Payslip generation versus payroll tax filing

Free forever. Payroll calculations, payslip generation and PDF downloads in LexSalim are free for individuals, employers and small businesses. No subscription, no checkout and no hidden payroll charge.

Availability. The generator is not yet live on lexsalim.com. United Kingdom support is in development; United States and Canada are planned.

It is easy to assume that producing a payslip means payroll has been "done". It has not. Two separate things happen when an employee is paid, and the Free Payroll & Payslip Generator is designed for only one of them.

1. Documenting the payment

A payslip records, for one pay period, what was earned, what was deducted and what was paid. Producing a clear, accurate payslip is what the generator is for: the calculation of gross to net using the country's rule pack, a professional layout, and a PDF the employee can keep.

2. Reporting and paying

Separately, the employer must report the payment and the deductions to the tax authority and pay over what was withheld, on the authority's timetable and in its format. For example:

• United Kingdom: employers report pay and deductions to HMRC under Real Time Information (RTI), normally on or before each payday, and pay the PAYE and National Insurance due. RTI is a regulated electronic submission.
• United States: employers deposit withheld federal taxes and FICA with the IRS on a schedule, file periodic returns, provide Forms W-2 at year end, and meet state and local requirements.
• Canada: employers remit source deductions to the CRA (and Revenu Québec where applicable) on a schedule and issue T4 and, in Québec, Relevé 1 slips.

LexSalim's free generator does not do any of this. It does not submit RTI, does not file with the IRS or the CRA, does not make payments to any authority and does not produce statutory year-end forms. Generating a payslip in LexSalim is not, and must not be presented as, compliant payroll filing.

Why the distinction matters

Filing integrations are regulated, country-specific and need separate accreditation, testing and security review. They are not part of the free service and are not currently planned as part of it. Employers remain responsible for their reporting and payment obligations whichever tool they use to produce payslips.

What this means in practice

• Use the generator (when it opens) to produce accurate payslips and keep a clear record of each payment.
• Use HMRC-recognised, IRS-compliant or CRA-compliant payroll software, or an accountant or payroll bureau, for reporting and remittance.
• Keep the two consistent: the figures on the payslip should match what is reported.

Questions about your own obligations are for a qualified accountant or the relevant tax authority; LexSalim is not an accountancy practice and does not give tax advice.