Payroll
Why Payroll Still Takes 5 to 7 Days and How to Cut It to Two
Most B2B payroll cycles run 5 to 7 days not because payroll calculation is complex, but because manual timesheet cleanup consumes the majority of the window before payroll software touches a single number. The binding constraint is upstream: collecting timesheets, chasing missing punches, resolving exceptions, and waiting on manager approvals. Compress that cleanup window with automated time capture and enforced approval workflows, and a 5 to 7 day cycle becomes 1 to 2 days. Leave the upstream process intact, and no payroll tool closes the gap.
What You Need to Know
Cleanup, not calculation, drives cycle length
Payroll calculation and approval typically take hours. The days are consumed by timesheet collection, exception resolution, and manager sign-off before the payroll engine runs.
Direct-deposit cutoffs are fixed walls
Whether you qualify for a 2-day or 4-day ACH settlement window depends on when your data is clean, not on your payroll vendor's features.