Payroll Period Calculator
Simplify your payroll planning by generating a complete schedule of pay periods and pay dates. Choose your company's pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly), select the first pay date, and this tool will map out the entire year's payroll calendar for you.
Payroll Schedule
How The Payroll Schedule is Calculated
Calculation Logic by Frequency
The calculator generates the schedule by starting with your first pay date and iteratively calculating the subsequent periods based on the selected frequency.
- Weekly / Bi-Weekly / Monthly: For these frequencies, the calculation is straightforward. The period end date is typically the day before the pay date, and the start date is found by counting back the appropriate number of days (6 for weekly, 13 for bi-weekly). The next pay date is found by adding 1 week, 2 weeks, or 1 month respectively.
- Semi-Monthly: This is more complex. The paydays are assumed to be the 15th and the last day of the month.
- If a pay date is the 15th, its period covers the 1st to the 15th of the month.
- If a pay date is the last day of the month, its period covers the 16th to the last day of that month.
Example From Your Generated Schedule
Based on a starting pay date of December 15, 2025 and a bi-weekly frequency:
- First Pay Period: The calculator worked backward from your first pay date to establish the first period, from Dec 1 to Dec 14.
- Subsequent Periods: It then repeatedly added the interval (2 weeks) to find each following pay date and its corresponding period.
This loop continued for the 26 periods you requested, creating the full schedule you see above.