Payroll CSV & Software Compatibility

Use Shift Show's structured Payroll CSV with payroll and HR software that supports CSV import, field mapping, or data conversion.

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Compatible payroll software

The Shift Show Payroll CSV has been tested with the payroll software listed below and found to be compatible with its CSV import.

Listing a payroll system here means only that the Shift Show Payroll CSV was tested with it and found to be compatible. Shift Show is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or in partnership with any of the software providers listed. Product names and logos are the trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the software tested. Links to provider websites are included for convenience only.

Payroll providers can change their import requirements at any time. Always check imported information before processing payroll, and contact your payroll provider's support desk if an import does not work as expected.

Using payroll software that isn't listed? It may still accept the CSV through direct import, field mapping, or conversion, as explained below. If you've successfully imported the Shift Show CSV into another payroll system, let us know.

Information included in the Shift Show Payroll CSV

Depending on the report and information entered into Shift Show, the Payroll CSV can contain information such as:

  • Employee Name
  • Employee Number
  • Date
  • Shift Type
  • Ordinary Hours
  • Overtime Hours
  • Sunday Hours
  • Public Holiday Hours
  • Total Hours
  • Leave Type
  • Leave Hours

In the Manager's Desk, you can choose which fields to include, so the CSV matches your requirements and your payroll software.

How CSV compatibility can work

Payroll systems usually accept CSV data in one of three ways. Your payroll provider can tell you which applies to you.

Direct import

Some payroll systems may accept a CSV file directly when its structure and data meet their import requirements.

Field mapping

Where mapping is supported, Shift Show columns can be matched to the payroll system's own fields.

Conversion

Some systems may require the data to be converted or rearranged into a specific import template before it can be imported.

Example of field mapping

The column names used by Shift Show do not necessarily have to match the names used by a payroll system. For example, where a payroll system provides a mapping facility, fields could potentially be matched like this:

Shift Show CSV
maps to
Payroll system
Employee Number
Employee ID
Date
Work Date
Ordinary Hours
Regular Hours
Overtime Hours
Overtime
Sunday Hours
Sunday Time
Public Holiday Hours
Public Holiday

This is an example only. Actual field names, required fields, codes, formats, and mapping options vary between payroll systems.

How to check compatibility

  1. Ask your payroll provider which fields they require

    Contact your payroll provider or check their import guide. Ask which fields they require, whether they support CSV import, and whether they offer field mapping or a CSV import template.

  2. Select only the required fields in the Manager's Desk

    When setting up the export, select only the fields your payroll provider needs. Some payroll systems reject or mis-map columns they don't recognise, so unused fields could interfere with how the CSV headers are mapped. See How to Use the Manager's Desk for help.

  3. Export the Shift Show CSV

    Export the payroll information from Shift Show with the fields you selected.

  4. Send a sample CSV to your provider

    Ask your payroll provider to test a sample CSV and advise whether it imports correctly or needs changes. Where possible, use test data or remove real employee details before sending, so personal information isn't shared unnecessarily.

  5. Map or convert the data if required

    If your provider advises it, match the Shift Show columns to the payroll system's fields or convert the CSV into the format the software requires.

  6. Verify before processing payroll

    Always verify imported information against your official payroll records, approved hours, overtime, leave records, and applicable payroll rules before processing payroll.

What if you can't use the CSV?

Not every payroll system supports CSV import, field mapping, or conversion, and some workplaces don't use payroll software at all. If the CSV isn't a good fit, Shift Show can also export a Payroll PDF instead: a formatted, human-readable report designed to be printed, checked, and signed rather than imported.

How to use the Payroll PDF

The PDF is designed to be printed, reviewed, and signed rather than imported into any system. Hours are presented in clearly structured sections, including Sundays Worked, Overtime, and Public Holidays, alongside summary totals, allowing a manager, payroll officer, or HR administrator to verify the figures at a glance. Signature lines are provided for both the employee and the manager, allowing the document to serve as a physical or digitally signed record of approval. No software or data import is required.

A typical process: the employee submits the PDF to their manager, who reviews it against their own records and signs it once satisfied it is accurate. Used in this way, the PDF functions as a self-contained record and does not require any interaction with the Manager's Desk.

Read the full guide to the Payroll PDF

Whether you use the CSV or the PDF, your employer's official records and rules always take precedence over the app. Nothing in a Shift Show export is automatically trusted: HR may choose not to use the app's figures at all if they don't match their own records.

Questions about the Payroll CSV?

For questions about your payroll software's import process, contact your payroll provider. For questions about Shift Show's exports, see the Business & Payroll FAQ or contact us.