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:
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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 finalised. -
Prepare for future improvements
This is the foundation for the visual Payroll Timeline and stronger integrations with payroll professionals.
When and why it should be used
Use cycle statuses to:
- Clearly track the progress of each payroll cycle
- Prevent last-minute changes once data is validated
- Ensure data integrity by blocking edits when necessary
- Coordinate better with external bookkeepers or payroll providers
- Align payroll completion dates with your company’s internal processes (e.g., completing on the 25th instead of month-end)
This functionality is especially useful for companies with:
- Multiple payroll stakeholders
- External payroll providers
- Internal review or approval workflows
- Non-standard payroll calendars
Payroll cycle statuses explained
Open
The payroll cycle is open and editable.
- Default status when a cycle is created
- Managers can update compensation data and input variables
- HR can review changes and prepare the cycle
- Modules sync automatically
- No payroll data has been locked or sent yet
In preparation
The payroll cycle is locked and ready to be sent for calculation.
- Edits and automatic syncs are blocked
- Payroll data is frozen to ensure consistency
- The cycle is ready to be exported or synced, depending on your setup
- Triggered using the Lock button
Once a cycle is locked and moves to In Preparation, this action cannot be undone.
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
- Triggered via Export
At this stage you are waiting for payroll results.
In review
Payroll results have been received and are ready to be checked.
- Payroll results are imported into the system
- Data is ready for review
- 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
- Triggered via Import results
Completed
The payroll cycle is finalised.
- Results are confirmed
- Payroll cycle is finalised and officially closed
- No further changes are possible
- The payroll data is sent to the Financial Workspace to unlock analytics
- Triggered via Complete button
In addition, you can now complete a payroll cycle on a specific date, not only on the last day of the month.
How to use
- Go to Compensation
- Open the relevant cycle
- Review the current status displayed at the top of the cycle.
- Move the cycle forward using the corresponding action:
- Click Lock to move from Open to In Preparation
- Use Export to move to Calculation
- Click Lock to move from Open to In Preparation
- Click Import Results to move to In Review
- Click Complete to finalise the cycle
If you can’t edit the payroll cycle, the cycle may be in In Preparation, Calculation, In Review, or Completed status. Once locked, editing and automatic syncs are blocked.
If managers can’t input variables anymore, it is because the cycle is locked (In Preparation). Confirm whether the cycle was locked earlier than expected.
How do statuses change?
Each status change is triggered by a clear action:
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Open → In preparation
Triggered by clicking the Lock button.
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-
In preparation → Calculation
Triggered by exporting payroll data, syncing with payroll software, or sending data to a bookkeeper (depending on your configuration).
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-
Calculation → In review
Triggered by importing payroll results.
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In review → Completed
Triggered by clicking the Completed button.
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What happens when a cycle is locked?
Locking a cycle is a critical and irreversible action.
Once locked:
- Managers cannot edit compensation data
- Data syncing from other modules is disabled
- The payroll data is frozen to ensure accuracy during calculation
You should lock the cycle once all payroll variables have been submitted and validated, and before sending data externally.
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
Reminder: Completing a cycle is a final action and cannot be undone.
Tips and best practices
- Only lock the cycle once all variable inputs have been validated
- Inform managers before locking the cycle to avoid unexpected blocked edits
- Double-check exported data before sending it to your bookkeeper
- Use In Review status to perform internal checks before completing the cycle
- Define clear internal deadlines if you plan to complete the cycle before month-end
FAQ
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Can I move a cycle back to a previous status?
No. Payroll cycles follow a linear process. Once locked or completed, the action cannot be reversed.
-
Can I complete payroll before the last day of the month?
Yes. You can complete a cycle on a defined date that aligns with your company’s payroll schedule.