Free template
A payroll schedule template that dates every cut-off.
A payroll schedule lists each country's pay date, change cut-off, approval and funding dates, and owners. Download the Excel template or copy the table below.
4.8 out of 5 on G2Updated 20 October 2026 · Teamed Editorial · More checklists and templates
- Columns
- 13
- Tabs in the file
- 3
- To copy and change
- Free
- Nothing to sign up for
- No form
What goes in a payroll schedule?
One row for each country and each pay run. The sheet counts back from the pay date to give you the cut-off, approval and funding dates. Take the working-day counts from your payroll provider, and the tax and filing dates from the country guide or the authority.
What does each column hold?
The yellow columns are for you to fill in. The grey date columns are formulas, so they update when you change a pay date or a count.
| Column | What to enter | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Country and pay currency | The country, and the currency people are paid in. | Your contracts. |
| Pay frequency | Monthly, twice monthly, every two weeks or weekly. | Your contracts. |
| Pay date | The date money reaches employees. | The country's pay calendar. |
| Working days before pay date | Three numbers: for the cut-off for changes, for approval and for funding. The sheet counts Monday to Friday. Where a country's working week differs, check the three dates with your provider. | Your payroll provider, or your own team. |
| Changes cut-off, approval and funding dates | Nothing. The sheet works them out. | Formulas that count back from the pay date. |
| Tax and contribution payment and filing dates | Each deadline, with the date you read it. | The country guide or the authority's own pages. |
| Owner and back-up | One person and one cover for each row. | Your team. |
How do you set the dates?
- 01Start with the pay date for each country, taken from your contracts.
- 02Ask your provider how many working days before pay date each deadline falls, and enter those three numbers.
- 03Add the weekday public holidays for each country in that country's own column on the Holidays tab, so each row skips only its own country's holidays.
- 04Check any date that falls near a holiday, and any deadline you are not sure of, with your provider.
- 05Copy the rows forward each month and change the pay date.
What does a row look like?
The example below shows the format. The working-day counts are placeholders, not a rule: use your provider's real lead times. A pay date on Friday 27 November 2026, with 8, 5 and 2 working days, gives a cut-off on Tuesday 17 November, approval on Friday 20 November and funding on Wednesday 25 November, with no holidays listed.
Can you copy the table instead?
Yes. This is the first tab of the file, in the same column order. Select it and paste it into a sheet, or download the Excel file for the formulas.
| Country | Pay currency | Pay frequency | Pay date | Cut-off (working days before) | Approval (working days before) | Funding (working days before) | Changes cut-off | Approval deadline | Funding deadline | Tax and filing dates | Owner | Back-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country A (example) | EUR | Monthly | Fri 27 Nov 2026 | 8 | 5 | 2 | Tue 17 Nov 2026 | Fri 20 Nov 2026 | Wed 25 Nov 2026 | From the country guide, with the date read | Priya | Sam |
Why does a payroll schedule help?
Each country has its own pay date, and often its own cut-off for changes. Without one sheet that shows them all, a manager sends a change a day late and the person is paid wrongly or not at all.
A schedule also puts an owner next to each date. When a deadline is missed, you can see who was responsible, and who covered.
Questions people ask
Is the template free?
Yes. It is free, there is no form, and you can copy it, change it and share it. The download link gives you the Excel file.
Does the template know my country's tax and filing dates?
No. It holds no country's statutory dates. Take each date from the country guide or the authority's own pages, write it in the last column, and note the date you read it.
What if I use Google Sheets or Numbers?
Both can open the Excel file. Check the date columns after you open it, because the formulas use WORKDAY, INDEX and MATCH. You can also copy the table on this page.
This template is a planning aid, not legal advice. Where a step depends on a country's rules, check the country guide or take advice.
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Download the template
Payroll schedule workbook with three tabs: Schedule, Holidays and How to use. Free to copy and change. · Updated 20 October 2026