This article explains how to request On-Demand Payroll (ODP) for employees on Deel. The in-app flow and approval timeline differ depending on employee type.

In This Article

1. Overview
2. Before you begin
3. Workflow
4. Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

For an overview of the On-Demand Payroll feature, review Guide to on-demand payroll payments for employees.

Use this article to pay one employee outside the regular payroll cycle. This single-employee On-Demand Payroll (off-cycle) request covers one-off payments such as a bonus, an allowance, a reimbursement, a salary correction, or backpay after a retroactive salary increase. The amount to pay is added as an item and approved first (see Step 3).

You do not need a bulk request for one employee. Use a bulk On-Demand Payroll request only to pay several employees at once. It is described in the Guide to on-demand payroll payments for employees.

Before you begin

Workflow

For Deel Employees, use the On-Demand Payroll flow below.

Step 1 - Select the employee

Step 2 - Create the On-Demand Payroll request

If Create On-Demand Payroll is not available, the employee-profile Add item menu may show only expense options.

If the menu still contains only expense options, such as Individual items and Expense group, do not continue with those options.

Verify that you selected the intended employee and that the employee’s worker type, legal entity, payroll setup, and contract status support On-Demand Payroll. Then ask your Deel administrator or payroll administrator to confirm that On-Demand Payroll is enabled for the entity and that your role has the required payroll permissions.

Step 3 - Add the payment item

In the On-Demand Payroll form, create an On-Demand Payroll request for existing approved items or for a salary advance.

• If this is a new item, submit it first through the applicable payroll expense workflow using Add item.
• Once the item has been submitted and approved, it appears under Existing items.
• For an existing item, select the item to include.
• For a salary advance, enter the desired amount.

Step 4 - Wait for Deel to review the request

Deel processes the request and initiates the employee’s payment within the next business day in the employee’s country.

Once Deel processes the request and sends the payment, you receive a separate invoice for the fee.

For Deel Payroll direct employees, On-Demand Payroll is referred to as Off-Cycle payments in the Deel app.

Step 5 - Create the off-cycle payroll

1. In the left sidebar, expand Payroll and select Deel Payroll.
2. Select Create off-cycle.

Step 6 - Choose the entity and group

Select:

• Country
• Legal entity
• Payroll group, if multiple groups are available

You will also define:

• Reason for the off-cycle, such as a bonus, correction, or termination
• Reference period, if applicable

Step 7 - Select the employees

Choose the employees to include in the off-cycle run.

You can filter employees by:

• Contract status
• Cost center
• Employment type
• Location

Step 8 - Select the pay date

Choose when employees should receive payment:

• Set a custom pay date (optional): Choose a specific date for payments to be sent. Employees receive payment on the selected date.
• Skip setting a date: Payments are sent immediately once funds are available.
  • For Pay through Deel entities, payment takes 1–3 days after funding.
  • For Pay by yourself entities, you receive a payment list to execute payments manually.

Where available, choose when payslips become available to employees. Deel issues separate payslips for off-cycle or On-Demand payments.

• 1 day after the pay date (default)
• A custom date

Step 9 - Choose the G2N item preferences

Choose whether to include employee recurring items, such as benefits and allowances, in the off-cycle.

Step 10 - Review and submit the off-cycle payroll

Follow the on-screen prompts to review and confirm the off-cycle payroll report for the selected employees, then submit it.

After submission:

1. Deel reviews the payroll within one business day and shares it for your approval when complete.
2. You have one business day to approve payroll. If it is not approved within this timeframe, it is marked as late on the platform.
3. For entities where Deel handles employee payments, payment arrives at least one to three business days after you fund the off-cycle. Employees are paid on the selected pay date.
4. For entities that pay employees directly, Deel provides a payment list as in regular cycles.

Step 11 - Determine whether a special incentive payment requires an off-cycle

Use this decision guide for phantom equity, RSU cash-outs, and one-off special incentive payments:

• Is this a phantom equity, RSU cash-out, or special incentive payment?
  • Yes → Is it tied to a specific tax event, vesting date, or legal deadline?
    • Yes → Process as off-cycle (ODP) and submit the request immediately.
    • No → Include it in the next monthly EUT. No off-cycle is needed.
  • No → Standard payroll. Include it in the next EUT.

Why this matters: Off-cycle payments are processed independently and incur additional administrative fees. A Cost Recovery Fee (CRF) is issued. Tax-event-driven payments cannot wait for the next monthly cycle.

Step 12 - Check the timing of the off-cycle request

If your regular payroll cycle is still open or in the approval stage when you submit an off-cycle request, both cycles may be merged during processing. To avoid this:

• Check with your Deel payroll specialist on the status of the current cycle before submitting.
• If the regular cycle is still in the approval stage, you may be able to incorporate the off-cycle items into the main run instead. Contact your CSM to confirm.
• If the regular cycle has already closed, proceed with a standalone off-cycle request.

Frequently Asked Questions