---
title: "When do I close the tax period when paying employees?"
slug: "when-do-i-close-the-tax-period-when-paying-employees"
updated: 2026-06-10T11:26:20Z
published: 2026-06-10T11:26:20Z
canonical: "help.cintra.co.uk/when-do-i-close-the-tax-period-when-paying-employees"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.cintra.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# When do I close the tax period when paying employees?

Once your payroll is finalised, you can pay employees within **Cintra iQ**, using your preferred payment method and report the details to **HMRC** in a **FPS** submission. You cannot close a period without having sent the **FPS** to **HMRC**. If you attempt to close the period before you have completed the payment run(s), the following message appears: **Unable to close payroll period: Total of Payment runs made amount must equal total net pay.**

Or if you have not sent the **FPS**, this message appears stating: **Unable to close payroll period. Communication with the HMRC has to be completed. Payment [#] has not had an FPS file successfully transmitted.** You must return to the **Paying Out** form and complete the processes that are outstanding.

When you have completed your payment runs, you can move into the next payroll period as per your usual procedure.