How do I download and print a payslip?

The payslip is far more than just a record of your earnings for a specific pay period; it is a vital financial document. Whether you need proof of income for a mortgage application, are filing annual tax returns, or simply tracking your personal budget, having reliable access to these statements is essential. ^[4] For most salaried employees today, retrieving this information is handled through digital means, either via an employer’s dedicated payroll portal or through specialized software.

# System Access

Most modern employers provide access to pay statements electronically through an online platform or employee self-service portal. ^[8] This digital method is typically the most reliable way to secure an official copy, as these systems are directly linked to the company's payroll ledger.

If your company uses a specific service, like Employment Hero, the initial step involves logging into that system using your unique credentials. ^[8] Once authenticated, you generally need to navigate to the section explicitly labeled for pay statements, pay slips, or entitlements. ^[8] In platforms like Employment Hero, employees can view, download, and print their slips for specified pay periods. ^[8] Similarly, if you are looking through a system like QuickBooks, you might find options related to sending or printing pay slips within the associated payroll module. ^[6]

The user experience across these platforms tends to follow a similar pattern: log in, locate the payroll/pay section, select the desired date or pay run, and then look for the download or print icon. ^[6][8] For those using these portals, the ability to access historical data is usually excellent, often allowing you to retrieve slips from years prior, depending on the company's data retention policy. ^[6][8]

# Generator Use

In scenarios where you are a contractor, a sole proprietor, or perhaps your employer does not use a formalized system, you might need to create a payslip manually. ^[10] This is where online payslip generators become useful resources. ^[2][3][4][7]

These tools, offered by various financial software providers or dedicated template sites, allow you to input all the necessary data—employee details, employer information, gross pay, deductions, and net pay—to quickly generate a document. ^[3][7] Zoho, Conta, Paysliper, and PDFfiller all offer template-based or generator services. ^{[2][3][4][5][7]} These are useful for quickly creating a document that looks professional, which can be helpful when dealing with smaller clients or for internal records. ^[10]

When comparing the system-retrieved slip with a self-generated one, there is a key difference in authority. An employer-issued payslip from a recognized payroll system carries inherent authority for official matters like mortgages. A document generated by a third-party template tool, while accurate for personal records, may require additional verification if submitted to a lender, who prioritizes the signature or digital ledger trail from the employer's source system. ^[6][8] The generator creates the format; the employer's system creates the official record.

How does salary sacrifice show on a payslip?

# Saving Copies

Whether you download a file directly from an employee portal or generate one using a third-party service, the next immediate action should always be digital saving, not printing. ^[9] Printing creates a physical copy, but the digital file is your long-term, verifiable asset.

When you find the option to download, it will typically save as a PDF file to your computer’s default download folder. ^[8] If you are using a browser function to print, ensure you select the "Save as PDF" option in the printer dialogue box instead of sending it to a physical printer. ^[9] Sometimes, web-based systems can experience slight delays or issues when trying to print directly from the browser interface, making a direct PDF download safer. ^[9]

When saving digital payslips, establish a consistent naming convention immediately. Instead of relying on generic filenames like payslip_12.pdf, rename them clearly using the year, month, and employee ID if available, e.g., 2025_12_Salary_EID12345.pdf. This makes searching and annual tax bundling much faster later on. ^[4]

# Physical Output

Once the digital file is securely saved in an organized location, printing becomes straightforward. If the document came from an online portal, you can open the downloaded PDF and use your computer's standard print command. ^[6][8] If you used an online generator, the tool itself usually provides a direct print button after the document is finalized. ^[2][3]

Ensure your printer has sufficient paper and ink, and check the settings before committing to print all pages at once. Printing a single payslip is usually quick, but if you are printing a year's worth, a quick check on settings prevents wasted resources.

Where can I download a salary slip?

# Record Management

A crucial aspect that often gets overlooked when downloading is long-term management. Your payslips document your income history, which is essential for verifying employment history, calculating pension contributions, or applying for credit. ^[4]

You should aim to keep digital copies of every payslip you receive, ideally backing them up to cloud storage or an external drive in addition to your local computer. ^[6] For official requirements, many people keep physical copies of the most important ones—perhaps the first one of the tax year or the last one—though digital is increasingly preferred for security and space. However, if you are filing taxes based on official forms provided by your employer, those forms are usually the primary required documentation, with the payslip serving as the detailed backup. ^[4]

If you ever switch jobs or your employer changes payroll providers, you may lose access to older records through the employer's portal. This makes your personal archive, built from those regular downloads, incredibly important for maintaining a complete financial history, especially if you need to prove income from several years ago for a major loan application. ^[6][8]