Step by step
Run payroll
Start the month's payroll run, check and adjust each person's pay, send it for approval, then lock it so the journal posts, advances are recovered and payslips go out.
Kila works out each person’s pay from their contract, attendance, leave, commission and advances, with PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and the Housing Levy. One person prepares the run and someone else approves it. Once locked, the journal goes to the books and payslips go out.
Open Payroll and tap Start a run
Go to Money › Payroll. Payroll runs lists each month’s run and where it stands, such as Waiting for approval or Locked: “One run a month for each legal entity, or for one branch. Someone other than whoever sends it for approval approves it.” Tap Start a run.
Choose the month and tap Start
Kila asks you to Start a payroll run. Choose the Month: Kila suggests last month. Leave Worked out by on Kila, and the Branch as it is: “Leave on every branch for one run per legal entity.” Tap Start. The run opens as a Draft, with the number of people, gross, deductions, net pay and the cost to the business.
Check each person's pay
Under People: “Open a line to see how it was worked out; adjust it or leave the person out of this run.” Tap a name. Kila shows the days worked, hours, leave, commission and advance due, then Earnings, Deductions, such as PAYE, NSSF and SHIF, and what the Employer pays on top.
Adjust what Kila could not know
For a bonus, an allowance or a one-off deduction, tap Adjust. Kila says “A bonus or other earning (a positive amount), or a deduction (a negative amount).” Tap Add a line, type What it is and the Amount, leave Taxed ticked if PAYE applies, and tap Save. Kila says Worked out again.
Tap Send for approval
When every line is right, tap Send for approval. Kila says “Sent for approval. Someone other than you approves it.” The run is Waiting for approval.
The owner approves it
The owner, or whoever approves payroll, opens the run: “Check each person’s pay before approving.” They tap Approve net pay KES …, which shows the total net pay, or Send back with a note.
Lock the run
Once approved, whoever prepared it locks the run. Kila asks you to confirm, then posts the journal to the books, recovers any advances from the pay, and leaves net pay waiting to be paid. A locked run cannot be changed. Under After locking, Kila names the journal: Journal JV-… posted to the books.
Send payslips, pay and file
On the locked run, tap Email payslips, unless your business sends them when a run is locked. PAYE (P10), SHIF, NSSF and Housing Levy download the files for each return, and Net pay list the amounts to pay. The To pay tab shows the Net pay to pay: “From locked runs. Pay them through Payments out, or record on the run what you paid outside Kila.”
The month already has a run
Link to this section: The month already has a runOpen that run from the list instead of starting another.
The owner sends it back
Link to this section: The owner sends it backThe owner taps Send back, and Kila asks Send PR-… back? with What to change. The run is a Draft again, with the owner’s note, such as Sent back: Night shift allowance is KES 1,200 a month, not 1,500. Fix it, and send it for approval again.
Someone is not paid in this run
Link to this section: Someone is not paid in this runOpen their line and tap Leave out of this run. Their line says Left out. Tap Put back in the run to undo it.
Attendance or leave changed after you started
Link to this section: Attendance or leave changed after you startedWhile the run is a draft, tap Work out again: Kila gathers contracts, attendance, leave and advances afresh. Your adjustments, and anyone you left out, stay as they are.
You started the wrong month
Link to this section: You started the wrong monthTap Cancel at the top of the run. Kila asks Cancel PR-…?: “Nothing has been posted or paid. You can start the month again.” Give a Reason and tap Cancel run. The run says Cancelled. An approved or locked run cannot be cancelled.
Good to know
Kila’s PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and Housing Levy rates are its starting values until a payroll professional checks them. While they are not checked, Payroll says Rates not yet checked by a payroll professional: check each run’s figures before approving it.
Needs a manager
Whoever prepares a run cannot approve it. The owner approves payroll; another role can only if the owner gives it the right to approve payroll.
- See your payslips: what each person sees.
- Pay a salary advance: advances taken back through payroll.
- Pay suppliers with a payment run: Payments out, which can pay net pay too.
- Read your profit and loss: where salaries show once the run is locked.
Next: see what staff see in See your payslips.