You can bring payroll data into Puzzle either through a payroll integration (e.g. Gusto) or manually if your provider is not supported.
This article outlines how Puzzle’s payroll integrations work, how payroll transactions are mapped in Puzzle, and how to edit or manually adjust payroll entries if needed.
How payroll works in Puzzle with a payroll integration
If you connect one of our supported payroll integrations, Puzzle automatically pulls in your payroll data and records journal entries for each payroll run by mapping the source data to GL accounts. When your payroll provider processes a payroll run, Puzzle automatically imports all related payroll runs and assigns them to the correct payroll accounts. This includes salaries, taxes, and benefits, which are broken down into specific categories to ensure accurate financial reporting and reconciliation.
The payroll integration data also gives you access to person-level reporting in your financial statements and the People tab, which allows you to:
Track the cost per employee, per department, per location, including associated salaries, taxes, and benefits
Gain visibility into the total compensation and people-related expenses to make informed financial decisions.
How to review payroll integration data in Puzzle
1. Verify the payroll data from your provider
Puzzle automatically imports payroll details when your payroll provider runs payroll, including:
Employee salaries and wages
Payroll taxes (employee and employer portions)
Employee and employer-paid benefits
Payroll clearing transactions (used for matching payroll to bank transactions)
You can review this payroll data in the Payroll tab in Puzzle.
2. Match payroll transactions with bank withdrawals
Open Puzzle and go to the Transactions tab.
Set the date range to include the pay period, plus an additional 5 days before the start date (to account for weekends or delayed withdrawals).
Search for payroll provider to locate payroll-related bank withdrawals. These are usually split into separate transactions, such as:
Employee wages
Tax payments
Benefit deductions
Categorize the amounts as 13511 - Salaries & Benefits: Clearing
Puzzle automatically categorizes these transactions into the appropriate payroll-related GL accounts.
How payroll data is mapped in the general ledger
When payroll is imported from a payroll provider, Puzzle maps it to the following accounts:
60100 - Salaries – This account is debited to record employee wages.
60200 - Bonuses - This account is debited to record employee bonuses
60300 - Commissions - This account is debited to record employee commissions.
60400 - Benefits – This account is debited for employer-paid contributions to employee benefits.
60500 - Payroll Taxes – This account is debited to track payroll taxes withheld from employees paid by the employer.
60600 - Retirement - Employer Contributions - This account is debited for employer paid contributions to employee retirement accounts.
60700 - Payroll & Benefits Processing Fees - This account is debited for fees paid by the employer to enable payroll processing.
64100 - Independent Contractors - This account is debited to record amounts earned by independent contractors.
13511 - Salaries and Benefits Clearing – This account is used temporarily to reconcile payroll payments with bank transactions.
How to edit an integrated payroll run in Puzzle
There are two ways to adjust payroll data from an integrated provider:
Editing the payroll entry directly in Puzzle
Deleting the payroll entry and manually correcting it with journal entries
Method 1: Edit the existing payroll run
Go to the Payroll page
Open the Payroll tab in Puzzle.
Locate the list of payroll runs imported from your payroll provider.
Find the Payroll run
Search for the payroll run you need to edit using filters or pay period dates.
Edit the Payroll run
Click Edit Payroll and update the necessary fields, such as:
Salary Total
Net Pay
Taxes
Benefits (for both employee and employer portions)
Save your changes.
Verify Changes in the general ledger
The updated payroll journal entry will be reflected in the General Ledger tab.
The modified payroll entry will also be visible in the Payroll page, showing how it has been adjusted.
Check the Transactions tab to confirm that bank transactions still match the updated payroll amounts.
Method 2: Delete and create manual journal entries
Delete the Payroll run
Go to the Payroll tab and locate the payroll run you need to remove.
Select the payroll run and click Delete this payroll.
Find the Bank Transaction
Navigate to the Transactions tab in Puzzle.
Search for your payroll provider to locate the payroll-related bank transactions.
Categorize the Bank Transaction
Assign the category 13511 - Salaries and Benefits Clearing to ensure payroll is properly reconciled.
Create Manual Journal Entries
Go to the General Ledger or Journal Entries section in Puzzle.
Create a new manual journal entry for the payroll:
Debit 60100 - Salaries – to record employee wages.
Debit 60500 - Payroll Tax Liability – to account for employer-paid payroll taxes.
Debit 64100 - Independent Contractors - to account for contractor payroll items
Debit 60400 - Employee Benefits Liability – to account for employer-paid benefits.
Debit 60600 - Retirement - Employer Contributions - to account for employer paid contributions to retirement.
Credit 13511 Salaries and Benefits Clearing – to reflect the payroll payment leaving your account.
Save the journal entry.
Verify Reconciliation
Ensure that the journal entry balances and matches the bank transaction.
Confirm that there are no duplicate entries in the General Ledger.
Where to find payroll journal entries in Puzzle
If payroll is imported from a payroll provider the journal entries will be visible in the Payroll Page and the General Ledger tab.
If you edit a payroll run, the updated journal entry will appear in the same locations.
If you delete a payroll run and manually enter payroll data, the journal entry will only be visible in the General Ledger and Manual Journal Entries, while the related bank transactions will be found in the Transactions tab and General ledger tab.
How to Create a Manual Payroll Entry in Puzzle
If you’re using a payroll provider other than Gusto or Rippling, you’ll need to perform some manual steps to ensure your payroll data is accurately recorded in Puzzle. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Get your payroll reports
Log in to your payroll provider’s portal.
Locate the detailed payroll reports for the pay period in question (it’s easier to match cash payments and payroll entries if you work one pay period at a time).
2. Create a payroll entry in Puzzle
Go to the Payroll tab in Puzzle and select Create a Payroll Manually.
Enter the following details:
Provider: Name of your payroll provider.
Posting Date: Date the wages were paid (date posted to financial statements).
Withdrawal Date: Matches the bank transaction dates identified in Step 4.
Pay Period: Period for which wages were earned.
3. Input employee, employer, and contractor details
Contractor Section:
Total Wage
Employee Section:
Salary Total
Net Pay
Taxes Paid by Employees (from the payroll report).
If applicable, include Employee-Paid Benefits for the pay period.
Employer Section:
Taxes Paid by the Employer
Any Employer-Paid Benefits (e.g., health insurance or retirement contributions).
4. Match cash withdrawal from bank feed
Open Puzzle and go to the Transactions tab.
Set the date range to include the pay period, plus an additional 5 days before the start date (to account for weekends or delayed withdrawals).
Search for your payroll provider’s name (e.g., "Justworks") to locate the cash withdrawal amounts.
Categorize the amount as 13511 - Salaries & Benefits: Clearing if you do not have an integrated payroll provider.
5. Reconcile with transactions
Check that the payroll entry ties out to the cash withdrawal amounts from Step 2.
For the cash side of the entry, assign the category Salaries to avoid duplicating the Salaries Expense in your general ledger.
Where to find the journal entries for a manual payroll entry
Once the manual payroll entry is created, the consolidated payroll journal entry is automatically generated in the General Ledger tab and can be found by filtering for 13511- Salaries & Benefits: Clearing.
The associated bank transaction categorized as 13511- Salaries & Benefits: Clearing will appear in the Transactions tab.
You can also view it in the Payroll Page, where you can view each payroll run has its corresponding breakdown.
If reconciliation is required, check the Transactions tab to verify that the payroll amounts match your bank withdrawals.
How to edit a manual payroll run in Puzzle
There are two ways to edit a manual payroll run in Puzzle: edit the existing payroll run or delete it and create manual journal entries. Follow the steps below for each method.
Method 1: Edit the existing payroll run
Navigate to Posted Payrolls
Go to the Payroll tab in Puzzle.
Locate the list of posted payrolls.
Find the Payroll Run
Search for the specific payroll run you need to edit by using the filters or pay period dates.
Edit the Payroll Run
Once you’ve found the payroll run, click Edit Payroll.
Adjust the amounts as needed:
Update Salary Total, Net Pay, Taxes, Benefits, etc. (for both employee and employer portions).
Save your changes.
Verify Changes
Review the updated payroll run to ensure the adjustments are correct.
Check that it still ties out with the cash transactions in the Transactions tab.
Where to find the journal entries for an edited payroll run
The updated payroll journal entry will be recorded in the General Ledger tab by filtering for 13511 - Salaries & Benefits: Clearing, reflecting the changes made.
The associated bank transaction categorized as 13511 - Salaries & Benefits: Clearing will appear in the Transactions tab.
Method 2: Delete and create manual journal entries
Delete the Payroll Run
Go to the Payroll tab and locate the payroll run you need to modify.
Select the payroll run and click Delete Payroll.
Find the Bank Transaction
Navigate to the Transactions tab in Puzzle.
Locate the bank transaction associated with the payroll by searching for your payroll provider’s name or filtering by the pay period.
Categorize the Bank Transaction
Assign the category 13511 - Salaries and Benefits Clearing to the bank transaction.
Create Manual Journal Entries
Go to the General Ledger or Journal Entries section in Puzzle.
Create a new manual journal entry for the payroll:
Debits:
Salaries and Wages
Payroll Taxes (Employer and Employee portions)
Benefits (Employer and Employee portions, if applicable)
Credit:
13511 - Salaries and Benefits Clearing (match this to the bank transaction amount).
Save the manual journal entry.
Verify Reconciliation
Ensure that the journal entry balances and ties out with the bank transaction.
Confirm that there are no duplicate entries in the General Ledger.
Where to find the journal entries for a deleted payroll run
Once the payroll run is deleted, any manual journal entries created will be visible in the General Ledger tab in the corresponding accounts you’ve created.
The associated bank transaction categorized as Salaries will appear in the Transactions tab.
Users can verify that the manual journal entry correctly offsets the payroll expense by comparing it with the bank feed records.