Where to look for your Paylocity username

Your Paylocity username is usually in an email from your employer's HR or payroll department. Look for a message with the subject line "Paylocity Account Setup", "Welcome to Paylocity", or "Your Paylocity Login Information". The username appears in that email alongside a temporary password or a link to set your password.

If you cannot find that email, check your spam or promotions folder — setup emails sometimes land there. The email will come from a Paylocity address or from your employer's HR contact, depending on how your company set up the system.

If the email is gone and you do not have your username written down, you have two other places to check: your employer's HR portal or the Paylocity login page itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Paylocity username is sent by your employer's HR or payroll team in a setup email, usually with "Paylocity" or "Account Setup" in the subject line.
  • Check your email spam and promotions folders if you cannot find the original message in your inbox.
  • Your employer's HR portal or intranet often displays your Paylocity username if you have access to it.
  • The Paylocity login page has a "Forgot Username" link that will send your username to your work email address.
  • Your username is not the same as your employee ID number, though both may appear in your setup email.

Using the Paylocity "Forgot Username" feature

Go to the Paylocity login page at login.paylocity.com. Below the username and password fields, click the link that says "Forgot Username" or "Need Help Logging In".

Enter your work email address — the one your employer has on file for you. Paylocity will send your username to that email within a few minutes. Check your inbox and spam folder. The email will show your username in plain text, and you can then use it to log in.

This method works only if your work email is the one your employer registered with Paylocity. If your company uses a different email for payroll records, contact your HR department to confirm which address they used.

Checking your employer's HR portal or intranet

Many companies post employee information on an internal HR portal or intranet site. Log in with your regular work credentials and look for a section called "Payroll", "Benefits", "Employee Resources", or "My Information". Your Paylocity username may be listed there alongside other payroll details.

If your company has an employee handbook or onboarding documents, those sometimes include your Paylocity username as well. Ask your HR department or your direct manager if they can point you to where this information is stored.

What to do if you still cannot find it

Contact your employer's HR or payroll department directly. They have your username on file and can tell you what it is over the phone, by email, or through your company's internal messaging system. Have your employee ID number ready when you reach out — it will help them locate your account faster.

Do not create a new Paylocity account. Your employer has already set one up for you, and creating a duplicate will not give you access to your actual payroll information. Your HR department can reset your password or unlock your account if you have been locked out after too many wrong login attempts.

Understanding the difference between username and employee ID

Your Paylocity username is not the same as your employee ID number. Your employee ID is a number your company assigns to identify you in their system. Your Paylocity username is a separate login credential that your employer creates when they set up your Paylocity account.

Both may appear in your setup email, but only the username will work to log into Paylocity. If you try to log in with your employee ID number, you will get an error message. The setup email will clearly label which one is your username.

Logging in after you find your username

Once you have your username, go to login.paylocity.com and enter it in the username field. If this is your first time logging in, you will need to set a password or use a temporary one from your setup email. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the login process.

If you have forgotten your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page instead of "Forgot Username". Paylocity will send a password reset link to your work email. You will still need your username to complete the reset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my Paylocity username the same as my work email address?

Not always. Some companies set up Paylocity usernames that match work email addresses, but many use different formats like your first initial plus last name, or a custom code. Check your setup email to see exactly what your username is.

Can I change my Paylocity username?

No, you cannot change your username yourself. Your employer controls that setting. If you need a different username, contact your HR or payroll department and they can request a change through their Paylocity admin account.

What if my employer says they never sent me a setup email?

Ask your HR department to resend the setup email or to provide your username directly. They may need to re-invite you to the system if the original invitation expired. This is a common request and takes only a few minutes for them to process.

Will Paylocity tell me my username if I call them directly?

No. Paylocity customer support handles technical issues but does not have access to individual employee usernames. You must contact your employer's HR or payroll team, or use the "Forgot Username" feature on the login page.