Synopsis
This guide shows you how to:
Pull the employee deferral report in Empower so you can update payroll.
Submit payroll contributions in Empower after payroll is finalized.
Includes a short video walkthrough.
Who this helps
The plan sponsor payroll contact responsible for updating payroll deductions and submitting 401(k) contributions in Empower.
Part 1: Get employee deferral elections (so you can update payroll)
Before you start (what you should have ready)
Your Empower plan sponsor login.
Your payroll schedule and the date your first 401(k) payroll will run.
A list of eligible employees who should have deductions set up.
Step-by-step: pull the deferral report
Log in to the Empower plan sponsor portal.
Go to the Reports area (sometimes under Administration, Plan management, or Plan sponsor tools, depending on your portal setup).
Locate the report for employee elections/deferrals.
Look for wording like Deferral report, Contribution elections, Salary deferral elections, or Election summary.
Set the report parameters if prompted.
Use an “as of” date that is current.
Filter to active/eligible employees, if that is an option.
Export or download the report (CSV/Excel/PDF).
Use the report to update payroll deductions for each employee.
What to verify before updating payroll
The correct employees are included (eligible employees only).
Employees who opted out show 0% (or “no deferral,” depending on how Empower displays it).
Pre-tax vs Roth elections are reflected correctly (if applicable).
Your payroll setup matches the report (percent vs dollar elections, if applicable).
Reminder: elections completed in Empower do not automatically update payroll. The deferral report is used to enter or update elections in your payroll system.
Part 2: Submit payroll contributions in Empower (after payroll runs)
Before you start (what you should have ready)
Payroll date.
Per-employee contribution amounts.
Employer contribution amounts (match/profit sharing), if applicable.
Confirmation that deferrals were withheld in payroll.
Step-by-step: submit contributions
Log in to the Empower plan sponsor portal.
Navigate to the Contributions or Payroll area.
Select Submit contributions (or similar).
Choose the appropriate method for your plan.
If your plan supports both file upload and manual entry, select the method you intend to use.
Enter:
Payroll date
Per-employee contribution amounts
Employer match / employer contributions (if applicable)
Confirm totals.
Submit and save the confirmation page or confirmation email for your records.
Video walkthrough (contribution submission)
Timing reminders
Submit contributions as soon as payroll is finalized.
Do not batch multiple payrolls into one submission.
For plans with fewer than 100 participants, the Department of Labor provides a 7-business-day safe harbor for submitting employee contributions.
Troubleshooting
If you cannot find the deferral/elections report, your portal may label it differently. Try searching within Reports for “deferral,” “election,” or “contribution.”
If you do not see the contributions/payload submission area, confirm you have plan sponsor admin access.
If your portal uses a different workflow (file-only, payroll integration, or ACH setup), contact your Empower rep or your TPA for the plan-specific steps.