Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Payroll For Small Business

It’s time to learn how to set up payroll for small business in Canada. Don’t worry; we’ll walk you through the entire process and answer any questions you have. 

Let’s dive in!

Register a Payroll Account with the CRA

Your first step is to register for a CRA payroll program account. You may have already signed up for one when you registered for your business number (BN). 

But if you haven’t, you can register here. Make sure you have all the following information before you register:

• Pay frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
• Number of employees
• The first date you paid your employees
• Months covered for employee payroll
• Payroll service or software
• Parent company or affiliate if you have a foreign corporation
• Franchise information, if any

After submitting all this information, you’ll generate a CRA payroll number.

Not an online person? You can also register a payroll account by calling the CRA at 1-800-959-5525 on weekdays between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Set Up Your Company Account with Payroll Software

Remember all the information you used to open up a CRA program account? You’ll need to use all of it to set up a payroll software account. 

We’ve created step-by-step instructions on how to set up your payroll in two of the best systems we use:

Click here for Wagepoint payroll setup instructions

Click here for Knit People payroll setup instructions