This article is for admins who want to use or manage Payroll on AutoPilot®.
When you turn on Payroll on AutoPilot®, payroll runs automatically one day before your payroll deadline. You have 24 hours to make changes or cancel it. To run payroll manually, turn off Payroll on AutoPilot®.
Important: We do not recommend using Gusto Time Tracking and Payroll on AutoPilot® together. This does not give you enough time to approve hours before payroll runs. Also, Time Tracking hours will override the default hours you set for hourly employees.
Payroll on AutoPilot® is available on Simple, Plus, and Premium plans.
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Review these key details before you turn on Payroll on AutoPilot®.
You cannot use Payroll on AutoPilot® to pay US contractors.
To pay contractors in the future, adjust the payment date when you submit the payment.
Payroll on AutoPilot® uses your company’s default bank account (unless you change it).
You can change the bank for Payroll on AutoPilot® by going to Settings, then Pay settings. However, you cannot update it in the payroll processing flow.
Some actions can turn off Payroll on AutoPilot®.
Example: If a team member changes their payment method from direct deposit to check, this turns off Payroll on AutoPilot® for everyone on the same pay schedule.
You cannot use Payroll on AutoPilot® if you’ve turned on payroll approvals.
Everyone on the pay schedule must be paid by direct deposit to use Payroll on AutoPilot®.
Report commissions for commission-only employees before payroll runs, or they will not get paid.
Commission-only employees have a salary of $0 until the commission is entered.
Approve (or review) all expenses one day before the payroll deadline.
This is when Payroll on AutoPilot® processes.
Choose a section based on the number of pay schedules you have set up in Gusto.
To turn Payroll on AutoPilot® on or off:
Make sure all team members on the schedule use direct deposit.
For hourly workers, if you do not set their default hours, Payroll on AutoPilot® will not work.
Go to Pay.
If you cannot find Pay, you do not have the required permissions or may be in the wrong profile (Example: You’re in your employee profile instead of your admin profile).
On the right, click Settings.
Scroll down to Pay schedules.
Next to Payroll on Autopilot®, click Edit.
Toggle to On or Off.
Click Save.
When you turn on Payroll on AutoPilot®, you’ll get an email when payroll runs.
If you add a new pay schedule, Payroll on AutoPilot® works only for the first schedule until you manually turn it on for the new schedule.
To turn Payroll on AutoPilot® on or off:
Make sure all team members on the schedule use direct deposit.
For hourly workers, if you do not set their default hours, Payroll on AutoPilot® will not work.
Go to Pay.
If you cannot find Pay, you do not have the required permissions or may be in the wrong profile (Example: You’re in your employee profile instead of your admin profile).
On the right, click Settings.
Scroll down to Pay schedules.
In the Salaried and/or Hourly sections, next to Payroll on Autopilot®, click Edit.
Toggle to On or Off.
Click Save.
When you turn on Payroll on AutoPilot®, payroll runs automatically one day before your payroll deadline.
You can edit your payroll at any time before it runs. You have 24 hours to make changes or cancel it. After that, you cannot edit the payroll, but you might still be able to cancel or reverse it.
To edit a Payroll on AutoPilot®:
Go to Pay.
If you cannot find Pay, you do not have the required permissions or may be in the wrong profile (Example: You’re in your employee profile instead of your admin profile).
Click Run payroll.
Edit the details, and we’ll save the changes automatically.
After you edit the payroll, Payroll on AutoPilot® still runs as scheduled, unless you cancel or skip it. If you cancel payroll after AutoPilot runs, you’ll need to resubmit it manually.
Some actions turn off Payroll on AutoPilot® without warning. If this happens, Payroll on AutoPilot® turns off for everyone on the same pay schedule (but does not affect other pay schedules).
If Payroll on AutoPilot® is turned off, the primary admin gets an email notification.
You might find a more specific error if you:
Go to Pay.
On the right, click Settings.
Next to Payroll on AutoPilot®, click Edit.
Common actions that can turn off Payroll on AutoPilot®
An employee changes their payment method from direct deposit to check.
You add a new worker with no direct deposit or no default hours (for hourly workers).
Certain company changes can also turn off AutoPilot®, like:
Any change that requires the signatory to sign forms after
Changes to the company bank account you use for Payroll on AutoPilot®
You turn on payroll approvals.
We need state tax registration information.