Excel download—open the file in Excel or Google Sheets, then enter pay period, earnings, deductions, and net pay on the Employees sheet. It is a layout aid for small teams, not certified payroll software.
Is there a pay stub template in Excel?
Yes. The same workbook works as a pay stub template Excel file (often searched as 'paystub template'). Use the earnings and deduction rows for each employee and pay period, then save or print. For recurring payroll with time data, see Ordio Payroll.
How do I create a pay stub in Excel?
Download the template, open Instructions, then enter employer and employee details, the pay period, gross pay, each deduction, and net pay on the Employees sheet. Import hours from a timesheet if needed, review totals on Overview, then export to PDF. Read header, earnings, taxes, and net top to bottom—the step-by-step section on this page walks through the same order.
What must be on a pay stub or payslip?
Include who was paid, the pay period, gross amounts, itemized deductions, and net pay. In the US, many states require itemized wage statements for hourly workers (hours, rates, and deductions) in line with the FLSA and state law. In the UK, itemized payslips must show gross pay, deductions (including PAYE and National Insurance), and net pay, with hours shown when pay varies by time worked (GOV.UK). Confirm mandatory lines with your payroll provider.
What is the difference between a pay stub and a payslip?
In US English, pay stub is common; in UK English, payslip is standard. Both document the same pay calculation. This template uses neutral row labels you can rename for either market.
What is the best free payroll option in Excel?
Excel is a spreadsheet, not payroll software—so the best free option is usually a payroll template Excel download with gross-to-net formulas, like this file. It fits very small teams and pilot runs. When you need tax table updates, filings, or audit trails, dedicated payroll software or a provider is safer. Move to Ordio Payroll when you need integrated hours and exports.
How do I save a pay stub as PDF?
Finish the pay run on the Employees sheet and check Overview, then use Excel or Google Sheets Save as PDF (or Print to PDF). Send by secure email or employee portal, and store a copy in your HR archive per your retention policy.
Should I use Excel or Word for payroll?
Use Excel or Google Sheets for calculated pay runs. Word is better for letters, not gross-to-net calculations. This download is Excel-first with optional PDF export.
What do YTD and FICA mean on a pay stub?
Does Ordio offer payroll beyond the Excel template?
Yes. Ordio Payroll connects time tracking, scheduling, and employee data for ongoing pay runs. Start with the free template; upgrade when manual spreadsheets become a bottleneck.
Can I use Google Sheets for this payroll template?
Yes. Upload the Excel file to Google Sheets or download the Sheets version when offered. Formulas and row layout work the same; check that only authorized people can edit pay data.
Does the template support biweekly and monthly pay?
Yes. Set the pay period dates in the header for weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly runs—including monthly payroll templates with formula rows that recalc each period. The earnings layout stays the same; only the period label and hours from your timesheet change.