Payroll Planning
OfficialFreeConfidently manage payroll with cash forecasts and invoice reminders.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Payroll Planning does
The Payroll Planning skill streamlines the payroll process by forecasting cash flow and managing overdue invoices. It operates in two main steps: first, it assesses your cash position by pulling data from connected financial services like QuickBooks, PayPal, Stripe, or Square. If no connections are available, it allows for CSV uploads. The skill creates a 30, 60, or 90-day cash forecast, highlighting potential risks and delivering a summary along with an Excel file for further analysis. The owner must approve the forecast before proceeding to the next step, ensuring that no actions are taken without explicit consent.
Once the cash forecast is confirmed, the skill transitions to managing overdue invoices. It retrieves overdue invoice data and ranks them based on the amount owed, how late they are, and the customer's payment history. The skill drafts reminders tailored to the tone appropriate for each customer and presents these alongside a projected cash impact if payments are received. Again, the owner must approve any reminders before they are sent, maintaining strict control over communications.
This skill is designed for business owners or financial managers who need to maintain a clear view of their cash flow and ensure timely payroll processing. By integrating cash forecasts with overdue invoice management, it helps prevent cash shortfalls and supports informed decision-making regarding payroll operations.
When to use it
Use this skill when preparing for payroll to ensure you have sufficient cash flow and to follow up on overdue invoices.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for businesses without existing connections to accounting software or those who do not require detailed cash flow forecasting.
What you can build with it
Preparing for Payroll
Use the skill to forecast cash flow before payroll runs, ensuring you have enough funds.
Chasing Overdue Invoices
After confirming the cash forecast, leverage the skill to manage and send reminders for overdue invoices.
Risk Management
Utilize the skill to identify potential cash shortfalls and take proactive measures to mitigate risks.
How to install Payroll Planning
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/plan-payroll --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by anthropicsRun the payroll-confidence pipeline by chaining two skills. The owner approves at each handoff — never send a reminder or commit a forecast without explicit confirmation.
Parse arguments:
--horizon(default30) — forecast window in days (30, 60, or 90)--payroll-date(optional) — the date payroll runs; defaults to next Friday
Step 1 — Cash forecast (cash-flow-snapshot)
Trigger the cash-flow-snapshot skill workflow:
- Pull AR, AP, and historical cash timing from QuickBooks, PayPal, Stripe, or Square (whichever are connected). Fall back to CSV upload if no connector is live.
- Layer in known fixed costs (rent, payroll, recurring vendor charges).
- Produce a 30/60/90-day forecast (use the requested
--horizon) with percentage-variance confidence bands. - Flag named risks — e.g., "payroll on May 15 lands $4,200 below your fixed-cost floor at the median forecast."
- Deliver chat summary + downloadable XLSX.
- Present to the owner. Wait for explicit "okay, see what we can collect" before Step 2.
If the forecast shows payroll is comfortably covered, ask the owner whether they still want to chase overdue invoices or stop here.
Step 2 — Overdue collection (invoice-chase)
After Step 1 approval, trigger the invoice-chase skill workflow:
- Pull overdue invoices from QuickBooks and PayPal.
- Rank by amount × days-late × customer payment history.
- For each, draft a reminder matched to tone (gentle for good customers, firm for repeat late payers).
- PayPal-issued invoices queue as PayPal-send drafts; non-PayPal invoices queue as Mail drafts.
- Present the ranked list with drafted reminders. Show the projected cash impact if a top-N subset gets paid within the horizon — does that close the payroll gap from Step 1?
- Wait for explicit "send these" per reminder (or batch approval) before pushing.
Approval gates (must hold)
- Never send a reminder without owner approval — drafts only until "send" is given.
- Never commit a forecast as authoritative without owner sign-off.
- If a connector is unreachable (QuickBooks, PayPal, Mail), stop, report which connector failed, and ask whether to retry, fall back to CSV, or abort.
Output
End the run with a one-paragraph recap: forecast verdict (covered / gap / risk), reminders sent and to whom, projected new cash position if reminders convert.
Frequently asked questions about Payroll Planning
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