How to Process Payroll Using ZuriHR in Kenya

Processing payroll in Kenya can be complex, especially with compliance requirements like PAYE, SHIF, NSSF, and Housing Levy . Fortunately, ZuriHR streamlines this process, allowing HR professionals and payroll admins to automate calculations, generate payslips, and stay compliant — all from a central dashboard. In this guide, we walk you through how to process payroll using ZuriHR in a few easy

Step 1: Set Up Payroll Settings

Before processing your first payroll, navigate to the Payroll Settings section in ZuriHR. Here, you can define your:

• Allowances, benefits, and deductions
• Overtime rates and bonuses

ZuriHR automatically applies current KRA PAYE tax bands, SHIF rates, NSSF contributions, and other optional deductions. You can customize these settings for different employee categories or specific contracts.

Step 2: Update Employee Earnings & Deductions

ZuriHR makes it easy to manage dynamic payroll elements. Go to Employee → Employee Bulk →  Earnings & Deductions, where you can:

• Add commissions, bonuses, and overtime
• Record loan deductions or SACCO contributions
• Apply benefit allowances like housing or medical

Step 3: Process Payroll

Once all inputs are updated, navigate to Payroll → Process Payroll. Select the period and run the payroll engine. ZuriHR will:

• Automatically calculate net pay
• Apply statutory deductions

You’ll see a Payroll Summary  with gross pay, net pay, PAYE, SHIF, NSSF, and other custom values per employee. This helps validate numbers before moving to the next stage.

Step 4: Generate Payslips & Reports

Once approved, you can generate payslips, Bulk Email to employees and download them in PDF format. Employees can also access their payslips via their self-service portal. Under Reports, you can:

• Download bank payment schedules
• Generate KRA, SHIF, and NSSF reports
• Export custom reports for auditors or finance teams

These reports can be filtered by department, branch, or project — ideal for companies with distributed teams.

Step 5: Submit Returns & Make Payments

After payroll is finalized:

• Submit KRA PAYE returns via iTax
• Upload SHIF and NSSF files via e-Platforms
• Initiate salary transfers.

Conclusion

ZuriHR empowers businesses in Kenya to process payroll accurately and effortlessly. From automated tax computations to payslip generation and statutory reports, every step is optimized for local compliance and ease of use. Whether you’re managing 5 or 5000 employees, ZuriHR ensures your payroll is processed correctly — and on time.