How to Set Up Gusto Payroll, Step by Step
Everything you need to set up Gusto: company details, addresses, federal and state taxes, bank account, pay schedule, employees, and signing.
Written guide
Set up Gusto, start to finish
Here's how to set up Gusto payroll from start to finish, using the settings screens of a real account. By the end you'll be ready to run your first payroll, and get a hundred dollars for it.
Have these ready
Before you start, have these ready: your E I N and IRS letters, your business bank account, each employee's name, pay and email, and your state tax account numbers.
Company details
Step one. Sign up with the link below, pick a plan, and enter your company details: your legal name, your trade name, and who signs for the company.
Addresses and locations
Step two. Add your addresses: a mailing address, a filing address, and every place your employees work. Your filing address is on your IRS form S S 4, or on Form 941 if you've run payroll before.
Every work location
Work locations matter, because they decide which state and local taxes Gusto withholds. You can add more anytime with Add location.
Federal tax info
Step three. Federal tax info. Enter your E I N, your business type, and your legal name exactly as the IRS has it. The deposit schedule defaults to semiweekly, and it's on your IRS letter if yours is different.
State tax accounts
Step four. State taxes. Enter your state withholding account number before your first payroll. The unemployment account number can usually come later. If you don't have them yet, Gusto can help you register with the state.
Connect your bank
Step five. Add the business bank account payroll comes out of, using the routing and account number. You verify it either instantly by logging into your bank, or with two small test deposits.
Pay settings
In pay settings you can see your payment speed. This account is set to next-day. You can also turn on paycheck estimates and payroll approvals here.
Pick a pay schedule
Step six. Pick a pay schedule: weekly, every other week, twice a month, or monthly. This one pays every Friday. Check your state's pay rules, and give hourly workers a few business days between the end of the pay period and payday.
Add your team
Step seven. Add your team. Go to People and click Add. You just enter their name, pay, and email.
Employees onboard themselves
Gusto emails each person an invite. They enter their own address, Social Security number and bank info, and sign their W 4 and I 9 online. You never have to collect paper forms.
Sign and verify
Step eight. The company signer signs the tax forms online, you finish verifying the bank account, and Gusto reviews your account. Once it's approved, you can run payroll.
Switching mid-year?
Switching from another provider in the middle of the year? Gusto asks for this year's past payrolls, so your W 2s come out right. That's paystubs for this quarter and summaries for earlier quarters.
Plan and billing
Your plan lives under Plan and billing. You can change plans or add things like next-day pay, and as it says right here, you can cancel at any time.
Ready for payroll
That's it. Your home dashboard now shows your next payroll and its deadline. For the next part, watch our video on how to run payroll in Gusto.
Setup checklist
Quick recap. Company details, addresses, federal and state tax, bank account, pay schedule, employees, then sign and verify.
Get $100
Sign up with the link in the description, run your first payroll, and you get a hundred dollars.
Get $100 with Gusto
Sign up with our link and run your first payroll