When and How to Unapprove a Payroll

⚡ What is Unapproving Payroll?

Unapproving payroll allows you to reopen an approved pay run and make changes before payments are finalized.

You can think of this as “cancelling payroll before it is processed”; it gives you a chance to fix errors after approval but before anything is paid out.

Once payroll is approved, it is scheduled for processing and locked for editing. To make changes, the payroll must be unapproved (reopened) before processing begins. If unapproval is no longer possible, corrections may need to be handled through an off-cycle payroll or in a future pay period.

⚠️|  Important: Specific conditions determine whether payroll can be unapproved. If you're unsure, refer to the When Can Payroll Be Unapproved (Canada & US) section below. If you need assistance, please reach out to Push Support as soon as possible.

🔐 Access required

Unapproving payroll is available on all subscription plans with the Payroll Add-On.

Who can Unapprove a Payroll?

• Super Administrators: Full access to payroll, unapprove eligible pay runs, and contact Support for assistance if unapproval cannot be completed in the account.
• Team Administrators: Can review and manage payroll only if the Run Payroll permission is granted. This includes the ability to unapprove eligible pay runs and request assistance from our Support Team. If you are unable to access, please confirm your permissions with a Super Administrator.

📋 Topics covered in this article:

• When Can Payroll Be Unapproved (Canada & US)
• How to Unapprove Payroll in Your Account
• Requesting Payroll Unapproval from Support
• Frequently Asked Questions About Unapproving Payroll

📚 Related articles:

• Understanding Payroll Processing Deadlines
• A Guide to Running Payroll
• A Guide to Running an Off-Cycle Payroll
• Check out our dedicated Payroll section to find how-to guides, FAQs, and more.

When Can Payroll Be Unapproved

Whether payroll can be unapproved depends on your company’s location, the time payroll was run, and whether processing has already begun.

The fastest way to check is to try the Unapprove Payroll option in your account. If you are able to proceed, the payroll is still within the allowed window. If a message appears indicating that unapproval is not available, you will need to submit a request to PUSH Support. The sooner you reach out, the sooner our team can review your request with our Accounting Team and confirm your available options.

🇨🇦  Canada Payroll Unapproving Deadlines

For companies based in Canada, whether payroll can be unapproved depends on the payment method used to pay your employees and when the payroll was processed.

Direct Deposit:

For companies paying employees via direct deposit in Canada, payroll can be unapproved directly in your account if it is still the same day the payroll was run, before 6:00 PM ET, and at least two business days before the pay date, while payments have not yet started processing.

Example: 

• If an administrator runs payroll at 11:00 AM ET, they can unapprove that payroll until 5:59 PM ET on the same day.
• If payroll is run at 7:00 PM ET, it is already outside the allowed window and must be submitted as a request to Support.

Company-Issued Cheques:

For companies paying employees via company-issued cheques in Canada, payroll can be unapproved directly in your account if it is still the same day the payroll was run, before 6:00 PM ET, and at least two business days before the pay date, while cheque processing has not yet started.

Example:

• If an administrator runs payroll at 1:00 PM ET, they can still unapprove that payroll until 5:59 PM ET on the same day.
• If payroll is run at 7:00 PM ET, it can no longer be unapproved in the account and must be requested through Support.

Push-Issued Cheques:

For companies paying employees via Push-issued cheques in Canada, payroll cannot be unapproved directly in your account. All requests to unapprove must be submitted to our Support Team, as these payments involve additional steps such as cheque printing and delivery.

💡| Tip: Check out the “Requesting Unapproval Through Support” section below for step-by-step guidance on the fastest way to submit your request.

🇺🇸 US Payroll Unapproving Deadlines

For companies based in the United States, whether payroll can be unapproved depends on the payment method used to pay your employees, when the payroll was processed, and whether tax filings have already begun.

Direct Deposit:

For companies paying employees via direct deposit in the United States, payroll can be unapproved directly in your account if it is still the same day the payroll was run, before 3:00 PM ET, and at least two business days before the pay date.

Example: 

• If an administrator runs payroll at 10:00 AM ET, they can unapprove that payroll until 2:59 PM ET on the same day.
• If payroll is run at 1:00 PM ET, it is already outside the allowed window and must be submitted as a request to Support.

Company-Issued Cheques:

For companies paying employees via company-issued cheques in the United States, payroll can be unapproved directly in your account if it is still the same day the payroll was run, before 3:00 PM ET, and at least two business days before the pay date, while cheque processing has not yet started.

Example:

• If an administrator runs payroll at 9:00 AM ET, they can still unapprove it before the cutoff time.
• If payroll is run after 1:00 PM ET, it can no longer be unapproved in the account and must be requested through Support.

Push-Issued Cheques:

For companies paying employees via  Push-issued cheques in the United States, payroll cannot be unapproved directly in your account. All requests to unapprove must be submitted to our Support Team, as these payments involve additional steps such as cheque printing and delivery.

💡| Tip: Check out the “Requesting Unapproval Through Support” section below for step-by-step guidance on the fastest way to submit your request.

How to Unapprove Payroll in Your Account

Payroll unapproval is necessary when an error is detected after approval but before processing is complete. Common scenarios include:

• Missing earnings, reimbursements, or deductions: After approval, it was noted that items such as tips, health benefits, and other earnings were not included in the payroll. 
• Salary or rate changes not applied in time: After payroll was run, it was identified that a raise, rate change, or salary prorate was not applied correctly for the pay period.
• Accidental overpayments or underpayments: After approval, it was discovered that an employee should not have been paid (e.g., after termination), was paid twice, or needed additional pay, such as time off, to be included.
• Payment method changes: After payroll was approved, an employee’s banking details changed (such as a closed account), or they need to be paid by cheque instead of direct deposit for that pay period.

To prevent unapproval, adopt a review-before-approval workflow to verify payroll accuracy.

If your payroll is still within the unapproval window, you can reopen it directly in your account.

1. Click the Payroll tab.

2. From the left-hand navigation bar, select Payrun History.

3. Under Payroll History, navigate the list and, under the Pay Run Summary column, click Summary that corresponds to the relevant pay period.

4. The page will load to the pay period's Payroll Summary; click Unapprove Payroll.

5. A pop-up will appear; click Unapprove Payroll or Cancel to go back a step.

6. If Unapprove Payroll is chosen, the page will refresh, and the payrun summary for the pay period will revert to its state prior to approval. You will see the options to Approve, Delete, or Re-Run the payroll if applicable! 

7. Please make the necessary changes (i.e. delete payroll to add Earning and Deduction entries or correct Clock Entries) and re-approve payroll!

Requesting Payroll Unapproval from Support

If the Unapprove Payroll option isn't available, your payroll is paid with Push-Issued Cheques, or the unapproval window has passed, you can request assistance through Live chat, email, or phone.

⚠️ | Important: Requests are reviewed by our Accounting Team and are not guaranteed, as approval depends on timing, payment method, and processing constraints (e.g. Financial Institutions). If unapproval is not an option, you may need to make corrections through an off-cycle payroll or in the next pay period.

1. Click the speech bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
2. Answer Astra's questions to provide the necessary payroll details, including the reason you need the payroll unapproved. For example:
   1. A specific employee should not have been paid at all (e.g. after termination).
   2. An employee received too much or too little pay.
   3. An employee's payment method is incorrect (e.g. their direct deposit details changed, or they need to be paid by cheque instead).
3. Once your request is submitted/sent to a live agent, PUSH Support will review it and follow up with your available options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Unapproving Payroll

Have questions about unapproving payroll? Whether you're wondering how to tell if a payroll can still be unapproved, what to do once the window has passed, or what happens to your changes, this section provides quick answers to help you correct payroll with confidence.

Q: How do I know if my payroll can still be unapproved? 
A: The fastest way to check is to try the Unapprove Payroll option on the pay period's Payroll Summary page. If you're able to proceed, the payroll is still within the window. For the specific cutoffs by country and payment method, refer to the When Can Payroll Be Unapproved (Canada & US) section of this article.

Q: What should I do if my payroll can no longer be unapproved? 
A: Submit a request to the PUSH Support Team for them to review your options. If disapproval isn't possible, corrections may need to be made through an off-cycle payroll, an adjustment in the next pay period, or even by stopping the payment.

Q: Why can't I unapprove a payroll paid with Push-Issued Cheques? 
A: Push-Issued Cheques involve additional steps, such as cheque printing and delivery, so these payrolls can't be unapproved in your account. All requests must be submitted to PUSH Support.

Q: Will the changes I made before approval be kept after I unapprove payroll? 
A: Once payroll is approved, the Earnings and Deductions entries, Clock Entries, and timesheets associated with that pay period are locked and can't be adjusted, so they stay exactly as they were. Unapproving payroll doesn't reset anything; it unlocks editing so you can make your adjustments before re-approving.

Before re-approving, it's also worth checking whether any employees were recently deactivated. Only Active employees are included in payroll, so anyone recently moved to the On Leave or Inactive employee list may not appear in the pay run when re-approving. For more details, refer to the Managing Employee Deactivations article.

Q: Are employees notified when payroll is unapproved? 
A: No. Employees are not notified when payroll is unapproved. Once the payroll is re-approved, employees will receive another notification that their pay stubs are available to view, and the original pay stub will be replaced with the updated one.

Q: Do I need to unapprove payroll to change an employee's payment method? 
A: It depends on timing. Payroll uses the payment details that were current when it was approved, so updating an employee's profile on its own won't change how they're paid in a payroll that's already been approved.

• If the payroll is still within the unapproval window, unapprove it, make the correction yourself, and then re-approve it.
• If the window has passed, the change will require intervention from our Accounting Team, so please contact PUSH Support. Include the employee's first and last name and the payment method you want them updated to. For example, if an employee's direct deposit details changed, update their Employee Profile first and then let us know. Our team can also help switch the payment to a Company-Issued Cheque or Push-Issued Cheque, if applicable.