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How to still pay employees on time after missing the payroll deadline

This article explains what to do if you've missed the payroll submission deadline and need to get employees paid on the same payday.

Overview

If your payroll team missed the ACH submission deadline, employees will not receive their pay at the regular time (8:30 am ET on payday). However, you may still be able to ensure employees are paid on the same payday - but you must act immediately.

This is time-sensitive. Every hour of delay reduces your window to get employees paid on time. Contact Zenoti Payroll Support as soon as you realize the deadline was missed.

Understanding the missed ACH deadline

Zenoti processes payroll via ACH (Automated Clearing House), which requires funds to be authorized by 5:00 pm ET on the business day before payday. If this deadline passes without submission, the ACH transaction cannot be initiated for that payday.

Example: 

  • Payday: Friday, February 20

  • ACH submission deadline: Thursday, February 19 at 5:00 pm ET

  • If you miss this deadline, standard ACH processing is no longer available for February 20

What you can do - wire transfer recovery

A same-day wire transfer is the only way to ensure employees are paid on the original payday after a missed ACH deadline.

How it works

Wire received by 

Employees paid by 

4:00 pm ET on payday

6:00 pm ET on payday

Note

This is later than the standard 8:30 am ET payout time. Employees will receive pay the same day, but in the early evening rather than the morning.

Steps to take right now

  1. Contact Zenoti Payroll Support immediately.

    Email support@zenoti.com with the subject line:

    [TIME-SENSITIVE] Missed payroll submission — wire transfer needed — [Your Company Name] 

    Include the following in your email:

    • Your company/business name(s)

    • The affected pay period (example, Feb 1–15, 2026)

    • The payday date (e.g., Feb 20, 2026)

    • Confirmation that you are ready to initiate a wire transfer immediately

  2. Await wiring instructions from our team.

    Our Payroll Operations team will:

    1. Update the funding method for your payroll from ACH to wire transfer.

    2. Generate unique wiring instructions for your business.

    3. Reply to your email with the exact wire amount and banking details.

    Note

    Do not reuse wiring instructions from a previous payroll. Wire details (account number, amount) are unique to each payroll run and change with every submission.

  3. Initiate the wire transfer with your bank.

    Once you receive the wiring instructions:

    1. Log in to your bank's wire transfer portal or call your bank directly.

    2. Enter the exact wire amount provided - the amount must match precisely.

    3. Use the beneficiary bank details from the wiring instructions.

    4. Initiate the transfer as early as possible - allow 2–4 hours for bank processing.

    Note

    Your wire must be received by 4:00 pm ET on payday. We recommend initiating no later than noon ET to allow sufficient processing time.

  4. Confirm with support.

    Reply to your support email to confirm the wire has been initiated, including your bank's wire reference or confirmation number. This helps our team track and confirm receipt.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What if I miss the 4:00 pm ET wire deadline too?

A. Unfortunately, employees cannot be paid on that payday via wire if the 4:00 pm ET cutoff is missed. Our team will work with you on options for the next available business day.

What does the wire transfer cost?

A. Zenoti charges a $10 wire fee per wire transfer. Your bank may charge additional outgoing wire fees on top of this - contact your bank for their fee schedule.

How long does it take to get wiring instructions?

A. Our Payroll Operations team prioritizes these requests. You can expect a response within 1–2 hours during business hours. Contacting us earlier in the day gives you the best chance of meeting the 4:00 pm ET wire deadline.

Will employees know their pay is delayed?

A. We recommend notifying employees proactively that pay may arrive later than usual (by 6:00 pm ET rather than 8:30 am ET) to avoid confusion.

Can I avoid this in the future?

A. Yes - set a calendar reminder for the ACH submission deadline (5:00 pm ET on the business day before payday). Zenoti also sends reminder notifications before the deadline.

Coming in April — Self-serve wire instructions in Zenoti

Heads up: In the April release, you will be able to generate wiring instructions directly within Zenoti — without contacting support. Each business entity in your payroll will have a Fund by Wire option that instantly produces unique wiring instructions you can take straight to your bank. Until then, please reach out to us immediately using the steps above.

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