Your start date is the day your setup with Freedom is complete and payroll is ready to run. Your first payday is the first day Freedom pays your team. The two dates can be the same day, but they do not have to be.
Start date
The start date is your target to finish setup. By this date:
Your bank account is connected.
Your federal and state tax setup is finished.
Your employees and contractors are added, and they have completed their own setup.
Your pay history for this year is transferred, and Freedom has checked that it is correct.
Your company is approved to run payroll.
You choose your start date in the "Add business details and accept the terms" task on the Onboarding page. Freedom recommends a date based on how long your setup is likely to take.
First payday
The first payday is the day your team gets its first paycheck from Freedom. Your pay schedule sets this date.
If you did not run payroll this year, you set your pay schedule in the "Set your pay schedule" task on the Onboarding page.
If you already ran payroll this year, Freedom sets your pay schedule from your pay history.
Change your start date or first payday
You can change either date later. There is one rule: your first payday must be on or after your start date.
Go to the Onboarding page.
In the "Setup summary" panel, click "Edit" next to "Start date" or "First payday".
Choose the new date and save.
If the "Setup summary" panel on the Onboarding page shows "Contact us to change this." or has no "Edit" link, message Freedom support from the chat in the app.
Note: If you move from another payroll provider, cancel that provider after your first Freedom payday, not after your start date. See How to cancel with your previous payroll provider.