Remove a blank employee ID in BusinessWorks.
If automatic payroll calculations stall or your payroll close won’t complete (progress bar keeps going past 100%), the issue is often a blank Employee ID in your employee list. Follow the steps below to find and remove it.
Before you begin: Confirm the symptoms
- Try running Automatic Payroll Calculation for timecards.
- Try closing the Payroll module.
Note: If either process hangs or never finishes, proceed to Step 1.
Step 1: Open Maintain Employees
- Go to Payroll > Employees > Maintain Employees.
Step 2: Check for a blank Employee ID
- Look at the first record that appears.
- If the Employee ID field is empty, you’ve found the blank record causing the issue.
Note: If it’s not empty, this tip doesn’t apply, your issue has another cause.
Step 3: Rename the blank record
- With the blank record highlighted, click Rename (icon shows an A → B arrow).
- Enter an ID and click OK.
Note: Renaming allows the record to be deleted in the next step (if available).
Step 4: Delete the renamed record (if available)
- After renaming, click Delete.
- Confirm OK to remove the record.
- Close Maintain Employees.
Step 5: Re-run the payroll action
- Re-try the Automatic Payroll Calculation for timecards
- Re-run the Payroll Close.
The process should now be completed normally.
If you have questions or need assistance with your Sage BusinessWorks software at any time, please contact our BusinessWorks support team at 260.423.2414.
Register for our Sage BusinessWorks newsletter today!
Copyright 2025 DWD Technology Group | All rights reserved. This article content may not be reproduced (in whole or in part), displayed, modified or distributed without express permission from the copyright holder.
About the Author: Mary Hildinger
