How to Export Payroll Reports from WorkRoster

Generate PDF and CSV payroll reports from WorkRoster in two clicks. This guide covers selecting the right date range, understanding the report format, and sending it to your accountant.

beginner·4 min read

Payroll exports in WorkRoster turn your approved timesheets and leave records into a clean report that you (or your accountant) can use to process payroll. This guide walks you through generating the right report for your pay cycle.

Before You Export

Ensure all timesheets for the period are approved before generating the payroll export. Only approved timesheets are included in reports — pending or rejected timesheets are excluded.

To check: navigate to Timesheets → Pending Approvals. If the queue is empty, you're ready to export.

Step 1: Navigate to Reports

  1. Sign in to WorkRoster
  2. Click Reports in the left sidebar
  3. You'll see the report generation panel

Step 2: Configure Your Report

Date Range Select the pay period you're generating for:

  • This Week — current Mon–Sun
  • Last Week — previous Mon–Sun
  • This Month — 1st to today
  • Last Month — full previous calendar month
  • Custom Range — enter any start and end date

For monthly payroll, use Last Month on the first business day of each new month.

Report Scope

  • All Employees — includes every active team member (most common for payroll)
  • By Department — if you use departments, generate per-department reports
  • Individual Employee — generates a report for a single person (useful for contractors or disputes)

Report Format

  • PDF — formatted report with your company name, period, and employee summaries. Ready to send to an accountant or for record-keeping.
  • CSV — raw data table that imports directly into payroll software (Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, etc.)

Step 3: Generate the Report

  1. Click Generate Report
  2. The report is created within a few seconds
  3. Click Download PDF or Download CSV to save the file

You can also click Email Report to send it directly to your accountant's email address from WorkRoster.

What's Included in the Report

PDF Report

The PDF payroll report includes:

  • Company name and pay period
  • One row per employee showing: name, standard hours, total hours, overtime hours, leave taken (by type)
  • Summary totals at the bottom
  • Prepared date and approver names

CSV Report

The CSV export includes one row per timesheet entry:

| Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | Employee Name | Full name | | Employee Email | For payroll system matching | | Date | YYYY-MM-DD format | | Day | Day of week | | Time On | Clock-in time | | Time Off | Clock-out time | | Break (mins) | Break duration | | Regular Hours | Hours within standard threshold | | Overtime Hours | Hours above standard threshold | | Project | Project assignment (if used) | | Status | Approved | | Notes | Employee notes |

The CSV is designed to import directly into common payroll software without manual re-formatting.

Step 4: Import into Payroll Software

Xero Payroll In Xero: Payroll → Leave & Timesheets → Import. Map the columns during import: Employee Email → Employee, Date → Date, Regular Hours → Ordinary Hours, Overtime Hours → Overtime.

QuickBooks In QuickBooks: Payroll → Time Activities → Import Time. WorkRoster's CSV format is compatible with QuickBooks time import.

Manual processing If you process payroll manually (e.g., bank transfers), the PDF report has everything your accountant needs: employee names, total regular hours, overtime hours, and leave taken.

Archiving Reports

WorkRoster stores all generated reports in Reports → History. You can re-download any previously generated report at any time — useful if you need to provide records for an audit or dispute.

For compliance purposes, keep payroll records for at least 7 years (check your local jurisdiction's requirements). WorkRoster retains records indefinitely while your account is active.

Setting Up a Recurring Reminder

Payroll exports only work if you remember to run them. Set a calendar reminder on the last working day of each month (or your pay period end) to:

  1. Check that all timesheets are approved (Timesheets → Pending Approvals)
  2. Generate the payroll report (Reports → Generate)
  3. Send to accountant or import into payroll software

This 5-minute routine prevents the end-of-month scramble that delays salary processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are leave days included in the payroll export? Yes — the payroll export includes a per-employee breakdown of leave taken during the period, categorised by type (annual, sick, unpaid). This is in both the PDF summary and the CSV detail rows.

What if I need to export for a non-standard date range? Use the Custom Range option in the report configuration. Select any start and end date. This is useful for mid-month pay runs, contractor invoicing periods, or producing reports for a specific project.

Can I export data for a specific employee only? Yes — select Individual Employee in the Report Scope dropdown and choose the employee. This generates a report with only their timesheet data for the selected period.

The report says some employees have 0 hours. What does this mean? This usually means their timesheets for the period are pending approval or were not submitted. Check Timesheets → Pending Approvals for that employee's timesheet, or ask them to confirm they submitted.

Can I send the report directly to my accountant? Yes — click Email Report and enter your accountant's email address. They'll receive a PDF attachment. For ongoing monthly reports, share your WorkRoster login credentials with your accountant (with a read-only Admin role) so they can pull reports themselves.