This article guides Global Payroll clients through the essential steps for completing entity onboarding and activating payroll for their direct employees. Clients will also learn how to use Deel's Payroll Activation Self-Serve feature, which streamlines the onboarding process. This tool allows clients to activate payroll either during the initial setup or later via the entity details page, giving greater flexibility and control over their payroll activation.

For clients to start paying their employees, they need to complete the following steps:

1. Add a Global Payroll entity
2. Activate their Global Payroll entity
3. Complete the payroll implementation

In this article:

Adding a Global Payroll Entity

Activating Global Payroll

Completing Payroll Implementation Tracker

Adding a Global Payroll Entity

✅ Step 1 - Go to Organization Settings

Select the Organization Settings icon from the home page and click View on the Entities card.

✅ Step 2 – Create Entity

Click Create Entity and fill out the required entity details such as legal name, address, and digital presence.

Once the entity has been configured clients can add groups and group members.

Activating Global Payroll 

✅ Step 1 – Activate Payroll

Within the Entity Details tab, click Activate Payroll on the purple banner.

Payroll Group Name

1. Select Group
   Refer to the About Groups on Deel Help Center article for guidance.
2. Enter Payroll Group Name
   Payroll Groups enable clients to organize employees by specific characteristics that affect their payment processes.

• Clients can set up Groups directly in this flow.
• Or follow the instructions in the Adding New Global Payroll Entities and Groups Help Center article. 

Scheduling Details

1. Select payment frequency.
2. Choose the employee pay date
   Options available: Last day of the cycle, before cycle end, or after cycle end.
3. Specify funding days.
4. Enter client approval days.
5. First Payroll Cycle.

Note

The first available payroll cycle cannot be the immediate next month. For example, if activated in November, the first payroll cycle will begin in January.

Payroll Calendar Details

1. A payroll calendar will be automatically generated for clients.
2. Review the calendar for accuracy.
   Note: If changes are needed, contact the Onboarding Manager for support.
    

Review and Activate Payroll

Once all information has been entered, review the summary and proceed to activate payroll.

Completing Payroll Implementation Tracker

After adding the entity, the Implementation Tracker on the homepage will display all entities with pending tasks. Click Continue next to the desired entity to complete those steps. The tracker can also be accessed via the entity’s Global Payroll tab.

Note

Depending on the organization or entity, the steps may vary.

✅ Step 1 - Upload Registration Documents

Select Upload Registration Documents and click on Start.

Clients will be forwarded to the Registration Documents page.

The document tracker will show the required documents and their status (e.g., incomplete, complete, under review, rejected).

✅ Step 2 - Add Your People

Select Add Your People and click on Start.

Clients will be forwarded to the Import People page. Here, they can select their preferred contract creation method (mass import or manual entry).

After creating the contracts, clients will return to the homepage, where they will see the Payroll Implementation widget.

✅ Step 3 - Run Parallel Payroll (only after the PIM has created the cycle)

Select Run Parallel Payroll and click on Start.

Clients will be forwarded to the Parallel Run Cycle page (Payroll > Global Payroll).

Ensure to sync with the Payroll Implementation Manager (PIM) to complete all steps for the parallel run.

✅ Step 4 - Run the First Payroll Cycle

Only after all previous tasks are completed can clients begin their first payroll cycle.

The tracker will display payroll group details and payroll cycle dates.

Click on Start to be forwarded to the Payroll > Global Payroll page and start managing the first payroll cycle.

If there are any pending tasks, clients must return to the tracker and complete them before proceeding.