Toast Payroll: Missed Employee or Missed Pay on Payroll

If an employee or hours were missed on a payroll that has already been submitted, Toast Payroll has three ways to pay the missed wages: a Quick Calc, an off-cycle payroll, or an addition to a future payroll.

In this Article:

Before You Begin
Quick Fix: Choose How to Pay the Missed Employee
Is This the Right Article for My Problem?
Missed Employee or Missed Pay Overview
Option 1: Run a Quick Calc and Manually Pay the Employee
Option 2: Run an Off-Cycle Payroll
Option 3: Add the Missed Pay to a Future Payroll
Special Cases: Forgot Tips, Commission, or a Pay Rate Change
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Contact Customer Care
Related Articles

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast Payroll

Permissions needed:

HR+ user — required to run a Quick Calc, request an off-cycle payroll, and add earnings to a future payroll
Payroll Admin — can also perform all the above

What you'll accomplish: The employee will be paid for the wages, hours, or tips that were missed on a previously submitted payroll, with the correct earnings, deductions, and taxes recorded in Toast Payroll for accurate W-2 reporting.

Important: Once a payroll has been submitted, Toast Payroll cannot add earnings, hours, or tips to it. Use one of the three options in this article to pay the missed wages instead.

Quick Fix: Choose How to Pay the Missed Employee

Use this table to choose the option that fits your situation. The article walks through each option in detail below.

Symptom	Most Common Cause	Quick Fix	Self-Service?
One employee needs to be paid right now (today or tomorrow)	An employee was left off a submitted payroll and cannot wait until the next check date	Option 1: Quick Calc. Pay the employee outside Toast Payroll (cash, check, or payment app), then record it with a Quick Calc on the next payroll.	Yes
Multiple employees were missed, or a large adjustment is needed	A bigger correction to a submitted payroll, terminated employee, severance, or bonus	Option 2: Off-cycle payroll. Submit the off-cycle request form to Customer Care; expect 4 business days from submission to check date.	Partial — form processing requires Customer Care
Missed pay can wait until the next scheduled payroll	No urgency, fewest transactions preferred	Option 3: Add to a future payroll. Add the missed earnings to the next regular payroll run, optionally with a Payroll To-Do as a reminder.	Yes
The whole payroll did not run (not just one employee)	Missed the submission deadline; payroll disappeared from the Pay Cycle Dashboard	This is a different issue. See Toast Payroll: Missing Payroll.	Partial — Customer Care must restore the payroll
An employee's direct deposit failed or was returned	Invalid bank account information on file with the employee	Contact Customer Care via the blue chat dot in the lower-right corner of any Toast Payroll page.	No

Is This the Right Article for My Problem?

These two issues sound similar but need different fixes. Confirm which one matches your situation before continuing.

Use this article when: A payroll did run and was submitted, but an employee was left off it, hours or tips were missed for one or more employees, or a pay rate or commission did not get added before you submitted.
Use Toast Payroll: Missing Payroll when: The whole payroll is no longer visible on your Pay Cycle Dashboard, you missed the submission deadline and the payroll disappeared, or you need Toast Payroll to restore a payroll with a new check date.

Missed Employee or Missed Pay Overview

Every so often, an employee or some earnings or tips are mistakenly left off a payroll run. Toast Payroll cannot add earnings or tips to a payroll that has already been submitted, but there are three options to pay your employee:

Option 1: Quick Calc — pay the employee right away outside Toast Payroll, then record the payment so it appears on tax records.
Option 2: Off-cycle payroll — run a separate payroll outside your normal cycle, processed in 4 business days.
Option 3: Future payroll — add the missed pay to the next scheduled payroll.

The right choice depends on how urgently the employee needs to be paid, how many employees are affected, and whether you want to reduce the number of separate paystubs the employee receives.

Option 1: Run a Quick Calc and Manually Pay the Employee

Best for: A single employee who needs to be paid right now and cannot wait until the next regular payroll.

Timeline: Pay your employee as soon as you are ready (cash, manual check, or payment app). Record the earnings with a Quick Calc on the next payroll within the same quarter so taxes and W-2 records stay accurate.

Also asked as: "How to issue a manual check for missed hours," "I need to write a check for someone whose hours were missed last week," "I missed an employee on payroll yesterday and I need to pay her — can I run just her today?"

What this means: A Quick Calc does not generate funds for the employee — you pay them outside Toast Payroll. The Quick Calc records the wages, deductions, and taxes for tax purposes, then attaches to a future payroll so the totals are reflected on Form W-2 and the Payroll Summary report.

Steps:

In Toast Payroll, navigate to the employee's profile.
Select Quick Calc from the left side of the page.
Select Start.
Select the Actions star on the right side of the screen.
- You may already see earnings or deductions in this table. These appear automatically when an individual has a recurring earning or deduction code that applies every pay period (for example, a salaried user will see their pay period's gross salary amount).
Select Add Earning, then select Submit.
Add the missed pay using these fields:
- Check Type: Leave as Manual Check.
- Earning Type: Select an earning code.
- Hours: Enter the number of hours for hourly earnings.
- Amount: Enter a dollar amount for salary or flat-rate earnings.
  - Note: Enter either Hours or Amount, but not both. Which one you use depends on the Earning Type you selected.
- Week: For biweekly payrolls, enter which week the earning applies to.
Select Add Earning to finalize. Selecting Save and Add lets you add multiple entries at once.
Once all necessary earnings or deductions have been added, select the Actions star again and choose Calculate Gross to Net, then Submit.
Pay your employee the Net Pay amount shown. This number reflects the deductions and taxes Toast Payroll will apply to this employee.
Scroll down and choose the payroll to apply this Quick Calc to.
If applicable, enter a check number.
Select Submit.

Expected outcome: The Quick Calc is recorded in Toast Payroll and attached to the chosen payroll. When that payroll posts, the wages, deductions, and taxes appear on the employee's paystub and on the Payroll Summary report under Manual Check in the Net Pay section.

For the full Quick Calc reference (calculate gross to net, attach to payroll, delete Quick Calcs, find Quick Calcs on payroll reports, tip pooling guidance), see Toast Payroll: Issue Manual Checks (Quick Calcs).

Option 2: Run an Off-Cycle Payroll

Best for: Multiple employees were missed, or a large correction is needed.

Timeline: 4 business days from form submission to check date. Submit the off-cycle request before 4:00 p.m. ET on the cutoff day to keep the 4-business-day window.

Also asked as: "I need to run an off-cycle payroll," "Can I run an extra payroll for someone I missed?," "I need to run an offcycle payroll for missed hours."

What this means: An off-cycle payroll is a separate payroll calendar outside your regular pay cycle. Toast Payroll sets it up after you submit the off-cycle request form to Customer Care. After that, you run it like a normal payroll.

Steps:

Download and fill out the off-cycle request form.
In Toast Payroll, select the blue chat dot in the lower-right corner of any page to open the Toast Support module, then select Send us a message.
Select the paperclip in the lower-left corner of the chat to upload the completed form. The Customer Care agent will confirm when your off-cycle payroll is ready.
Once it has been processed and created, log in to Toast Payroll and select Payroll.
Locate the off-cycle payroll on your Pay Cycle Dashboard and select Preview for it specifically. Confirm you are running the correct payroll by noting its name.
Progress to the Employee Earnings step.
If you need to, add employees by selecting + Add > Add Employee. Only employees from this pay group will appear in the list.
Select + Add Earning to enter earnings for each applicable employee. All information must be entered manually.
- You may want to open the Advanced Options drop-down menu to edit fields such as Earning Rate.
Submit the payroll when you are ready.

Expected outcome: The off-cycle payroll posts and funds are delivered on the check date if you followed standard payroll protocol (submitted before 4:00 p.m. ET, four business days before the check date). The earnings appear on a separate paystub from the regular payroll.

Note: Off-cycle payrolls require a 4-business-day processing window. If the employee needs payment sooner, use Option 1 (Quick Calc) and pay them outside Toast Payroll, then record the payment on the next payroll.

For the full off-cycle reference (off-cycle policy, cancel an off-cycle, off-cycle for bonuses), see Toast Payroll: Set Up and Configure Off-Cycle Payrolls.

Option 3: Add the Missed Pay to a Future Payroll

Best for: No urgency, and you want the fewest separate paystubs for the employee.

Timeline: The next scheduled payroll run.

Also asked as: "How do I add 8 hours of work to this payroll that was missed from last payroll period?," "Can I add missed hours to an employee on payroll?"

What this means: Missed earnings are added directly to the next regular payroll's Employee Earnings step. The employee receives the missed pay on the same paystub as their regular earnings for that pay period.

Steps (in the present — set a reminder):

On the Toast Payroll dashboard, select + > Add Payroll To-Do.
Fill out the following:
- FEIN: Choose the FEIN the employee was missed under.
- Related To: Select an employee.
- Payperiod: Choose the payroll the Payroll To-Do should be added to.
- You can skip the Position field, but Toast Payroll recommends adding a Title or Message with more context.
Fill out the rest of the fields:
- Earning Type: Select the applicable earning code.
- Hours: If the earning is based on the employee's hourly wage, enter the amount of hours.
- Amount: If the earning is a flat amount, enter that amount.
Select Submit to finalize.

Note: If you do not need a reminder, you can skip the Payroll To-Do and go straight to the steps below when the next payroll is open.

Steps (in the future — add the earnings to the open payroll):

Open the payroll run for the next pay period.
On the Preview Payroll step, you will see your Payroll To-Do (if you created one).
On the Employee Earnings step, locate the employee and select + Add Earning.
Select the correct Earning Code, then add either Amount or Hours, depending on which earning you chose.

Expected outcome: The missed earnings appear on the next regular paystub alongside the employee's regular earnings for that pay period.

For more detail on Payroll To-Dos and Adding Earnings, see Toast Payroll: Get Started With Payroll To Dos and Toast Payroll: Add or Edit Earnings & Deductions.

Special Cases: Forgot Tips, Commission, or a Pay Rate Change

If you submitted payroll without including tips, a commission, a one-time bonus, or a pay rate change you intended to apply, the same three options apply — choose based on urgency:

For tips that were missed on a submitted payroll: Use Option 1 (Quick Calc) with a Tips Owed or Tips Paid earning code if the employee needs the tips right away. Otherwise, use Option 3 to add the tips to the next regular payroll.
For a commission, bonus, or one-time earning that was forgotten: Use Option 1 if it must be paid right away, Option 2 if multiple employees are affected, or Option 3 to add it to the next regular payroll under the appropriate earning code.
For a pay rate change that was forgotten: Apply the new pay rate to the employee's profile so it takes effect on the next regular payroll. To make up the difference between the old and new rate for the missed pay period, use Option 1 (Quick Calc) with the difference recorded as a one-time earning, or Option 3 to add the difference on the next regular payroll.

Note: A submitted payroll cannot be recalled or edited after it has been submitted. Customer Care cannot reverse a submitted payroll except in narrow cases (for example, an off-cycle that was created in error and has not yet hit the bank). If you need to ask whether a recall is possible for your case, contact Customer Care via the blue chat dot in the lower-right corner of any Toast Payroll page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the employee see this as a separate payment or combined with regular payroll?

The employee will see this as a separate payment if you used Option 1 (Quick Calc) or Option 2 (off-cycle), because each generates its own paystub. The employee will see the missed pay combined with their regular earnings on the same paystub if you used Option 3 (add to a future payroll).

Can I use Quick Calcs for multiple employees?

You can use Quick Calcs for multiple employees, but if you have several employees who missed pay, it is usually easier to create and run an off-cycle payroll instead. A Quick Calc is processed one employee at a time, while an off-cycle payroll lets you add many employees in a single run.

What if the payroll has already been submitted to the bank?

If the payroll has already been submitted, you cannot modify it. Use Option 1 (Quick Calc), Option 2 (off-cycle payroll), or Option 3 (add to a future payroll) to pay any missed wages. A submitted payroll cannot be recalled or edited.

How long does Quick Calc take to reach the employee?

The timing depends on how and when you pay the employee — a Quick Calc itself does not move money. A Quick Calc is a record of a payment that you make manually outside Toast Payroll (in the form of cash, a check from your business bank account, or a payment app). The employee receives the funds as soon as you hand them the check, cash, or payment-app transfer. The Quick Calc itself attaches to the next payroll so the wages, deductions, and taxes are recorded for tax reporting.

I forgot to add tips before submitting payroll. What do I do?

If you forgot to add tips to a payroll that you already submitted, the payroll cannot be edited. To pay the tips: use Option 1 (Quick Calc) with a Tips Owed or Tips Paid earning code if the employee needs them right away, use Option 2 (off-cycle payroll) if multiple employees are affected, or use Option 3 (add to a future payroll) if the employee can wait until the next pay period.

Also asked as:

- "I forgot to send the tips for payroll"
- "I forgot to approve tips and ran payroll"

I forgot to add hours, a commission, or a pay rate change. Can I edit a submitted payroll?

A submitted payroll cannot be edited or recalled by you. To make up missed hours, a commission, or a pay rate change: choose Option 1 (Quick Calc) for one urgent employee, Option 2 (off-cycle) for multiple employees or larger corrections, or Option 3 (next payroll) when timing allows.

Also asked as:

- "Can I recall the payroll I submitted?"
- "I forgot to add something to an employee's pay on this payroll — how can I edit?"
- "Forgot to change pay rate for my employee but submitted payroll. How do I add the mistake to payroll without having to wait until the next run?"

How do I do a Quick Calc for a salary employee who was missed?

A Quick Calc works the same way for a salary employee as it does for an hourly employee, with one difference: under Earning Type, choose a salary earning code, then enter the dollar amount in the Amount field (rather than entering hours). The employee's pay period gross salary may already appear in the Quick Calc table because it is a recurring earning. Verify the amount before adding additional earnings.

Also asked as:

- "How do I do a quick calc for hours missed for a salary employee and attach to the next payroll?"

My Quick Calc attached to the wrong payroll. How do I move it?

If a Quick Calc was attached to the wrong payroll (for example, it tied to the current payroll you are about to run, blocking you from adding new earnings), delete the Quick Calc, then create a new one and attach it to the correct payroll. To delete a Quick Calc that has been attached to a payroll: navigate to Payroll > Manual Checks in the Quick Actions menu on the right, choose the payroll from the Select Payroll drop-down, then select the trash can to the right of the Quick Calc and select Delete. This works only before the payroll it is attached to has started running.

I missed an employee — can I run an off-cycle payroll for just one person?

You can run an off-cycle payroll for a single employee. Submit the off-cycle request form for one employee just like you would for multiple. If the employee needs payment in less than 4 business days, use Option 1 (Quick Calc) instead, since the off-cycle requires a 4-business-day processing window.

Also asked as:

- "I need to run an off-cycle payroll for one employee for missed hours"
- "I missed paying an employee on my last pay run — can I run an off-cycle payroll?"

Before You Contact Customer Care

Before reaching out via the blue chat dot in the lower-right corner of any Toast Payroll page, gather:

The employee's name, employee ID, or position.
The pay period the missed pay applies to (start and end dates).
The amount and type of missed pay (regular hours, overtime, tips, commission, bonus, salary).
Which option you have already tried (Quick Calc, off-cycle, future payroll), if any.
For an off-cycle request: the completed off-cycle request form, ready to upload via the paperclip in the chat.
For a direct deposit failure: the employee's name and the date of the failed direct deposit.

Customer Care assistance is required for these cases:

An off-cycle payroll request. The off-cycle request form must be processed by Customer Care before you can run the off-cycle in Toast Payroll.
A direct deposit failure. If an employee's direct deposit information was invalid and they did not receive their wages, contact Customer Care to determine next steps.
Guidance on which option fits your case. If you are unsure whether to use a Quick Calc, off-cycle, or future payroll, Customer Care can review your situation.
Recall of a submitted payroll. A submitted payroll generally cannot be recalled. In narrow cases (for example, an off-cycle that has not yet been processed by the bank), Customer Care may be able to help.

This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for advice.