A Payrun Period is the recurring billing period (typically a month) a payroll calculates. Its lifecycle: an open period accepts case changes and recalculates results automatically after each one - there is no separate payroll run. Payouts can be created any time while the period is open. Closing the period requires Payroll Control to be clear and WageType-Accounting-Allocation to be complete; once closed, Outputs (payslips, posting documents) are generated, followed later by finalisation (Swissdec submission).
FAQ
Can I close a period with open payouts or controlling cases?
No - see Payroll Control and WageType-Accounting-Allocation for the two preconditions that must be clear first.
Can a closed period be reopened?
No - that's not possible.
What happens right after closing?
Outputs (payslips, posting document) are generated; Swissdec finalisation follows separately and can take longer.
Which period do I always see by default?
The currently open one - there's always exactly one open period per payroll.
Can I look at closed periods? What do I see there?
Yes, via the payrun periods list - for a closed period you see its entries/results plus its generated documents (payslips, posting document, etc.) through the period's Documents view.
What does closing a period actually require?
Payroll Control clear, and WageType-Accounting-Allocation complete for every wage type used. If any employee still has an open (unpaid) amount, you additionally have to explicitly confirm carrying it over to the next period.
What happens to open payouts that weren't paid out before close?
They carry over to the next period - but only once you've explicitly confirmed that when closing; it's not silent.
What if I have a retroactive change on an employee - does the system recalculate automatically?
Yes - see Results for how retroactive recalculation works.
How far back can retroactive calculation reach?
Back to the payroll's configured accounting start date - no case change or event can be dated earlier than that, so that's the effective floor for retroactive calculation.
Can payments be triggered for employees who already left before the payroll's accounting start date?
No, in effect - the accounting start date is the floor for any dated event or period, so a payment tied to a departure before it isn't possible.
Where are documents kept after a period closes?
In that period's own Documents view/endpoint - see Outputs.
Can a closed year be reopened?
No - same as any closed period, year-end included.
API Endpoints
| What | Call |
|---|---|
| List closed payrun periods | GET /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/payrunperiods |
| Get the currently open payrun period | GET /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/payrunperiods (filtered by status) |
| Get a specific payrun period | GET /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/payrunperiods/{payrunPeriodId} |
| Close a payrun period | POST .../payrunperiods/{payrunPeriodId}/close |