Compliance
Collect subcontractor payrolls
Stop chasing subs for certified payroll by email. A validation portal collects every report, checks it on upload, and reminds the subs who are behind.
Subcontractor payroll collection is the process a general contractor uses to gather certified payroll and compliance documents from every subcontractor on a public works job. It covers requesting weekly reports, validating them on receipt, tracking which subs are missing, and retaining the records for the required period.
- Filing cadence
- Weekly for each week worked
- Record retention (Davis-Bacon)
- 3 years after completion
- California filing
- Electronic CPR through the DIR portal
The problem
The GC is responsible for payrolls it does not produce.
On a public works job, the general contractor has to collect certified payroll from every subcontractor, every week, and answer for gaps at audit time. The reports arrive as email attachments in a dozen formats, or they do not arrive at all, and someone maintains a tracker of who is behind.
A missing or wrong subcontractor payroll can hold up the GC’s own compliance and delay payment down the chain. The work of collecting is separate from the work of checking, and both fall on a small compliance team.
Buildalytic gives each subcontractor a portal, validates the report on upload, tracks completeness per sub and pay period, and sends the reminders automatically so the team reviews exceptions instead of sending follow-up emails.
How it works
From request to a complete, validated set.
Invite the subs
Each subcontractor gets a portal to upload certified payroll and compliance documents for the projects they are on.
Validate on upload
The document is checked on intake for format and completeness, and obvious problems are flagged before they are accepted.
Track completeness
A live view shows which subs have filed for each pay period and which are missing, per project.
Chase automatically
Subs that are behind get automatic reminders, so the follow-up is not a person’s inbox.
What is inside
A collection system, not a shared drive.
Subcontractor portal
A dedicated upload portal per subcontractor for payroll and compliance documents.
Validation on intake
AI checks the document on upload so bad submissions are caught at the door.
Completeness tracking
Filed-versus-missing status per sub and pay period, visible at a glance.
Automatic reminders
Missing submissions trigger reminders to the responsible subcontractor.
Feeds the audit
Collected reports flow straight into the certified payroll audit for verification.
Searchable archive
Everything retained and searchable by project, subcontractor, and pay period.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for collecting certified payroll on a public works job?
The general contractor is generally responsible for collecting certified payroll from every subcontractor and for the completeness of the records on the project. The awarding agency holds the prime accountable, so a subcontractor that files late or incorrectly becomes the GC’s problem to resolve.
How often do subcontractors have to submit certified payroll?
Certified payroll is submitted weekly for each week a subcontractor performs covered work, including weeks with no work if required by the agency. The report covers that week’s hours, classifications, and rates, with a signed statement of compliance from the subcontractor.
What happens if a subcontractor does not submit certified payroll?
Missing subcontractor payroll can stall the general contractor’s own compliance, trigger withheld payments, and expose the project at audit. The prime often cannot close out or get paid until the records are complete, which is why chasing missing reports is a weekly obligation, not a formality.
How long do certified payroll records need to be retained?
Under the Davis-Bacon Act, certified payroll records are retained for three years after project completion. State requirements vary and some are longer. Because the general contractor answers for subcontractor records too, keeping a complete, searchable archive of every sub’s filings matters.
How is certified payroll filed in California?
On California public works, contractors and subcontractors generally file certified payroll electronically through the DIR’s eCPR system, in addition to any records the awarding body requires. The general contractor still needs its own complete set of subcontractor payrolls for its records and audits.
Stop chasing subs by email.
See the portal, the on-upload validation, and the completeness tracker on a project with real subcontractors.