Every Payroll by Card transaction requires you to upload an official payroll document along with the payment amount. This helps us confirm your card funds are going toward real payroll and ensures your payment moves through review quickly.
This guide will cover:
- What counts as an official payroll document
- The minimum information your document needs to include
- Acceptable example documents by payroll provider
What counts as an official payroll document
Any report your payroll provider issues can work, as long as it includes everything listed in the next section. Three of the most common report types are:
- Cash Requirements Report: a pre-processing report that shows your total payroll cost before the debit happens, broken down by category, such as gross wages, taxes, and net pay.
- Payroll Journal or general ledger posting: an accounting report that shows your total payroll expense by general ledger account, without employee-level detail.
- ACH Debit Notice: your provider's formal notice confirming the amount and date it will debit your Payroll bank account. This is also sometimes called an advice of debit.
Some providers use different names for similar reports, such as a payroll register or payroll summary.
The minimum information your document needs to include
To be accepted, your payroll document must include all of the following:
- Name of your payroll provider, shown through their logo, header, or branding
- Your business's legal name, matching what's on file with Melio
- Full payroll run total, matching your card payment exactly
- Employee pay date
- Debit date
- Payroll period, the date range the run covers
Your document doesn't need to include employee names, individual pay amounts, bonus details, employee ID numbers, or line-item deductions. If your report includes them, you can redact them before uploading.
The amount you enter for your payroll run must exactly match the total on your uploaded document. Mismatched amounts will result in a declined payment.
Acceptable example documents by payroll provider
Not sure which report to pull from your provider? Here's a quick guide by provider.
| Provider | Report to look for |
| ADP | Liability Preview (also called Cash Required), or a Payroll Journal Report |
| Paychex | Cash Requirements Report |
| Gusto | Cash Requirements Summary (use the top section only) |
| isolved | Consolidated Payroll Summary, Tax Liability Summary, or Employer Liability Report |
| QuickBooks Online Payroll | Payroll Summary report (with “Totals only” turned on) |
| Rippling | Journal Report (use the cash requirements view) |
| Other providers | Ask for a Cash Requirements Report |
For step-by-step instructions on uploading your document during a payroll run, see How to set up and fund Payroll by Card.
That's it! You now know what qualifies as an official payroll document, exactly what it needs to show, and which report is right for your provider.