Thank you for choosing ATB Payroll! Our team is preparing your account for onboarding, and we’re committed to ensuring a smooth and successful setup.

This guide outlines the key steps you’ll complete to get your payroll up and running.

Provide Your Business Details

Your first onboarding task is to enter your company information, including your Business Number (BN) and Payroll Account Number. These details allow the system to configure your payroll correctly for compliance and tax reporting.

Business Number vs Payroll Account

Understanding the difference between these two identifiers is important, as each serves a different purpose in payroll setup.

Business Number (BN): A nine-digit number issued by the CRA that acts as your business’s universal identifier across federal, provincial, and municipal programs. It is the base number linked to all CRA program accounts.

Payroll Account (RP): A CRA account you must open once you begin paying employees. It is used specifically for reporting and remitting payroll-related deductions such as income tax, CPP, and EI

Helpful Resources:

• Open or mange a payroll account

• Understanding the difference between a Business Number and Registry ID

Confirming your bank account details

A Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) is an agreement that allows funds to be automatically withdrawn from a business’s bank account to cover payroll-related payments—such as payroll funding, taxes, or service fees. By signing a PAD agreement, the business authorizes the payroll provider to debit their account when required.

Reach out if you require a change to the bank account used for payroll debits, our Support team can assist you.

CRA Remitter type

The CRA assigns a Remitter Type to businesses based on how much they withhold in payroll deductions each month and this classification determines how frequently they must remit the statutory withholdings (such as income tax, CPP/QPP, EI and QPIP).

It’s important to ensure the remitter type is set correctly. If the remitter frequency is set incorrectly, the CRA may assess late penalties for missed or delayed remittances.

Helpful Articles:

• How to change your remitter type a step by step guide on how to configure your remitter frequency

• Types of remitter to learn more about remitter types and how the CRA determines your remitter type

Step 2. Step Up Your Pay Structures

Set Up Your Pay Schedule

Selecting the right pay schedule is important because it ensures payroll runs smoothly, employees are paid accurately and on time, and statutory deadlines are met. A well-chosen schedule helps maintain compliance, supports consistent cash-flow planning, and reduces administrative work by aligning payroll cycles with your business operations.

The most common frequencies are weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly.

Weekly payroll provides employees with 52 paycheques a year and is often used in industries with hourly or variable schedules because it makes tracking overtime straightforward.

Bi-weekly payroll, where employees are paid every two weeks, is one of the most widely used options and offers a balance between predictable employee income and manageable payroll administration, though employers must plan for months that include an extra pay period.

Semi-monthly payroll pays employees twice per month—typically on the 15th and last day of the month—and aligns well with monthly accounting cycles. This frequency is ideal for salaried employees but can create complexity for hourly workers due to fluctuating workdays in each period.

Monthly payroll, the least frequent option, minimizes administrative effort and offers clear budgeting for employers; however, it may be challenging for employees who rely on more frequent income.

When selecting a pay frequency, businesses should consider employee needs, operational capacity, cash-flow stability, and compliance requirements—which may vary by province. A well-chosen pay schedule ensures smoother payroll operations, reduces errors, and supports a positive employee experience.

Helpful Articles:

• Payroll Frequency Options an article to assist you in choosing the correct pay frequency

• How to create a payroll schedule a step by step guide on how to create a pay schedule

• Add to employee to pay schedule as step by step guide on how to add/assign your employee to a pay schedule

Set Up Your Pay Items

Configure the pay items that apply to your workforce, including earnings, deductions, benefits, allowances, and reimbursements.

Ensure each employee’s profile includes:

• Pay rates

• Recurring allowances, benefits, deductions and reimbursements

• Workers’ Compensation information

• Completed tax forms (e.g., TD1)

• Any additional payroll-related attributes required for accurate setup (such as Vacation Pay)

Useful resources include:

• How to create presets for benefits, deductions, earnings, and more

• Best practices for naming pay rates

• How to add and manage employee pay rates and overtime rates

• Setting up employee pay items (Benefits, Deductions, Allowances, Reimbursements, and Earnings)

• How to set up a benefit for employees (preset or one-off)

• Workers’ compensation (WCB) setup and reporting

• Tax Forms: How to update a TD1 form for an employee

Step 3: Connect with your Implementation Rep and Import YTD

Your Implementation Representative will guide you through the final steps of onboarding, including importing Year-to-Date (YTD) payroll information to ensure accurate records for tax reporting and future payroll runs.

Be sure to submit all requested documents and data promptly so your rep can configure your account and validate your payroll settings before your first live run!