How to open payroll periods only for specific employees? – Day.io

Reopening a locked payroll period for specific employees allows you to correct records without unlocking the entire period.

This feature is only available for locked periods and is accessed from the period’s detail page under Payroll > Lockings.

Open the list of lockings
- Go to Payroll > Lockings and find a period with status LOCKED.
- Click the row to open the details.
Unlock specific employees
- Hover over the desired employee row. Actions Unlock, Review attendance and Review absence appear.
- Click Unlock to reopen the period only for that employee. Their status will change to UNLOCKED, allowing corrections.
- Make the necessary adjustments in attendance or absence records.
Lock again
- After correcting, click the Lock button at the top to close the period again (or individually on the employee's row). The employee’s status will revert to LOCKED and you can export the payroll.

I can't unlock the period: the employee has a completed Electronic Signature

When an employee has a completed Electronic Signature for the period, you will not be able to unlock their closing. When you try to perform the action, the platform will display an error at the bottom of the screen.

To release the period, first cancel the signature:

Go to Payroll > Electronic Signature;
Locate the request corresponding to the Payment Group and period;
Click the request to view the employees;
Hover over the employee's name;
Open the actions menu (…);
Select Cancel;
Return to the closing;
Locate the employee and click Unlock again.

Canceling removes that employee's signature. After completing the corrections and locking the period again, you will need to send a new signature request.

If the request is still Pending, the period can be unlocked, but the pending signature will be canceled and must be requested again after the period is locked again.

Other actions available on the screen

Unlock all: if you need to correct the entire period, click Unlock all to open it for everyone.
Review data: use Review punches and Review absences to check the records before locking the period again.

Tips and troubleshooting

When unlocking employees, notify them so they can make or approve corrections quickly.
Only users with Payroll permission can perform this action.
If you exported the payroll before unlocking the period, you will need to export it again after the corrections.
Important: you cannot unlock an older period without first unlocking the more recent periods. The system follows a chronological order for closings.
For example, if you are in December and need to unlock an employee's period from August, you must first unlock November, October, and September, in that order. After that, you will be able to unlock August.
An error appears when I try to unlock: check whether the employee has already completed the Electronic Signature for the period;
The signature is completed: cancel it under Payroll > Electronic Signature before trying to unlock again;
The period was corrected and locked again: send a new request, because the previous signature cannot be reused.

Best practices

Unlock only the employees who need corrections to avoid unnecessary rework.
After making corrections, lock the period again as soon as possible to prevent unintended changes.
Check the signature status before starting the unlocking process.
Whenever possible, complete all corrections before requesting the Electronic Signature.
After locking the period again, generate a new report and send a new signature request.

Frequently asked questions

Can I unlock multiple employees at once?
Yes. If you want to unlock everyone, use Unlock all; for specific employees, click Unlock individually.
Does unlocking remove digital signatures?
Yes. When the period is reopened, pending signatures are canceled and must be requested again after the period is locked again.
Do I need to export again after making adjustments?
Yes. Any adjustment made after the period was locked requires a new export so the changes are reflected in the payroll system.
Why can't I unlock an employee's closing?
The employee may have a completed Electronic Signature for the period. In this case, cancel the signature before unlocking.
Where do I cancel the employee's signature?
Go to Payroll > Electronic Signature, open the request, hover over the employee's name, click the (…) menu, and select Cancel.
Do I need to request the signature again after the corrections?
Yes. After correcting and locking the period again, send a new signature request because the previous one was canceled.

Other actions available on this screen

Unlock All: If you need to reopen the entire period, click Unlock All.
Review data: Use Review attendance and Review absence to check records before locking again.

Tips or Troubleshooting

Notify employees when you unlock them so they can promptly update or approve corrections.
Only users with Payroll permissions can perform this action.
If you exported the payroll before unlocking, you must export again after corrections.
Important: It is not possible to unlock an older payroll period without first unlocking the more recent periods. The system respects a chronological order of lockings.
So, if you are in December and need to unlock a period for an employee related to August, you must first unlock the months of November, October and September in this order. Only after that it will be possible to unlock August.

Best Practices

Unlock only the necessary employees to minimize additional work.
After corrections, lock the period promptly to prevent further edits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unlock multiple employees at once? Yes. Use Unlock All to reopen for all employees; otherwise unlock individually.
Does unlocking remove digital signatures? Yes. Reopening cancels pending signatures; you need to request them again after re‑locking.
Do I need to export again after adjustments? Yes. Any post‑locking adjustments require a new export so your payroll system reflects the changes.