Voiding payroll items in Console
Void payroll items in Console to correct errors while maintaining accurate payroll records.
Overview
Once a payroll has been approved and processed by Check, it can no longer be changed. This is an important policy for ensuring a complete and accurate record of payroll activity for a company.
However, if you identify an error with a payroll after it has been approved and processed, Check allows you to “void” part or all of that payroll, in order to correct that mistake. A “void” is a payroll that contains negative wages, taxes, and deductions that offset erroneous amounts on an original payroll, such that when combined, the totals are as if the error never happened.
This document will walk through how to create a void in Check, the steps that follow creating a void, and the other important considerations for voiding.
Do voids also cancel or reverse payments?
No — voids are only modifications to payroll records, and do not directly affect the transactions associated with a payroll, such as the direct deposit of an employee’s net pay or the collection of tax liabilities. Those need to be handled separately from a void, and are discussed in Managing transactions.
Which payrolls can be voided in Console?
Whether you can void payroll items on a payroll depends on both the payroll’s status, and the current state of payments for that payroll.
Draft payrolls don't need to be voided because they can be deleted instead. To delete a draft payroll, simply open the payroll, click the menu icon (…) in the upper corner, select "Edit the Payroll," and then click "delete." This will remove the draft payroll from the payrolls view.
Payroll status | Can void? | Notes |
draft | No | Payroll has not yet been approved. |
pending | No | Payroll has been approved, but can still be reopened. |
processing | No | Payroll is currently being processed by Check. |
paid | Yes | Can void once the debit for the payroll has cleared the return window (usually 3 business days after the debit settles). |
partially_paid | Yes | Can void once the debit for the payroll has cleared the return window (usually 3 business days after the debit settles). |
failed | Yes | Can void if and only if no credits for the payroll have been sent.
Will restore the company to good standing if all failed payrolls are voided. |
How do I create a void in Console?
- Start by navigating in Console to the company’s “Payrolls” tab.
- Select the payroll for which you would like to create void, which will open a payroll detail page for that payroll.
- Select the Menu icon in the upper right corner, and select Void payroll items.
- Select the payroll item(s) or contractor payment(s) that you would like to void by checking the box next to each item, or check the box in the header of the table to select all items and void the entire payroll.
- Click the “Review void” button, and confirm the details of the items that will be voided.
- Click “Submit void” to create the void. Remember, this action cannot be undone.
- You will be taken to the payroll detail page for the newly created void payroll, with a confirmation modal with several next steps.
If you return to the “Payrolls” tab for the company, you should now see a void payroll on the same payday as the original payroll, with a negative gross pay amount.
What happens next?
After you create a void, a Zendesk ticket with Check Support will be automatically created and linked in the confirmation modal in the final step above.
The purpose of this ticket is for Check Support to review and complete the processing of this void, which may involve any or all the following next steps:
Action | Description |
Approve the void | Void payrolls in Console are initially saved in draft status. This is to prevent the void from interfering with any balancing or filing processes for the company. Check Support will approve the void on receipt of the Zendesk ticket, after confirming it will not affect any in-flight processes. |
Refund unpaid tax liabilities | Any tax liabilities from the original payroll that were funded but not yet paid to the tax agency will be refunded to the employer. Check Support will confirm the refund amount on the Zendesk ticket and process the refund. |
Process a correction | A correction of other payroll records may be necessary; for example, if the void affected when a taxable wage limit should have been met on another payroll. Check Support will determine whether a correction is needed, and will process the correction if so. |
File amended returns | If the void was created for a payroll from a previous quarter, then amended returns will need to be created to adjust the subject wage and tax amounts reported. Check Support will determine the amendments needed, and will create and file them. |
If you have questions on the next steps after a void is created, reach out to Check Support on the Zendesk ticket for that void.
Last updated on March 31, 2025