How to use payroll calendar
- Choose a year and pay frequency.
- Set an anchor payday or the recurring days within each month.
- Set the number of days from the period end to its scheduled payday.
- Choose an explicit weekend or holiday policy, review the schedule, and download CSV or print.
Keep pay dates and pay periods separate
The payday is when the payment is scheduled. The period start and end identify the work covered by that payment. A lag of seven days means a scheduled Friday payday covers a period ending on the previous Friday. Select the lag used by your employer rather than inferring it from a common schedule.
The calendar keeps the original work period when you move a payment date for a holiday or weekend. Review the unshifted schedule, selected shift rule and any manual override before relying on the export.
Weekly, biweekly and semimonthly calendars
Weekly and biweekly schedules repeat at fixed seven- or fourteen-day intervals from the anchor. Monthly and semimonthly schedules use chosen days within each month. A selected day beyond the end of a shorter month uses that month’s last day.
Count the actual scheduled paydays in the selected year. Biweekly schedules can have 27 paydays in some years, depending on the anchor. The generator shows the actual count instead of treating 26 as a universal rule. For example, a biweekly anchor payday of January 8, 2027 gives January 8, January 22 and February 5. A seven-day lag puts the corresponding period ends on January 1, January 15 and January 29.
| Frequency | How dates are generated | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Every 7 days from the anchor | The annual count and year boundaries |
| Biweekly | Every 14 days from the anchor | Whether the selected year has 26 or 27 dates |
| Semimonthly | Two selected days per month | Short months and month-end choices |
| Monthly | One selected day per month | The month-end rule and lag |
Select your employer’s weekend and holiday policy
The default keeps scheduled dates unchanged. You can explicitly choose an earlier or later business day and a holiday set. The U.S. federal holiday option follows federal observed dates, including weekend observations; it is a planning option rather than a claim that every private employer follows that schedule.
Custom holidays and manual payday overrides handle office closures and agreed exceptions. Confirm payment processing lead times with the payroll provider. The exported CSV contains dates and periods only, with no employee identities or earnings.
Common questions
Is biweekly the same as twice a month?
No. Biweekly advances every 14 days. Semimonthly uses two recurring dates in each month. Their paydays and annual counts can differ.
Can a year have 27 biweekly paydays?
Yes. The count depends on the year and anchor payday. This generator counts dates in the selected schedule rather than assuming 26.
Will a holiday automatically move a payday?
Only when you select a shift policy and the applicable holiday set. The default leaves dates unchanged; confirm the policy with your employer.
Sources and method
Reviewed . The workings are shown above; source links provide context for payroll records or supported PDF behavior. Confirm the policies that apply to your records.