This practice quiz is designed to help you prepare for the Gusto Payroll Certification by testing the skill that matters most: process logic (what to check, in what order, and why). These questions are original and created for learning.
How to use this quiz
- Answer without guessing based on “longest option.” In payroll, the best answer is usually the one that reduces risk.
- After each answer, read the explanation and note which checkpoint you missed.
- If you score under 18/25, review the workflow checklist in the study guide.
Practice questions
Question 1
You’re running payroll tomorrow. What should you verify first to prevent failed payments?
- A) That the company handbook is updated
- B) That employee pay details and schedule deadlines are correct
- C) That the org chart is complete
- D) That performance reviews are scheduled
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Failed payments usually come from missing bank details, schedule/cutoff issues, or setup errors — not policy documents.
Question 2
A new hire starts mid-pay period. What’s the best approach?
- A) Pay them next month to avoid complexity
- B) Complete onboarding setup and confirm prorated earnings align with the pay schedule rules
- C) Add them but skip tax setup until later
- D) Mark them as contractor to simplify payroll
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The key is correct setup + correct schedule application (proration, start date, and withholding).
Question 3
What is the main purpose of the payroll preview/review step?
- A) To reduce taxes automatically
- B) To catch anomalies and missing inputs before confirmation
- C) To remove the need for pay stubs
- D) To replace approvals
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Preview is your risk gate. It’s where you spot missing hours, unusual net pay, and exceptions.
Question 4
An employee’s net pay looks unusually low. What should you check first?
- A) Their job title
- B) Deductions/withholding changes and any one-time items
- C) The marketing budget
- D) The company logo settings
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Low net pay is most commonly linked to withholding, deductions, benefit changes, or one-time adjustments.
Question 5
Which event most often requires an extra payroll check?
- A) A stable salaried employee with no changes
- B) A new hire with incomplete onboarding documents
- C) A month with no PTO
- D) A week with no meetings
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Incomplete onboarding creates compliance risk and payment setup failures.
Question 6
Why do payroll tax forms matter operationally?
- A) They don’t, they’re just paperwork
- B) They document withholdings/filings; errors can create compliance risk
- C) They replace pay stubs
- D) They are only used for marketing
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Payroll becomes high-stakes when filings are wrong. Accuracy protects the business.
Question 7
An employee switches from hourly to salaried. What’s the best next action?
- A) Ignore it until next quarter
- B) Update pay type and confirm how it impacts the current pay period
- C) Delete and recreate the employee profile
- D) Pay a flat amount without documenting the change
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Pay-type changes impact calculations, withholding, and reporting — validate it within the schedule rules.
Question 8
Which sequence is the safest payroll flow?
- A) Confirm payroll → review → fix exceptions
- B) Collect inputs → review → confirm → audit
- C) Audit → confirm → collect inputs
- D) Confirm → collect inputs → review
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Inputs first, review before confirmation, then audit.
Question 9
What’s the most common reason payroll gets delayed?
- A) Too many pay stubs
- B) Missed cutoffs, missing approvals, or late time submissions
- C) Too many training sessions
- D) The company mission statement
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Payroll is deadline-driven. Most delays come from operational cutoffs and approvals.
Question 10
An employee requests a reimbursement. What’s the best practice?
- A) Add it without documentation
- B) Record it clearly as a separate item and verify how it impacts the pay run
- C) Convert it into a raise
- D) Skip it to avoid complexity
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Keep reimbursements distinct and review them as part of payroll inputs.
Question 11
You notice duplicate hours for an hourly employee. What should you do?
- A) Confirm payroll and correct next time
- B) Fix the time input before confirmation and re-check totals
- C) Ignore it if the employee is liked
- D) Delete all time entries
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Corrections must be made before confirmation, followed by a re-check.
Question 12
Which of the following is a “high-risk” payroll change?
- A) Updating an employee’s profile photo
- B) Changing bank details close to payroll cutoff
- C) Adding a new Slack channel
- D) Updating meeting notes
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Bank changes near cutoff can cause failed payments — they require extra verification.
Question 13
What’s the best way to reduce repeated payroll errors over time?
- A) Run payroll faster
- B) Keep a simple change log and use a repeatable checklist
- C) Avoid documenting changes
- D) Only do payroll quarterly
Correct answer: B
Explanation: A checklist + change log prevents recurring issues and makes audits easier.
Question 14
An employee terminates employment. What’s the key payroll focus?
- A) Updating the website footer
- B) Final pay accuracy, timing, and documentation
- C) Adding them to a new pay schedule
- D) Removing all payroll records
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Offboarding is compliance-heavy. Final pay should be handled carefully with clean documentation.
Question 15
You see an unusually high gross pay for one employee. First check should be:
- A) Their LinkedIn profile
- B) One-time items (bonus/commission), overtime, or duplicated inputs
- C) Their team name
- D) Their desk location
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Large gross discrepancies usually come from one-time items or duplicated hours.
Question 16
What’s a smart way to handle payroll when policies change mid-period?
- A) Apply changes immediately without telling anyone
- B) Document the effective date and verify how the change applies within the pay schedule
- C) Ignore the change until next year
- D) Apply changes retroactively without review
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Effective dates matter. Document and validate how a change flows into the current run.
Question 17
Which combination is most important to verify before confirming payroll?
- A) Brand colors and fonts
- B) Inputs + employee setup + anomaly scan
- C) Office snacks
- D) Holiday calendar only
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Those three areas catch most real payroll failures.
Question 18
A payroll run includes a bonus. What’s the safest approach?
- A) Add it and skip preview to save time
- B) Add it as a distinct item, then review totals and net pay impact in preview
- C) Convert it into hourly pay
- D) Delay it indefinitely
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Separate item + preview review reduces surprises and errors.
Question 19
What is the best “first response” when something looks wrong in preview?
- A) Confirm payroll anyway
- B) Identify the source input, correct it, then re-review the preview
- C) Delete all employees
- D) Ignore it if it’s small
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Fix root cause → re-check. That’s the safe pattern.
Question 20
Which is the best reason to keep payroll records organized?
- A) It looks nicer
- B) It supports audits, employee questions, and compliance checks
- C) It reduces the number of pay stubs
- D) It replaces taxes
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Organized records protect the business and make payroll support easier.
Question 21
What’s the biggest risk of “last-minute” changes right before payroll cutoff?
- A) It improves payroll accuracy
- B) It increases the chance of missed approvals, incorrect inputs, and failed payments
- C) It reduces reporting
- D) It makes onboarding faster
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Cutoff pressure is where mistakes happen. Last-minute changes require extra checks.
Question 22
A new deduction is added. What should you validate?
- A) That it’s listed in the company’s marketing doc
- B) That it applies to the right employees and behaves correctly in calculations
- C) That it removes the need for taxes
- D) That it reduces the number of payroll runs
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Deductions must be applied correctly, consistently, and reviewed for net pay impact.
Question 23
Which statement best describes a “clean payroll run”?
- A) It finishes quickly
- B) Inputs are complete, preview looks normal, confirmation happens after checks
- C) It has no pay stubs
- D) It avoids documentation
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Speed is not the goal; reliability is.
Question 24
When should you treat confirmation as “do not proceed”?
- A) When you’re bored
- B) When preview shows anomalies you cannot explain
- C) When the meeting calendar is full
- D) When an employee is remote
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Unexplained anomalies are a stop signal. Find the root cause before confirming.
Question 25
What’s the best way to get from “pass the quiz” to “run payroll well”?
- A) Memorize random facts
- B) Turn the workflow into a checklist and use it every payroll cycle
- C) Avoid preview screens
- D) Only run payroll once a year
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Payroll excellence is repeatability: checklist + review + discipline.
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