Payroll failed. What do you do today?

Say it first, not last

Payday failures hurt because staff notice before management has a clean answer. Tell the team today that the transfer failed, what you know so far, and when you will update them again. Fair Work says employees should get a pay slip within one working day of being paid, and employers must keep accurate, up to date records. ([fairwork.gov.au](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/paying-wages?utm_source=openai))

If you can give a partial payment today, do it and say exactly how the balance will be handled. Even a small deposit calms panic and shows the business is not hiding. Do not promise tomorrow if you have not checked the cash. Give a new time, then stick to it. ([fairwork.gov.au](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/paying-wages?utm_source=openai))

Use the cash you have

Work backwards from the money already in the account. If the full payroll cannot clear, separate today's available cash from the balance due, then decide what can be paid immediately without setting the next run up to fail. A clean split is better than one vague promise to sort it out later. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))

If you need to choose, pay wages before you chase perfect bookkeeping. Then rebuild the payroll file so the next run is right, including hours, rates, allowances and deductions. Fair Work expects proper pay records and pay slips, so a fast fix now should be followed by clean paperwork once the transfer lands. ([fairwork.gov.au](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/paying-wages?utm_source=openai))

Source: Official guidance

Find the failure point

Call your bank and ask why the file failed, not just whether the account was short. You need the rejected amount, the timestamp, and whether any payments are still queued. That tells you if the problem is a single error, a missing approval, or a wider cash squeeze that needs the whole week rearranged. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))

Write the answer down while it is fresh. Note who you spoke to, what the bank said, and whether there will be another debit attempt or an extra fee. That record helps you decide which payment to fix first and gives you something solid when staff or suppliers ask what happened. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))

Pull cash forward today

Then chase every overdue invoice today. Clear payment terms and prompt follow up help you get paid on time, and business.gov.au says you should build overdue collection into the invoice and contract. Start with the accounts contact, not the site phone, and ask for a specific payment date, not a vague apology. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))

Keep the calls factual. Confirm the amount, ask whether anything is stopping payment, and send a short email that repeats the date and amount agreed. If the invoice is disputed, isolate the disputed part and press on with the undisputed balance so one argument does not hold back all the cash. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/finance/payments-and-invoicing/payment-terms?utm_source=openai))

Reset the week before it resets you

By the end of the day, put the week on paper. List cash in, cash out, and the gap, then decide what can move, what can wait, and what must be paid first. That is how you stop one failed payroll from turning into rent arrears, supplier pressure, and another missed run next week. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))

If the gap is wider than this week's receipts, get help before you make a second promise you cannot keep. CRP coordinates independent qualified professionals who can help with turnaround support, creditor conversations and a cash plan for the next few days. Call CRP today so you are not managing the payroll problem alone. ([business.gov.au](https://business.gov.au/guide/guide-to-managing-cash-flow?utm_source=openai))