Understanding your payroll timeline helps you avoid missed deadlines and get employees paid on time, every time. This article explains approval windows, processing speeds, payroll statuses, and what to do if you need to make changes after submitting.
Approval Windows
Every payroll has an approval deadline — the cutoff time by which you must click Approve before Playground can begin processing. Missing this deadline doesn't mean you can't pay your employees, but it does limit your options.
Approval deadlines by processing speed:
Processing Speed | Approval Deadline | When Employees Are Paid |
4-day (default for new accounts) | 8:00 PM Eastern, 4 business days before payday | Payday |
3-day | 3:00 PM Eastern, 3 business days before payday | Payday |
2-day | 8:00 PM Eastern, 2 business days before payday | Payday |
Next-day | 1 business day before payday | Payday |
💡 The approval deadline is when you must click Approve — it's not a cutoff for recording hours. You can enter and edit hours right up until the deadline.
The Reopen Window
After you approve a payroll, you have a short window to reopen it and make changes.
You can reopen any approved payroll up until 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day.
To reopen: click the three dots (. . .) on the payroll and select Re-open Payroll.
🚨 After 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day, the payroll is in processing and cannot be reopened or changed. At that point, if you need to correct something, you'll need to run an off-cycle payroll after the regular payroll completes.
Processing Speeds
All new Playground accounts start on 4-day processing. You may be eligible for faster processing after meeting certain milestones.
Upgrade to 2-day processing: Available after completing 10 consecutive successful regular payrolls and 90+ days on the platform. Contact your account manager or reach out to support to request the upgrade.
Next-day approval: An add-on at $3/employee/month that shortens the approval deadline to 1 business day before payday.
💡 Next-day approval changes when you need to approve — it does not change when employees receive their funds. Direct deposit timelines are still determined by the underlying processing speed (4-day, 2-day, etc.).
What happens after a failed payroll:
1 failed payroll → processing speed is downgraded; you can recover to 2-day after 10 more consecutive successful payrolls
2 or more failed payrolls → permanently on slower processing; contact support to discuss options
6 failed payrolls → payroll account permanently terminated
Payroll Statuses
Here's what each status means and what action (if any) you need to take:
Status | What It Means | What to Do |
Draft | Created but not yet approved; must be approved before the deadline | Approve before the cutoff |
Pending | Approved; can still be reopened before 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day | Monitor; reopen if changes needed |
Processing | Past the reopen window; on track for payday | Nothing needed |
Paid | All employee payments were successfully sent | Nothing needed |
Failed | The debit from your bank account failed | Resolve immediately — see Resolve a Failed Payroll |
Partially Paid | Some employee payments succeeded; one or more failed | Resolve the failed payments — see Resolve a Failed Payroll |
If You Miss the Approval Deadline
Missing the deadline doesn't mean employees won't get paid — you have two options:
Option 1 — Update the payday
Open the late payroll, proceed to the Confirm & Submit screen, and click the pencil icon next to the payday. Pick a new date that allows enough processing time. Employees will receive direct deposit on the updated payday.
Option 2 — Pay employees manually this cycle
On the Review Employee Pay step, click the checkbox next to each employee and select Change Payment Method → Manual. The net pay column on Confirm & Submit shows the exact amount to pay each person by check, cash, or Zelle. Playground will still calculate and handle all taxes.
💡 Paying manually doesn't close your tax obligations — you must still complete and submit the payroll so Playground can process taxes correctly.
FAQ
Why can't I edit the payday on this payroll?
Why can't I edit the payday on this payroll?
The reopen window closes at 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day. If it's past that time, the payroll is in processing and the payday is locked. Your options are: wait for this payroll to complete and issue an off-cycle for any corrections, or pay employees manually this cycle using the Change Payment Method → Manual option on the Review Employee Pay step.
Does the approval deadline change if payday falls on a holiday or weekend?
Does the approval deadline change if payday falls on a holiday or weekend?
Yes — when payday falls on a bank holiday or weekend, Playground automatically adjusts the payday to the next business day. Your approval deadline shifts accordingly. You can view the exact deadline for each payroll on the payroll dashboard before approving.
Why is my approval deadline different from what I expected?
Why is my approval deadline different from what I expected?
Your approval deadline is determined by your processing speed (4-day, 2-day, or next-day). New accounts default to 4-day processing. If you recently had a failed payroll, your processing speed may have been downgraded, which would push the deadline earlier. Contact support if you'd like to confirm your current processing speed.
Can I approve payroll early?
Can I approve payroll early?
Yes — you can approve any payroll as soon as it's ready, even days before the deadline. There's no downside to approving early. You can still reopen and make changes after early approval, as long as you're before 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day.
What's the difference between "Next-Day Approval" and getting employees paid the next day?
What's the difference between "Next-Day Approval" and getting employees paid the next day?
Next-day approval is an add-on that shortens the approval deadline — it means you can approve payroll 1 business day before payday instead of 4. It does not change when employees actually receive their funds. The direct deposit processing time depends on your underlying processing speed. If employees need same-day or faster payment, that's not currently supported — contact support to discuss your options.
I approved payroll and realized there's an error. Can I fix it?
I approved payroll and realized there's an error. Can I fix it?
If it's before 11:00 AM Eastern on the approval deadline day: click the three dots (. . .) on the payroll → Re-open Payroll → make your changes → re-approve. If it's after 11:00 AM Eastern or the payroll is in Processing status: you cannot change this payroll. Wait for it to complete, then run an off-cycle payroll to issue a correction or catch-up payment. For errors affecting taxes (e.g., wrong employee classification), contact support at [email protected].
Next Steps
Once your payroll is approved and processing, learn how to run an off-cycle payroll for bonuses, corrections, or catch-up payments outside your regular schedule.