---
updatedAt: 2026-07-23T10:02:25.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.checkhq.com/llms.txt
---

# List external payrolls

By default, [external payroll items](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/external-payroll-item-object) and [external contractor payments](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/the-external-payroll-contractor-payment-object) are embedded on each payroll in the list response. Set `include_items=false` to return a lighter summary that omits those nested objects.

| Parameter       | Type    | Default | Description                                                                                      |
| :-------------- | :------ | :------ | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `include_items` | boolean | `true`  | When `false`, omit embedded `items` and `contractor_payments` from each payroll in the response. |

# OpenAPI definition

```json
{
  "openapi": "3.1.0",
  "info": {
    "title": "check-api",
    "version": "2025-01-01"
  },
  "servers": [
    {
      "url": "https://sandbox.checkhq.com"
    }
  ],
  "components": {
    "securitySchemes": {
      "sec0": {
        "type": "apiKey",
        "in": "header",
        "name": "Authorization",
        "x-bearer-format": "bearer",
        "x-default": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  },
  "security": [
    {
      "sec0": []
    }
  ],
  "paths": {
    "/external_payrolls": {
      "get": {
        "summary": "List external payrolls",
        "description": "",
        "operationId": "list-external-payrolls",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "name": "id",
            "in": "query",
            "description": "ID(s) of the payroll to return.",
            "schema": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "company",
            "in": "query",
            "description": "Return payrolls for this [company](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/company) ID.",
            "schema": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "pay_schedule",
            "in": "query",
            "description": "Return payrolls for this [pay schedule](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/the-pay-schedule-object)",
            "schema": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "include_items",
            "in": "query",
            "description": "When `false`, return a summary representation that omits embedded `items` and `contractor_payments` from each payroll.",
            "schema": {
              "type": "boolean",
              "default": true
            }
          }
        ],
        "responses": {
          "200": {
            "description": "200",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "examples": {
                  "Result": {
                    "value": "{}"
                  }
                },
                "schema": {
                  "type": "object",
                  "properties": {}
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "400": {
            "description": "400",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "examples": {
                  "Result": {
                    "value": "{}"
                  }
                },
                "schema": {
                  "type": "object",
                  "properties": {}
                }
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "deprecated": false
      }
    }
  },
  "x-readme": {
    "headers": [],
    "explorer-enabled": true,
    "proxy-enabled": true
  },
  "x-readme-fauxas": true
}
```