To start, navigate to Business Settings → Integrations:
Click → Connect, you will be redirected to the QuickBooks or Xero login page
Return to Collage Payroll with your accounting platform successfully connected
Click → Import Accounts
You can only import accounts that are liability, expense or bank
Set up required base accounts:
Once you’ve imported your accounts, you would first need to map your “Bank Account” and “Net Payroll Payable” under Business Settings --> GL Codes
Bank account: the cash account used for payroll payments
Net Payroll Payable: the liability account used to hold net pay and withholdings until paid
Map payroll items:
Business Settings → GL Codes
Mapping can be done via Sub-Type Fallback OR Presets
Sub-Type Fallback:
Default the mapping logic when the individual preset does not have a specific accounting code assigned
Setting this ensures that all line items are captured in journal entries.
They are useful for items that don’t originate from a preset, like salary and wage.
Presets:
When creating presets, you can map specific payroll items to imported Expense and Liability accounts
eg: Cell Phone Allowance mapped to Bell Mobile Expense - 7128
Statutory withholdings presets are auto‑generated for every employee and employer subtype, including province‑specific WCB and Québec HSF where applicable
Presets you edit affect future payrolls; approved payrolls keep their existing mappings
Recommended approach:
Create presets where you need reporting detail
Define broad fallbacks for earnings buckets like salary, wages, bonuses to avoid gaps in journal entry reports
Validation rule of thumb:
Every line item must resolve to either a preset or a fallback before export
Review setup before exporting:
If you have not mapped all your codes, you will see a warning message on the Payroll dashboard
If all the codes have been successfully mapped, you can proceed with running payroll
Once payroll is marked as Paid you can export your journal entry to QuickBooks or Xero