What We Do When Payroll Goes Sideways (and How to Prevent It)

For Santa Clarita business owners who don’t have time.

When Payroll Breaks, These Are the Usual Suspects:

1. Wrong Hours Logged

• Someone forgot to clock in.
• Someone else double-logged.
  Fix: We always double-check hours against shift schedule. No exceptions.

2. Rate Changes Not Updated

• A raise was given. Payroll didn’t get the memo.
  Fix: We keep a “pay rate tracker” spreadsheet that syncs with payroll software.

3. Tax Settings Get Screwed Up

• New hire marked “exempt” by mistake? That’s a fine waiting to happen.
  Fix: Every new hire goes through our checklist: W-4, residency, withholding reviewed.

4. Missed Cutoffs

• You thought you had another day. System already closed.
  Fix: Set calendar alerts. One for “input due,” one for “approve deadline.”

The Prevention System We Actually Use:

1. One Sheet to Rule Them All

One-pager with:

• Who’s on this payroll
• Any changes (hours, rates, bonuses)
• Who’s approving it (client, us)

2. Approval by Noon, Two Days Before

This gives space to fix anything without panic. If someone’s out? We’ve got the fallback plan listed.

3. Last-Minute Checklist

Before hitting “Submit,” we check:

• Total payroll hours match timecard totals
• Pay rates match last run
• No red flags in tax column

If It Already Went Sideways

Don’t guess. Fix it clean.

• Run an off-cycle correction—not a manual check.
• Send a “here’s what happened + what we fixed” summary. Transparency builds trust.

Want to Borrow This System?

Use it as-is. Or email us and we’ll send you our exact checklist.