Payroll Controls That Actually Block Bad Runs
A four-stage lifecycle with segregation of duties, an SSN validity gate, and an anomaly check - the submitter can’t approve their own run, and nothing processes until it’s clean.
The run lifecycle
Payroll is a high-trust, high-fraud-risk process, so Fintra enforces a controlled lifecycle rather than a single “run payroll” button. Each stage has distinct permissions, and approval recalculates the run fresh, locks it, applies YTD, builds liabilities, and accrues PTO.
| Stage | Who | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Draft → submit | admin / clerk | Create, edit, and submit the run |
| Approve / reject | admin / approver | Recalculate, lock, apply YTD, build liabilities |
| Process | admin | Mark processed / deposited |
| Void / reverse | admin | Only pre-deposit; reversal rows after |
Segregation of duties
Gates before money moves
What must pass
- SSN validity gate - employees without a valid SSN are blocked (422 with the list)
- Anomaly flags computed and surfaced before approval
- Void/edit restricted to approved/processed (not deposited) latest checks
- Deposited/cleared checks are immutable - corrections go through reversal
- Every action audited
Inside Fintra
The same controls apply to scheduled, off-cycle, and bonus runs, and the auto-payroll agent operates strictly within them - it can prepare and submit, but never bypass approval or the SSN gate.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone approve their own payroll run?
Not by default. Segregation of duties blocks the submitter from approving their own run; an org can explicitly opt out via a setting, which defaults to off.
What does approving a run do?
It recalculates the run fresh, locks it, applies year-to-date accumulators, builds remittance liabilities, and accrues PTO - approval is the point where the run becomes authoritative.
What is the SSN gate?
Employees without a structurally valid SSN can’t be included in a run; submission returns a 422 listing who’s blocked, preventing checks that can’t be reported correctly.
Can a deposited check be edited?
No. Deposited or cleared checks are immutable; corrections go through an explicit reversal, which is fully audited.
Stay in the loop
One practical finance briefing a week - new guides, checklists, and benchmarks.
Controls that hold under audit
Run payroll through a real approval lifecycle with segregation of duties.
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