P.A.Y. / The weekly payroll perspective
October review brief: make the year-end handoff clear
Issue date: 2026-10-31 · Coverage: October 2026
Published online only. This edition was not emailed.
Give the review a defined starting point
A year-end review is easier to pick up when its scope is written down. Identify the year, entity, population and source version you intend to review. Name the person responsible for the next check and the evidence needed to close the question. The free Year-End Desk provides planning tools, a review checklist and links to official sources. It requires a free P.A.Y. profile. Keep actual evidence in approved employer systems, and download planning details you want to retain before leaving. A marked item records review activity; it does not certify compliance.
Match the definition before comparing the total
Two numbers can look comparable while covering different periods, people or types of activity. Before investigating a difference, confirm what each source includes. Keep an exclusion or timing difference visible rather than silently changing the scope until the numbers tie. In a fictional practice case, the expected list includes a manual adjustment while the preview’s scope is unclear. The next step is to locate the approved adjustment record and confirm the preview population. The difference is a question to investigate—not proof that either source is correct.
Leave a handoff that keeps the question open
Use four short headings: what was checked, what remains unresolved, who acts next, and which evidence they need. Keep a possible explanation separate from a supported conclusion. For practice: “Preview compared with expected list. Manual adjustment still needs its source. Designated reviewer confirms the record and decides the next action.” That is a status note, not release approval. The free AI Lab can supply a workflow to copy; any model use belongs in your own approved tool/account, with fictional inputs and your own output review.
A practical pause between review questions
If payroll gear belongs on your gift list, browse the public store for an item that suits the recipient and use. Check current colors, size guides where relevant, price, shipping, tax and delivery estimates in the merchant listing or checkout. A design preview is not a guarantee of availability or arrival. The free Year-End Desk is separate from the paid Year-End Review Pack. That download, Academy licenses, hiring products, custom services and Annual Desk remain closed for ordering or enrollment. A free role choice does not unlock those products.