Free award & payroll templates
(prep & checklists)
Download free payroll preparation and award checklist templates to help you review hours, allowances, and payroll inputs before processing pay. Designed for Australian businesses. No sign-up required.
Payroll preparation templates
Choose the template that fits your payroll workflow
Payroll Preparation Worksheet
Collect all payroll inputs in one place before processing pay.
Pay Run Checklist
Step-by-step checklist to ensure nothing is missed each pay run.
Award Compliance Review Checklist
Review award obligations systematically without calculating rates.
Casual vs Part-Time Comparison
Compare employment types to support workforce decisions.
Payroll Reconciliation Template
Cross-check roster hours against timesheet and payroll totals.
Leave & Super Tracker
Track leave taken and super contributions with manual entries.
How these templates are used
Prepare accurate payroll inputs in four steps
Prepare payroll inputs
Gather hours, allowances, and notes
Review award obligations
Use checklists to verify requirements
Check for errors
Reconcile hours before processing
Process in payroll
Use your payroll software to finalise
For automated award interpretation and payroll processing
Use payroll software integrated with your roster — no spreadsheets, no manual calculations, no compliance risk.
What these templates do (and don't do)
Important clarity for trust and compliance
What these templates DO
- Help you prepare payroll inputs
- Help you review hours and allowances
- Prompt you to check award obligations
- Help you avoid common payroll mistakes
- Support reconciliation before pay runs
What these templates DON'T do
- Calculate wages or pay rates
- Apply award penalties or loadings
- Generate payslips or STP reports
- Replace compliant payroll software
- Provide Fair Work legal advice
Important: These templates support payroll preparation only. They do not calculate wages, penalties, or entitlements. Always process payroll using compliant payroll software.
Who these templates are for
Designed for businesses preparing payroll inputs manually
Cafes & restaurants
Prep hospitality payroll
Retail stores
Review retail award inputs
Hospitality venues
Hotels, pubs, and events
Trades & services
Contractor payroll prep
Small businesses
Any team preparing payroll
Bookkeepers
Client payroll support
Templates vs payroll software
Choose the right approach for your business
|
Templates
|
Payroll Software
| |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Prepare inputs | Calculate & process pay |
| Award interpretation | Manual review | Automatic |
| Compliance | Checklists only | Built-in rules |
| Payslips & STP | Not included | Included |
| Best for | Small teams, prep support | All businesses |
Ready for automated award interpretation? Try RosterElf's payroll integration.
Explore payroll integrationAward & payroll templates FAQ
- Yes, all templates are completely free to download. No signup, email, or payment required. Download instantly and start using them in Excel or as printable PDFs.
- No, these templates support payroll preparation only. They help you collect and review payroll inputs, but do not calculate wages, penalties, or entitlements. For automated pay calculations with award interpretation, consider payroll integration software.
- No, these templates are designed to help you prepare for payroll, not replace payroll software. Use them to gather hours, check allowances, and review inputs before processing pay in your compliant payroll system.
- Yes, these templates are designed with Australian businesses in mind. They reference common Australian payroll concepts like awards, super, and leave entitlements.
- The checklists are general-purpose and work with any Australian Modern Award. They prompt you to review award obligations without specifying rates or calculations. For award-specific guidance, see our award rate guides.
- Absolutely. All templates are fully editable. Add your business name, adjust fields, and modify checklists to suit your specific payroll preparation workflow.
Looking for more workforce tools?
Explore our free resources for small businesses
Ready for automated payroll?
When spreadsheets become painful, move to automation. RosterElf integrates with Xero and MYOB, automatically interprets awards, and exports payroll-ready timesheets — so you can focus on running your business.