December isn't quite an ordinary payroll month. You probably know that already if you work with payroll.
There are holiday balances to check, reconciliations that have to add up, and perhaps a bonus or a leaver that has to make it into the last pay run of the year.
One thing is certain. Mistakes from December aren't what anyone wants to start January with.
Fortunately, a little extra attention now can save you a good deal of extra work later.
Here we've gathered the most important things to keep an eye on, so you can close the 2026 payroll year with peace of mind.
Get the December pay into the right income year.
The last pay run of the year isn't the one to leave until the last minute.
Around the turn of the year, it's the date the pay is available to the employee that decides which income year it belongs to.
If the pay is to be available on 30 December 2026, the pay run deadline in Zenegy is Tuesday 29 December 2026 at 10:00.
So make sure the pay is ready in good time. There's usually plenty else filling the calendar at the end of December.
Give the last pay of the year an extra check.
Even when you're fully on top of payroll, a change or a supplement can creep in that's worth double-checking.
That's why it's a good idea to give the last pay run of the year a little extra attention.
In Zenegy, you can use the pay run report to compare the payroll output with the salary basis and spot any discrepancies before you approve.
If you have employees who are paid in advance, pay particular attention to giving the right period, and to whether the rates that apply from 1 January 2027 are updated, when you run the January pay in December. If the pay is available in December, it belongs to the 2026 income year.
After all, it's better to find a mistake while there's still time to correct it.
Get holiday in order.
When the calendar reaches 31 December, the holiday-taking period for the last holiday year ends too.
So now is already a good time to go through the employees' holiday balances.
If an employee has earned more than 20 days of holiday in the holiday year just ended and hasn't taken them all, the rest of the 5th holiday week must, as a rule, be paid out. In Zenegy, this happens automatically in March of the new year by default.
You can also agree to transfer the 5th holiday week to the next holiday-taking period, and if so, remember to register it for the employees it concerns.
Also keep an eye on employees who have been prevented from taking holiday, and on the special rules for extra days off.
That way, unresolved days of holiday won't be one of the first tasks of the new year.
Go through SH, free choice and other savings.
For some employees, the end of the year also means taking stock of SH, free choice or special savings.
It's worth checking that the balances are right, and that any payouts follow the applicable rules and collective agreements.
In Zenegy, both SH and free choice can be set up to be paid out automatically in the relevant months.
That saves you manual work, but a last check of the setup is still a good idea.
Get the last registrations and any leavers in.
There's nearly always something that turns up at the last minute.
An out-of-pocket expense waiting for approval. Hours or absence that haven't been registered. A bonus to be paid out. Or an employee who's leaving at the turn of the year.
So it's worth one last round to make sure every relevant registration is in.
If you have employees leaving around the turn of the year, remember to settle their holiday and any SH and free choice balances too.
It's usually easier to get everything in the first time than to tidy up afterwards.
Reconcile eIncome and the bookkeeping.
Once the last pay of the year has been run, one important task is still left: making sure the figures add up.
That means the payroll data, eIncome (eIndkomst) and the bookkeeping must match.
In Zenegy, you can compare the data from eIncome with the payroll system's, and in the spreadsheet with the reconciliation, you can add figures from the accounting system yourself.
Remember too that the payroll bookkeeping in Zenegy only covers the expenses of the pay. Payments such as tax, ATP and holiday pay must be booked separately.
A good reconciliation doesn't just put the past year in order. It also gives you a better starting point for the next.
Close the payroll year with peace of mind.
The year-end takes a little extra attention, but it doesn't have to be any more complicated than that.
With Zenegy, you have the payroll data, reports and payroll bookkeeping in one place, so it's easier to get an overview and catch any mistakes.
Then you can tick off the last box for 2026 and start the new payroll year with peace of mind.
