To set up payroll, complete each section in order. Some sections will not appear until another section is completed.
Step 1: Gather the information you’ll need
Find out what information you’ll need before you begin.
Step 2: Open payroll setup
On the left-side menu, click Payroll > Payroll Dashboard.
Step 3: Add a company signatory
Enter the details of the individual in your business who has signing authority on behalf of the company. Learn how to Add or edit your company signatory.
Step 4: Agree to terms of service and direct deposit
Wave partners with Check to provide payroll and tax services in the US. To use payroll with Wave, you must agree to Check’s Terms of Service and allow direct deposit. Click Authorize, review and check the boxes next to the terms of service and debit authorization, then click Continue.
Step 5: Add employees and contractors
Add your employees' details so Wave can accurately calculate their pay. Learn how in Add an employee to payroll.
Add all employees that you paid this year, even if they are no longer active on your payroll. Enter all employees’ wages and taxes in your payroll history, to ensure the tax forms Wave generates for your business are correct.
Add the details of contractors you paid this year, even if you no longer need them. This will ensure that all required 1099-NEC’s will be generated at tax time.
Ensure Form W-4 information is up to date on the employee's Tax Details page before running your first payroll.
Step 6: Enter your business details
To fill in your business profile, to the right of Business, click Add details then Okay, lets go. You will need your IRS EIN document for this section.
Click Get started and follow the prompts to enter your business information.
Step 7: Set a pay schedule
A pay schedule determines how often you will pay your employees. To set your pay schedule, click Set schedule. Learn more in Set your payroll schedule.
Step 8: Add a funding account
Add the details of the bank account that will fund your payroll and tax payments. The bank account must be able to process transactions in USD. Learn more in Add or update your payroll funding account.
Step 9: Fill in your tax profile
Next to Tax profile, click Add details. In a pop-up, you will be notified of the federal and state forms needed to complete your profile. Learn more in Complete your tax profile.
Step 10: Enter payroll history
If you have run any payrolls outside of Wave within the calendar year, enter the wages and taxes paid into Wave. This allows Wave to accurately calculate them going forward. Find detailed instructions in Enter payroll history.
Step 11: Authorize tax payments and filings
For Wave to handle your tax payments and filings, you must sign documents authorizing this. Next to Get automatic tax filings and payments, click Authorize. Click each document, review the information, then click Sign and Submit. Repeat for each required document.
If you authorize tax service in the middle of a quarter, you will receive an email notifying you of an upcoming payment for taxes due earlier in the quarter. If you have already made these payments, reach out to our Support Team. Open Mave, Wave’s automated chatbot, and type human support payroll tax payments then provide information on the taxes already paid.
Now that your payroll is set up, learn how to approve a payroll.