Series: The Year in Payroll and What Comes Next

Part 1 - What to Check Before the Final Pay Run

The final pay run of the year is more than a closing task. It’s the point where payroll accuracy, billing, and compliance all come together. Businesses that take time to review their systems in December can often avoid carrying small errors into January. In practice, that review runs far more smoothly when all data sits in one place. D-Bit’s cloud-based payroll software is an all-in-one platform designed for labour-hire and recruitment companies. By connecting payroll, invoicing, and workforce records, the software streamlines year-end processes, reduces manual handling, and helps teams process the final pay run quickly and accurately while ensuring compliance.

Review payroll and billing together

The first step before the last pay run is usually reconciling payroll against billing and accounting records. Every figure should match: hours, rates, and project codes. When these align, finance teams can trust their totals without switching between multiple reports.

Businesses using automated billing systems reduce manual input errors, since pay data flows directly from rosters and job allocations. This prevents duplicate hours or missing invoices. For companies managing internal staff as well as contractors, this step keeps the books consistent across all payment types.

Keep award interpretation up to date

Payroll accuracy depends on correct awards. Yet award interpretation is often left until year-end, by which time mistakes have already spread. December is the time to check whether your payroll system reflects the latest award rates, classifications, and penalty structures, as even minor differences in overtime or allowance rates can distort super and tax totals. Reviewing them now avoids compliance issues later. For a practical reference, the Australian Taxation Office provides an updated guide to end-of-year payroll requirements through Single Touch Payroll.

Clean up employee records

Inactive employee profiles often stay in the system long after someone leaves. They clutter reports and create confusion when totals don’t match headcount. Before the final pay run, clear these out.

Check for:

• Duplicate or incomplete employee profiles

• Outdated tax or super information

• Contractors listed under employee records

Modern, user-friendly payroll software can automatically identify missing fields. A few minutes spent archiving inactive files improves data security and accuracy for audit season.

Year-end reviews don’t have to slow your operations. Our cloud system helps teams locate errors early, verify rates, and close their accounts with confidence. Book a short review session with D-Bit to see how our integrated approach keeps payroll data accurate and compliant.

Check reimbursements and expense claims

December is often full of unfinished claims. Before closing, open your expense log and check what’s still sitting in draft. With automated billing systems, approved expenses are automatically routed to the correct cost centre, reducing manual errors and ensuring that no claims are forgotten or appear unexpectedly later.

Review tax and super contributions

Year-end payments often bend the usual pattern. A bonus here, a salary sacrifice there, enough to throw totals slightly off. Check that PAYG and super rates reflect the latest thresholds and that any mid-year guarantee increase has been applied. Many payroll platforms include a comparison view that lets you verify each figure against the expected total, a small step that saves backtracking once summaries are sent.

Manage leave before the break

December rosters change daily as leave requests pile in. A system that tracks approvals in real time keeps payroll aligned, eliminates confusion, and reduces manual corrections. When leave is confirmed, workforce management software instantly updates pay records, so teams avoid scrambling in January to fix errors.

Checklist for the final pay run

December brings distractions, and details tend to slip. A short review before payroll closes brings everything back into focus: what’s complete, what’s missing, and what still needs approval.

• Confirm award rates and penalty updates

• Reconcile payroll totals with billing and accounting records

• Remove inactive or duplicate employee profiles

• Approve or deny pending reimbursements

• Check PAYG and super accuracy

• Finalise and back up payroll data

Running through these points steadies the close of the year and leaves fewer loose ends waiting in January.

Use data insights to plan ahead

End-of-year payroll data offers a clear view of how your workforce operated through the year.

Look for:

• Departments with consistent overtime

• Roles where leave balances are growing

• Seasonal trends affecting staffing or billing cycles

Patterns in this data say more than any summary report. They reveal where resources are stretched, where rosters can improve, and provide a foundation for better workforce planning. Because payroll and billing are unified in a single platform, managers can use these insights to make data-driven decisions rather than struggle with disconnected information.

Start 2026 with clean data

Closing payroll properly means fewer corrections later. Reviewing award interpretation settings ensures pay rates and penalties are up to date. Combined with user-friendly payroll software from D-Bit, it gives teams the certainty they need to close 2025 smoothly and prepare for the year ahead.