Paystub Layout: Stubs Per Page and Formatting

The Paystub Printer offers extensive layout controls so you can match your physical paper stock and produce professional-looking payroll documents. This article covers paper presets, stubs-per-page configuration, dimension controls, font settings, and feature toggles.

Paper Stock Presets

The Preset dropdown at the top of the layout section provides multiple standard paystub sizes. Select the preset that matches the paper stock you have loaded in your printer. When you select a preset, the stub dimensions, page dimensions, margins, and stubs-per-page setting are all filled in automatically.

If none of the presets match your paper, select a preset that is close to your needs and adjust the individual dimension fields, or start from scratch by entering all values manually.

Stubs Per Page

The Stubs Per Page setting controls how many individual paystubs are printed on each physical page. Available options are:

• 1 stub per page — the entire page is used for a single paystub. This provides the most space for line items and is recommended for employees with many deductions and benefits. Use this when employees have complex compensation packages with numerous earnings types, deductions, and benefit items.
• 2 stubs per page — the page is divided horizontally into two equal sections. This is a good balance between readability and paper efficiency. Suitable for most employees with a typical number of line items.
• 3 stubs per page — the page is divided into three equal sections. This is the most common configuration for standard payroll. It works well for employees with a moderate number of deductions and fits most standard paystub paper stock.
• 4 stubs per page — the page is divided into four equal sections. This maximizes paper efficiency but provides the least space per stub. Best suited for simple paystubs with few line items, such as salaried employees with minimal deductions.

Choose based on the complexity of your employees' paystubs. If some employees have many line items and others have few, consider using different stubs-per-page settings for different employee types.

Stub Dimensions

The Width and Height fields define the size of each individual stub area in inches. The page is divided into equal sections based on the stubs-per-page setting, and each section is sized according to these dimensions.

For example, with 3 stubs per page on US Letter paper (8.5 x 11 inches), each stub area would be approximately 8.5 inches wide and 3.33 inches tall after accounting for margins.

Page Dimensions

The Page Width and Page Height fields define the total size of the physical paper:

• US Letter — 8.5 x 11 inches (the default)
• A4 — 8.27 x 11.69 inches
• Legal — 8.5 x 14 inches

Adjust these values to match your printer's paper size. Most US businesses use Letter size, but adjust for A4 if your organization uses international paper standards.

Margins

Four margin fields control the non-printable border around the edge of each page:

• Top Margin — space above the first stub
• Bottom Margin — space below the last stub
• Left Margin — space to the left of the stub content
• Right Margin — space to the right of the stub content

Standard margins are 0.5 inches on all sides. If your printer has a wider non-printable border, increase the margins accordingly to prevent content from being clipped.

Section Spacing

The Section Spacing control adjusts the vertical gap between the earnings, deductions, and benefits sections within each individual stub. This affects readability:

• Increase spacing for better visual separation between sections, making each section easier to identify at a glance
• Decrease spacing to fit more content within a smaller stub area, useful when using 3 or 4 stubs per page with employees who have many line items

Find the balance between readability and content density based on your stub size and typical number of line items.

Font Settings

Four font size controls let you fine-tune the typography of the paystub:

• Header Font Size (default 12pt) — controls the employee name and company name text. This is the largest text on the stub and establishes the visual hierarchy.
• Label Font Size (default 9pt) — controls the field labels such as "Regular Hours", "Federal Tax", and "Health Insurance". These labels identify each line item and field.
• Value Font Size (default 9pt) — controls the actual amounts, hours, and rates displayed next to each label. Keeping this the same size as the label font ensures a clean, aligned appearance.
• Total Font Size (default 11pt) — controls the Gross Pay, Total Deductions, and Net Pay summary totals. Slightly larger than the label and value fonts to make the bottom-line numbers stand out.

All four font sizes use the same font family, which you can select from the Font dropdown. Choose a clean, readable font for payroll documents. Monospaced fonts like Courier can help align dollar amounts in columns, while proportional fonts like Arial or Calibri provide a more modern appearance.

Feature Toggles

Two toggles control optional content on the paystub:

• Show YTD Totals — when enabled, adds year-to-date columns for gross pay, deductions, and net pay. This is valuable for employees to track cumulative earnings throughout the year. Disable this to save space on smaller stubs.
• Show Hours Breakdown — when enabled, shows the regular hours, overtime hours, and their respective rates in a dedicated section. This is essential for hourly employees. Disable this for salaried employees who do not track hourly time, freeing up space for other content.

Template Strategy

Create separate layout configurations for different employee types to optimize readability and paper usage:

• Hourly employees — enable Show Hours Breakdown and Show YTD Totals. Use 2 or 3 stubs per page depending on the number of deductions. Name this configuration something clear like "Hourly - 3 Per Page".
• Salaried employees — disable Show Hours Breakdown to save space. Keep Show YTD Totals enabled. Use 3 or 4 stubs per page since salaried stubs are simpler. Name this configuration "Salary - 3 Per Page".
• Executives or complex compensation — use 1 or 2 stubs per page with both toggles enabled and larger font sizes for easy reading. Name this configuration "Executive - 1 Per Page".

Saving templates with clear names lets you quickly switch between configurations during a payroll print run without reconfiguring the layout each time.

Tips

• Print a test page on plain paper before printing on pre-perforated paystub stock. Hold the test print against the stock to verify alignment.
• If content is being clipped or overlapping, increase the stub height, decrease the font sizes, or reduce the stubs-per-page count.
• For consistent appearance across all paystubs, settle on a standard template for each employee type and use it for every pay period.
• When switching between paper stock types, always re-select the appropriate preset to avoid misaligned printing.