Where does the extracted data appear in Make?

All extracted fields appear in the module output bundle under payStubData and can be mapped directly into any downstream module: Google Sheets, databases, Slack, email, or CRM systems.

AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip in Make

AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip is a Make module by PDF4me that reads a pay stub or payslip PDF (or image) and returns a structured bundle of payroll fields: gross pay, net pay, tax line items, employee and employer details, hours worked, and year-to-date totals. Use it to automate payroll digitization, income verification, or tax-document processing without template configuration.

What this module does

PDF4me AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip reads a pay stub or payslip PDF (or image) inside a Make scenario and returns a structured bundle of payroll fields: gross pay, net pay, all tax line items, employee and employer details, hours worked, and year-to-date totals. No template configuration required; the AI identifies the layout automatically and works with pay stubs from any company or payroll provider.

How Do I Authenticate My Make Scenario?

Every PDF4me module in Make requires a valid Connection. Create or select one that holds your PDF4me API key so the scenario can authenticate pay stub extraction requests securely.

Get your API Key

Important Facts You Should Not Miss

Accepts PDF & Images

Supports PDF, PNG, JPG, and JPEG inputs, digital pay stubs generated by payroll software and smartphone-photographed payslips both work. Always include the file extension in Pay Stub Name.

Structured payStubData Bundle

Returns gross pay, net pay, pay period, federal/state/FICA taxes, employee name and ID, employer name, regular and overtime hours, YTD gross and net pay, health insurance, 401(k), and more inside the payStubData object.

File Extension Required

The Pay Stub Name field must include the correct extension (.pdf, .png, .jpg). The AI uses it for format detection and processing accuracy, omitting it may cause the module to fail or misidentify the document type.

AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip module in Make: extract payroll data from PDF or image — PDF4me AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip module extracting structured payroll data in a Make scenario.

Parameters

Required: Connection, Pay Stub Name, Document, and Input Data Type must all be provided. Custom Field Keys is optional.

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
Connection	Required	PDF4me API connection. Click Add and paste your API key if connecting for the first time.	`Your PDF4me connection`
Pay Stub Name	Required	Filename of the pay stub including extension: used for format detection and processing accuracy.	`payslip_march.pdf`
Document	Required	Binary pay stub file mapped from a preceding module such as Dropbox Get File or Google Drive Download.	`[Buffer from Get File]`
Input Data Type	Required	Format of the input: Binary Data, Base64 String, or URL: choose based on how your preceding module delivers the file.	`Binary Data`
Custom Field Keys	Optional	Optional array of extra field names to extract beyond the standard payroll fields: e.g. shift_premium or car_allowance.	`["shift_premium"]`

Output Fields

Field	Type	What it contains
`payStubData`	Object	Container object with all extracted pay stub fields: earnings, taxes, deductions, employee details, employer information, and YTD totals.
`grossPay`	Number	The gross pay amount before deductions.
`netPay`	Number	The net pay amount after all deductions.
`payPeriod`	String	The pay period date range for the pay stub, e.g. "07/10/2017 - 07/23/2017".
`federalIncomeTax`	Number	Federal income tax amount deducted.
`stateIncomeTax`	Number	State income tax amount deducted.
`employeeName`	String	Name of the employee as printed on the pay stub.
`companyName`	String	Name of the employer or company.
`ytdGrossPay`	Number	Year-to-date gross pay total.
`ytdNetPay`	Number	Year-to-date net pay total.
`success`	Boolean	True if the AI extraction completed successfully; false if it failed.
`message`	String	Human-readable status message confirming success or describing the error.

How Do I Set Up AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip in Make?

Add PDF4me → AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip to your Make scenario.
Select Connection (or click Add to create one with your PDF4me API key).
Set Input Data Type to Binary Data (most cloud storage sources return binary).
Map the pay stub binary from the previous module (e.g. Dropbox → Get File → Data).
Enter a Pay Stub Name including the file extension: payslip.pdf or scan.jpg.
Optionally add Custom Field Keys for employer-specific fields, then run the scenario. The payStubData bundle appears in the output ready to map into any downstream module.

Typical Setups

Workflow ExamplesCommon Make scenario patterns using AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip.

Monthly payroll digitisation

Dropbox Watch Folder detects a new pay stub uploaded by HR.
Get File retrieves the binary, then AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip extracts all payroll fields.
Google Sheets Add Row logs gross pay, net pay, taxes, and hours to the payroll tracking spreadsheet.
Each employee pay stub is processed automatically, no manual data entry needed.

Income verification for loan applications

Typeform collects pay stub uploads from loan applicants via HTTP.
AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip extracts gross pay and YTD totals from each uploaded file.
A Filter checks if grossPay meets the minimum threshold for the loan product.
Airtable Update Record writes the verified income data to the applicant record for underwriter review.

Year-end tax preparation batch

Scheduled trigger lists all pay stubs for the tax year from Google Drive.
Iterator loops through each file, Get File → AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip.
Aggregator sums YTD gross pay, federal tax, and state tax across all pay stubs.
Google Sheets exports the annual totals ready for tax preparation, all from a single scenario run.

Practical Tips

Always include the file extension

The Pay Stub Name field must carry the real extension (.pdf, .png, .jpg, .jpeg). A file mapped without one can fail format detection or reduce AI accuracy.

Match Input Data Type to your actual field

If Input Data Type is Binary Data but you only mapped a value into a Base64 field, the module errors. Set the type first, then fill only the matching field.

Some fields return empty on non-standard layouts

Fields like employerEin or rawOcrText can return empty strings when a pay stub layout omits that data. Handle empty values in downstream Filters rather than assuming every field is always populated.

Scanned pay stubs need legible resolution

For photographed or scanned pay stubs, low resolution or a cropped edge reduces field-extraction accuracy. Capture the full document in frame with good lighting.

Employee ID/SSN may be masked

employeeIdSsn can appear partially masked on the source pay stub itself. Treat it as a reference value, not a verified full SSN, unless your payroll provider prints it in full.

Use Custom Field Keys for employer-specific lines

Standard fields cover common payroll line items. For employer-specific extras like shift_premium or car_allowance, list them in Custom Field Keys rather than parsing rawOcrText manually.

Cheat Sheet

Field	Value
Module	`AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip`
Connection	`PDF4me API key`
Input Data Type (from previous step)	`Binary Data`
Input Data Type (Base64 payload)	`Base64 String`
Input Data Type (public link)	`URL`
Pay Stub Name format	`filename.pdf / .png / .jpg / .jpeg`
Key output fields	`payStubData.grossPay, netPay, payPeriod, ytdGrossPay, ytdNetPay`
Optional extras	`Custom Field Keys array`

Common Questions

What file formats does AI-Process Pay Stub Payslip support?+

The module accepts PDF, PNG, JPG, and JPEG files. Both digital pay stubs generated by payroll software and scanned or photographed payslips are supported. For image-based pay stubs, capture the full document in frame with good lighting for best results.

What payroll fields are extracted from a pay stub?+

The module returns a payStubData object with fields including grossPay, netPay, payPeriod, payDateStr, federalIncomeTax, stateIncomeTax, socialSecurityTax, medicareTax, employeeName, employeeIdSsn, companyName, employerAddress, regularHours, overtimeHours, retirement401k, ytdGrossPay, ytdNetPay, checkNumber, and directDepositInfo. Additional fields are available via Custom Field Keys.

Can it process scanned or photographed pay stubs?+

Yes. The AI engine handles image-based pay stubs (PNG, JPG, JPEG) including documents photographed with a smartphone, as long as the image is clear and the full document is in frame. This supports income verification workflows similar to the document checks described in the <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-proof-of-income-en-1000/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CFPB guidance on proof of income</a>.

What is the Custom Field Keys parameter?+

Custom Field Keys is an optional array of extra field names you want extracted beyond the standard payroll fields. Use it when your pay stubs include employer-specific line items, for example shift_premium or car_allowance. Leave it empty to use the standard field set.

Where does the extracted pay stub data appear in Make?+

All fields appear in the module output bundle under payStubData. Click any field in a downstream module and select the desired key, for example payStubData.grossPay or payStubData.employeeName, to map it directly into Google Sheets, Airtable, Slack, email, or any other module. See the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/employees/understanding-your-pay-stub" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IRS guidance on pay stub components</a> for the standard payroll fields this module is trained to recognize.

AI-Invoice Parser

Extract vendor details, line items, and amounts from invoices using AI, same approach as pay stub extraction.

AI-Process Receipt

Extract merchant details, line items, and totals from expense receipts, ideal for pairing with pay stub workflows.

Classify Document

Automatically identify document type before routing to the correct AI extraction module.