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HR & Payroll (Windows desktop app)

Timeline Payroll

Free offline payroll software for Windows: employees, attendance, overtime, gross-to-net calculation, payslips and reports, with no subscription and no per-employee fee.

Timeline Payroll payroll run
Product screenshotTimeline Payroll payroll run
4 monthsTimeline Digital (in-house product)
Per-Employee Fee
$0
Employee Cap
None
Internet
Not required

01Timeline Payroll: The Challenge

Cloud payroll services charge a monthly base fee plus a fee for every employee (Gusto's Simple plan was $49 a month plus $6 per person when checked on 20 October 2026), and many very small businesses still run payroll in spreadsheets. We wanted a free payroll tool for small teams whose accountant already files the taxes.

02Timeline Payroll: The Solution

Built a Windows desktop payroll app on local SQLite: employee records, attendance and overtime, gross-to-net calculation with configurable currency and tax brackets, one-click payslips, an activity log, and CSV/PDF reports for the accountant. It does not file taxes or send direct deposits.

03Timeline Payroll: The Results

Published as a free download at timelinedigi.com/timeline-payroll (version 1.0.0, about 177 MB, Windows 10 and 11), with no per-employee fee and no employee cap. The installer is not code-signed; its SHA-256 checksum is published on the download page. Businesses that need multi-branch sync, bank file exports or their own pay rules can have it extended through a custom build.

Technology stack

ElectronWindowsSQLiteNode.jsTypeScript

Services on this build

Free Business Software
Timeline Payroll reports
Product screenshotTimeline Payroll reports

At a glance

Timeline Digital (in-house product). These are facts about the product itself, not results measured at a client.

$0

Per-Employee Fee

None

Employee Cap

Not required

Internet

Why this tech stack

We pick technology based on the production load, the integration footprint and the long-term maintenance reality, not the latest framework on Hacker News. For Timeline Payroll, the stack we chose:

  • Electron

    In production use on this build.

  • Windows

    In production use on this build.

  • SQLite

    In production use on this build.

  • Node.js

    In production use on this build.

  • TypeScript

    In production use on this build.

Questions about this build

How long did the Timeline Payroll build take?

4 months. We worked with short, regular updates and a working demo at each check-in, so progress stayed visible throughout the build.

What technology did Timeline Digital use to build Timeline Payroll?

Electron, Windows, SQLite, Node.js, TypeScript. We pick the stack based on the production load, integration requirements and the team's long-term maintenance capacity, not the latest framework on Hacker News.

What industry was Timeline Payroll built for?

HR & Payroll (Windows desktop app). The patterns we used here transfer to similar businesses with comparable scale and regulatory requirements. Reach out if you operate in this space and want a similar build.

Can Timeline Digital build something similar for our team?

Yes. We start by understanding how your team works, plan the solution around your workflow, select the right technology, and build a free pilot of your most important modules before the full project. An NDA can be signed before you share sensitive details, and the project source code is yours on full payment. Book a free first call and we will walk you through it.

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Start a conversation

Tell us how your business works.

Describe what is slowing your team down. We will help you work out what to build, and how a free pilot lets you judge our work before the full project.

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What happens next

  1. You send a short brief

    The problem, the people involved and any target date. A senior engineer replies within 4 business hours.

  2. We understand your workflow

    A first call about how your business works today. An NDA can be signed before you share details.

  3. You test a free pilot

    You choose 2 to 3 key modules and we build them first, so you judge real software before the full project.