Cycle Statuses introduce a clear and structured way to manage your payroll run from start to finish. Each payroll cycle now moves through a set of defined statuses that reflect the real HR payroll process — giving you better visibility, control, and confidence at every step.

What are Cycle Statuses?

Cycle Statuses represent the lifecycle of a payroll run in Compensation. They show where your payroll currently stands, what actions are available, and what happens next.

Each status mirrors a real-world payroll stage, from data preparation to final validation, and ensures everyone involved is aligned.

The available statuses are:

Open → In Preparation → Calculation → In Review → Completed

Why are Cycle Statuses important?

Cycle Statuses help you:

• Understand progress at a glance
  Know exactly where you are in the payroll process and what’s coming next.
• Control when data can be edited
  Clearly define when managers can still make changes — and when data is locked.
• Reduce payroll uncertainty
  Avoid confusion around whether payroll has been sent, calculated, or finalized.
• Prepare for future improvements
  This is the foundation for the visual Payroll Timeline and stronger integrations with payroll professionals.

Payroll cycle statuses explained

Open

The payroll cycle is open and editable.

• Managers can update compensation data.
• HR can review changes and prepare the cycle.
• No payroll data has been locked or sent yet.

In Preparation

The payroll cycle is locked and ready to be sent for calculation.

• Managers can no longer edit compensation data.
• Payroll data is frozen to ensure consistency.
• The cycle is ready to be exported or synced, depending on your setup.

Calculation

Payroll data has been sent for calculation.

Depending on your configuration, this may include:

• Exporting payroll data
• Syncing data with payroll software
• Sending payroll information to your bookkeeper or payroll professional

In Review

Payroll results have been received and are ready to be checked.

• Payroll results are imported into the system.
• HR can review amounts, validations, and outcomes.
• SEPA payment files can be generated, allowing you to prepare salary payments.
• This is the final verification step before completing the cycle.

Completed

The payroll cycle is finalized.

• Results are confirmed.
• The cycle is officially closed.
• No further changes are possible.
• The payroll data is sent to the Financial Workspace to unlock analytics.

How do statuses change?

Each status change is triggered by a clear action:

• Open → In Preparation
  Triggered by clicking the Lock button.

• In Preparation → Calculation
  Triggered by exporting payroll data, syncing with payroll software, or sending data to a bookkeeper (depending on your configuration).

• Calculation → In Review
  Triggered by importing payroll results.

• In Review → Completed
  Triggered by clicking the Completed button.

What happens when a cycle is locked?

Once locked:

• Managers cannot edit compensation data.
• Data syncing from other modules is disabled.
• The payroll data is frozen to ensure accuracy during calculation.

Make sure all required changes are completed before locking the cycle.

Can I complete a cycle on a custom date?

Yes. You can complete a payroll cycle on a custom date.

This is useful when payroll confirmation happens earlier or later than expected, or when aligning with your internal or external payroll processes.

Once the cycle is completed:

• The cycle is fully completed.
• The payroll data is sent to the Financial Workspace to unlock analytics.
• No further changes can be made.
• Payroll results can still be imported.