Articles on: Payroll

How to Add an Employee to Payroll

This article explains how to add an employee to Payroll and activate payroll billing for that employee.

Note: There are two methods to add employees to Payroll. The recommended method depends on whether you are setting up payroll for the first time or managing employees later.


Method 1: Add an Employee from People & Contractors

  1. From the left-hand menu, go to People & Contractors.
  2. Click Add New.
  3. Required employee information

When adding an employee or contractor, you must complete the following sections. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).


Contact Details *

Enter the individual’s or business contact information. This helps identify the person and enables communication.

  • First Name*
  • Middle Name (optional)
  • Last Name*
  • Email Address
  • Mobile Number
  • Home Phone (optional)

Address Information *

Provide the individual’s address details. This information is required for tax documentation and location-based requirements.

  • Street Address*
  • Address Line 2 (optional)
  • City*
  • State*
  • Postal Code*
  • Country

Worker Type *

Select the role that best describes the individual’s relationship with the business.

  • Employee – Works for the company full-time or part-time and receives wages and benefits.
  • Contractor – A self-employed individual or company hired for specific tasks or projects.
  • Volunteer
  • Donor
  • Other

Compensation *

Provide job and pay details to ensure accurate payroll reporting.

  • Position / Job Title*
  • Start Date* (MM/DD/YYYY)
  • Employment Type
  • Compensation Type* (Hourly or Salary)
  • Wage Frequency
  • Wage Amount*
  • Work Location* (used for tax calculations)

Tax Information *

Enter the required tax details to ensure compliance and accurate reporting.

  • Legal Name (Name on Income Tax Return)*
  • Date of Birth*
  • Business or Disregarded Entity Name (if applicable)
  • Tax Number* (SSN or EIN)
  • Federal Tax Classification

Additional Notes (Optional)

  1. Toggle Payroll ON.


Payroll pricing

When you enable Payroll, COUNT will prompt you to confirm billing.

  • Cost: $6.00 per person per month
  • This price applies per employee or contractor, regardless of whether they use:

• Payroll Only

• One Feature or multiple features (Payroll, Time Tracking, Expense Claim Reporting, Sales Representative)

  1. Click Add & Pay $6.00/month to confirm.


Pro tip: The start date is not the payroll start date—it only indicates when the employee joined the company


Method 2: Add an Employee During Payroll Onboarding

Employees can also be added during the Payroll Onboarding flow.

  1. Go to Payroll and open Set up your payroll.
  2. Under Team & Payroll Setup, click Add team members.
  3. Click Add New Person.
  4. Complete the employee setup flow:
  5. Personal Info

• Job Details

• Work Location

• Review & Submit

  1. Save the employee.

This is how employees appear after being added to Payroll.


Pro tip: Use only one method to add employees. Adding the same person through multiple methods can result in duplicate employee records.


From this page, you can:

  1. Click the Edit (pencil) icon next to an employee to:


  1. Update personal or tax information, change compensation details, enable or disable Payroll, Time Tracking, or other features, update work location.
  2. Save changes by clicking Update.


This page allows you to manage all payroll-enabled employees in one place.


Pro tip: Make sure all required fields (*) are completed before enabling Payroll. Missing tax or address information can prevent payroll from running successfully.

Updated on: 15/01/2026

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!