Free Certified Payroll Report Template (+ How to Automate It)

If you work on federal or federally assisted construction projects, you file certified payroll every week. That means filling out Form WH-347, attaching a signed Statement of Compliance, and submitting it to the awarding agency. Every contractor and subcontractor on the job files separately.

Most contractors start by downloading a blank WH-347 and filling it in by hand or in Excel. That works on one project with a small crew. It stops working when you're running multiple prevailing wage jobs across different wage determinations, tracking fringe benefits two different ways, and filing weekly for each one.

This guide breaks down what the WH-347 form actually requires, where contractors make the most mistakes, and when it makes sense to stop using a template and automate the process instead.

What Is Form WH-347?

Form WH-347 is the federal certified payroll form published by the U.S. Department of Labor. It's used to report weekly payroll on projects covered by the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA). Use of the form itself is optional, but the reporting it covers is not. Every covered contractor must submit weekly certified payroll records, and each submission needs a signed Statement of Compliance.

The WH-347 satisfies both requirements in one document.

Page 1: Payroll Data

Page 1 captures the weekly detail. For each worker, you report:

• Name and an identifying number (last four digits of SSN, never the full number)

• Work classification (journeyworker or registered apprentice, with progression level)

• Labor classification matching the wage determination

• Daily hours worked (straight time and overtime), with weekly totals

• Hourly rates, fringe benefit credits, gross earned, deductions, and net payment

You also enter the project name, contract number, wage determination number, week-ending date, and whether the payroll is final.

Page 2: Statement of Compliance

Page 2 is the certification itself. The certifying official signs under penalty of law (18 U.S.C. § 1001) that the payroll is correct, wages meet the applicable determination, and fringe benefits were paid as required. Photocopied or scanned signatures don't satisfy the requirement. Legally valid electronic signatures are acceptable.

Where Contractors Make Mistakes on the WH-347

The form looks straightforward. The errors aren't.

Wrong or Outdated Wage Determination

Each project has a specific wage determination tied to its contract award date. Using rates from a different determination, or failing to check for modifications, is one of the most common audit findings. The rates must match the determination in effect when the contract was awarded, not the date you started work.

Misclassified Workers

Listing a worker as a journeyworker when they're a registered apprentice (or vice versa) creates a pay discrepancy. Apprentice rates are tied to progression levels. Getting the classification wrong means the reported rate doesn't match what the determination requires.

Fringe Benefit Math Errors

Federal Davis-Bacon projects divide annual fringe contributions by actual hours worked. Some state prevailing wage laws use a flat 2,000-hour divisor. If you're running both state and federal jobs, the same worker's fringe rate calculation differs depending on which project they worked that week. Manual spreadsheets don't flag that distinction.

Missing No-Work-Week Filings

If your crew didn't work on a covered project during a given week, you still file. A blank WH-347 with a no-work notation is required. Gaps in weekly filings trigger follow-up from the contracting agency.

Submission Errors

Filing late, submitting to the wrong agency, or using an outdated version of the form. Each of these creates compliance exposure that's entirely avoidable.

When to Stop Using a Template

A blank WH-347 template is fine for a contractor with one prevailing wage project and a handful of workers. Beyond that, manual entry creates compounding risk.

The Manual Process

Every week, someone pulls hours from timesheets, looks up the correct wage determination, calculates straight time and overtime, computes fringe benefit credits, enters deductions, and fills in the form. Then they do it again for the next project. Every field is hand-entered, and every number is a potential error that won't surface until an audit.

The Automated Process

Certified payroll software pulls hours from your time tracking system, applies the correct wage determination and fringe rates automatically, generates the WH-347 (or state equivalent) with the data already populated, and flags missing information before submission. The weekly report that took hours to assemble manually takes minutes.

Signs You've Outgrown a Template

• You're filing certified payroll on more than two projects at a time

• Your crews work across multiple states with different prevailing wage rules

• Fringe benefit calculations differ between federal and state jobs

• You've had a payroll correction rejected or an audit finding related to reporting

• The person who fills out the form is also the only person who understands the process

If any of those apply, the template isn't saving you time. It's hiding risk.

How Trayd Helps With Certified Payroll

Trayd's certified payroll module is built for trade contractors who run prevailing wage work across jurisdictions. That means:

• Payroll reports generated from actual field hours, not re-keyed from paper timesheets.

• Wage determination and fringe benefit calculations applied automatically, with the correct method (actual hours vs. 2,000-hour annualization) based on the project's governing law.

• Weekly filings that flag missing data before submission, not after an agency rejects them.

• A single system that handles construction payroll alongside certified payroll, so you're not reconciling between two tools.

Certified payroll is a weekly compliance obligation with real penalties for errors. Trayd is designed to reduce the manual work and the mistakes that come with it.

Ready to stop filling out WH-347s by hand? Schedule a demo.

FAQs

What is Form WH-347?

Form WH-347 is the federal certified payroll form issued by the U.S. Department of Labor. It's used to report weekly wages on Davis-Bacon Act and related construction projects. Use of the form itself is optional, but certified payroll reporting is mandatory for all covered contractors and subcontractors.

Is the WH-347 required on every construction project?

No. The WH-347 applies to projects covered by the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, which are federal or federally assisted construction contracts. State prevailing wage projects often have their own forms. Check the contract terms and the governing wage law to determine which form applies.

How often do you file certified payroll?

Weekly. Each contractor and subcontractor on a covered project submits a certified payroll for every week, including weeks when no work was performed on the project.

Can I use an electronic signature on the WH-347?

Yes. The Department of Labor accepts legally valid electronic signatures on the Statement of Compliance. Photocopied or scanned wet signatures do not qualify.

What happens if I make a mistake on a certified payroll filing?

It depends on the agency. Most require you to submit a corrected payroll for the same week-ending date. Repeated errors, underpayment of wages, or falsification of records can result in back-wage assessments, administrative penalties, contract termination, or debarment.