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OnlinePayroll.Services - Mission Ready Payroll Operations

Mission Briefing · Direct Deposit

Direct Deposit Protocol

How payroll funds move, when workers receive deposits, and what must happen before any bank account becomes mission ready.

T-2 Banking Days 2:00 PM ET Cutoff Verify + Authorize
Mission Timeline

How the money moves

Direct deposit follows a fixed banking-day window. Weekends and federal banking holidays are excluded. When a debit or credit day falls on a non-banking day, that activity shifts while the pay date remains unchanged.

Direct deposit timeline showing debit day two banking days before pay date, funds held, and same-day credits initiated on pay date
01 · Approval

Approve by 2:00 PM ET

Payroll approval starts the clock. The deadline is 2:00 PM Eastern on the debit day, two banking days before pay date.

02 · Debit

Two debits leave

Net direct-deposit wages and the total payroll tax liability are pulled as two separate same-day ACH debits.

03 · Hold

Funds remain in process

The debited funds are held through the processing window between debit day and the scheduled pay date.

04 · Pay Date

Credits begin after 10:00 AM

Worker credits are initiated by same-day ACH after 10:00 AM Eastern and can arrive as late as 8:00 PM Eastern.

Direct deposit funds icon

Net direct-deposit wages

The total net amount being delivered electronically to workers.

Payroll and tax liability icon

Total payroll tax liability

The complete payroll tax obligation is debited separately from worker net pay.

Paper-check workers are outside this flow. There is no direct-deposit debit, hold, or worker credit for them. When an entire payroll has no direct deposit, only the tax-liability debit applies and the two-day direct-deposit window does not.

Account Deployment

Before an account goes live

Entering routing and account numbers does not activate direct deposit. Every employer and worker account must separately clear verification and ACH authorization.

Three-step bank account deployment process: enter account, verify account, and authorize ACH
01

Enter the account

Add the bank routing number and account number. OnlinePayroll.Services, the employer, or the worker may enter the information.

02

Verify the account

Verification confirms the account is real and capable of receiving or sending ACH entries.

03

Authorize ACH

The account holder grants documented permission for payroll-related money movement.

Phase 2

Verify the bank account

Every business and worker bank account is verified before it becomes active. The process follows one of two paths.

Default path

Pre-note verification

A three-banking-day account validation process that runs automatically.

  • No online-banking credentials are required.
  • No action is needed after the account is entered.
  • The account does not go live until the pre-note clears.
  • Used when instant verification is unavailable or not selected.
Instant path

ValidiFi verification

Immediate validation through a secure login to the specific bank account.

  • The account holder should complete the login personally.
  • Use the employer for a business account and the worker for a worker account.
  • When the bank is unsupported or the holder cannot log in, use pre-note.

Never request someone else's bank password

Do not ask an account holder to provide a bank username or password so another person can log in on their behalf. When the holder cannot complete instant verification personally, use the pre-note process.

Phase 3

Authorize ACH movement

Verification proves the account exists. ACH authorization is different: it documents the account holder's permission to move payroll funds.

Preferred

Digital authorization

The account holder signs in and electronically signs the ACH Authorization Agreement.

  • Fastest authorization method.
  • Creates a direct electronic record.
  • Must be completed by the account holder.
Alternate

Paper authorization

Download the QR-coded authorization form, obtain the account holder's signature, and upload a clear JPG or PNG of the complete signed page.

  • Use the authorization banner to obtain the form.
  • For worker accounts, upload it under Engagement Documents.
  • Select ACH Authorization as the document type.

Do not crop the QR code

The platform uses the code to match the signed form to the correct account and engagement. Keep the complete code visible, sharp, and in focus.

The Standing Order

Verified and authorized before live

A direct-deposit account must independently complete both requirements before payroll funds can move. This applies to employer and worker bank accounts. Paper-check workers need neither step.

Account Verified+ACH Authorized=Account Live

Need direct-deposit support?

Contact the OnlinePayroll.Services mission support team.

Email Mission Support 239-394-0358