linear_scale How To

Update Employee Pay Details in Sequoia (Tax Withholding, Direct Deposit and Delivery Methods)

Stanford employees use Sequoia to directly manage their tax withholding, direct deposit payment methods, and document delivery preferences. Sequoia Guided Learning is available within the application for step-by-step navigation of these processes.    

Students and postdocs continue to use Axess to manage their direct deposit payment methods. Learn more in Student Services: How to enroll in Direct Deposit (for Students).

Update Employee Pay Details

  • You need a Stanford SUNet ID and password to access the Sequoia website.

  1. Go to Sequoia
  2. Select Sign in with SUNet ID (Single Sign On)
  3. Enter SUNet ID and password, if prompted

Update Employee Details in Sequoia (8 Checkboxes)

Manage Tax Withholdings - Federal

For tax withholding, learn more at How To: Declare or Change Income Tax Withholding Allowances Using W-4/DE-4 

  1. Log in to Sequoia using your Stanford credentials. 

    1. Select the Me tab.

    2. Select the Pay tile

Update Emp Details 19, Pay tile
  1. Select the Tax Withholding section
Update Emp Details 2, Tax Withholding.png
  1. You will see a summary of your Tax Withholding information. The default view is Federal taxes. Select the Pencil icon to modify your Federal tax withholding.

Update Emp Details 3, Tax Withholding Pencil
  1. Make edits as necessary. Remember each field plays an important role in tax calculation. 

Update Emp Details 4, FED Taxes
  1. After you have made all desired updates, scroll to the bottom of the screen, review the attestation and select the checkbox to agree.

Update Emp Details 5, FED Tax Certify
  1. Select Submit

Update Emp Details 6, FED Tax Submit
Manage Tax Withholdings - Regional (State)

For tax withholding, learn more at How To: Declare or Change Income Tax Withholding Allowances Using W-4/DE-4 

  1. Log in to Sequoia using your Stanford credentials. 

    1. Select the Me tab

    2. Select the Pay tile

Update Emp Details 7, REGIONAL Tax
  1. Select the Tax Withholding section
Update Emp Details 2, Tax Withholding.png
  1. Select the Regional tab to update your state tax withholding.

    Note: Remote employees who normally work outside of California can add a California tax card to be used for when they report days worked in California on their time card.

Update Emp Details 9, Tax Withholding Regional
  1. You will see a summary of your Tax Withholding information. Select the Pencil icon to modify your Regional tax withholding.

Update Emp Details 10, Tax Withholding STATE CA
  1. Make edits as necessary. Each field plays an important role in tax calculation.
Update Emp Details 11, Tax Withholding STATE CA edit

    7. After you have made all desired updates, scroll to the bottom of the screen, review the attestation and click the checkbox to agree.

Update Emp Details 12, Tax Withholding STATE CA attest

    8. Select Submit

Updated Emp Details Tax Withholding State CA Submit

 

 

Complete Non-Resident Election and Request FICA Exemption
  1. Log in to Sequoia using your Stanford credentials

    Update Emp Details 17, Start Journey
    1. Select the Me tab

    2. Select the Pay tile

Update Emp Details 13, Journeys
  1. Select Explore

    Note: If you previously started or completed a Journey, you may see a tile for that Journey. Proceed with the steps below to initiate a new Journey as you have updates.  

Update Emp Details 14, My Journeys

    4.  If you do not see the Journey, clear any filters by selecting the X, if applicable. In this example, we are clearing the Personal filter by selecting X. 

Update Emp Details 15, Clear Journeys

    5. Select the Foreign National Details journey tile

Update Emp Details 16, Journeys Foreign Natl

    6. Select the Actions drop-down

    7. Enter Start Journey

Update Emp Details 17, Start Journey

    8Enter the information in the entry fields.

    9. Once you complete all required information select Done at the bottom of the page.

Update Emp Details 18, Journey enter info
Manage Direct Deposit Payment Methods
  1. Log in to Sequoia using your Stanford credentials 

    1. Select the Me tab

    2. Select the Pay tile

Update Emp Details 19, Pay tile

    3. Select the Payment Methods section

Update Emp Details 20, Payment Methods

    4. View current direct deposit information if already established

Update Emp Details 21, View Payment Methods
  1. Select the +Add button to add a new direct deposit payment method

    Note: If you do not elect a direct deposit payment method, you will receive pay through a check. You may elect up to 10 direct deposit payment methods. If you only have one direct deposit payment method, it will default to 100%.

Update Emp Details 22, Payment Methods Add

    6. Enter a title in the What do you want to call this payment method? field. Enter any name that helps you to identify this direct deposit relationship, for example, Savings Account.

Update Emp Details 22, Payment Methods details

    7. Select the radio button for New Account

Update Emp Details 24, Bank Acct

    8. Enter Account Number, select Account Type, select All US Banks from the Bank dropdownselect your Bank Branch field, and enter Routing Number (if not entered already).

Update Emp Details 25, Bank Details

    9. Select Create

Update Emp Details 26, Bank Details CREATE
  1.  The bank account is now available on the Payment Methods screen.

    Note: When a direct deposit account already exists, adding a new account with a specified amount (for example, 50%) will automatically reduce the existing account from 100% to the remaining balance (50%). This allows the system to split the deposit between the new amount and the remaining balance.

Update Emp Details 27, Bank Account added
Add a Direct Deposit Payment Method with an Amount instead of a Percentage
  1. Repeat STEPS 1-5 from the above Managing Direct Deposit Payment Methods section.

    1. Enter your data in the Details section. Enter Amount in the Payment Amount drop-down and enter the amount in the Amount field. 

    2. Enter your data in the Bank Details section

    3. Select Create

Update Emp Details 28 Bank Account add amount
Reorder Accounts For Direct Deposit
  1. Repeat STEPS 1-4 from the above Managing Direct Deposit Payment Methods section to navigate to the Payment Methods screen

    1. Select Reorder

      Note: This button will not be present unless you have two or more depository accounts present.

Update Emp Details 29 Bank Account Reorder

    2. Review your account order. If you need to change the order, type in the new order.

    3. Select Update.

Update Emp Details 30, Reorder Update
Deleting Accounts From Direct Deposit
  1. Refer to steps 1-4 in the Manage Direct Deposit Payment Methods for navigation steps.

    1. Locate the account you would like to delete

    2. Select the Trash Can icon

Update Emp Details 31 Bank Account DELETE

    3. A confirmation pop-up will appear. Select Delete.

Update Emp Details 32 Bank Account CONFIRM DELETE
Set Document Delivery Preferences
  1. Log in to Sequoia using your Stanford credentials. 

    1. Select the Me tab

    2. Select the Pay option

Update Emp Details 19, Pay tile

    3. Select Document Delivery Preferences

Update Emp Details 34 Delivery Preference

    4. To make any desired changes, click the Actions for Preferences (...) icon on the far right of the line 

    5. Select Edit Preferences

Update Emp Details 35 Document Delivery Preference
  1. Select the Delivery Method drop-down and enter your preference

    Note: Stanford encourages employees to enroll in online delivery for both W-2 and W-2c

  2. Select Save
Update Emp Details 36 Delivery Preference SAVE
What Happens Next?
  • Updates to tax withholding, direct deposit payment methods and document delivery preferences take effect on your next paycheck. 

  • Entry deadlines are generally three business days prior to each payday.  For example, if payday is on a Friday, entries must be completed by close of business on Tuesday to be effective.

Student Refund/Stipend/Reimbursement Checks

  • If you have two or more direct deposit accounts set up, reimbursements will be deposited into the account with the highest percentage allocation (with highest priority if percentage allocations are equal).

Employee Expense Request Reimbursements

  • Future reimbursements will be deposited to your bank account.
  • If you have entered more than one bank account, reimbursements will be deposited into the remaining balance record account or, if there is not a balance record, the account with the highest percentage allocation (with highest priority if percentage allocations are equal).
  • If you are a student and having issues with obtaining your refund, contact Student Financial Services.

Bank Account Closure

If your bank account is closed, your bank will return your direct deposit. Stanford will receive notification of the direct deposit return 1 to 3 days after the direct deposit request was sent.

  • For payroll deposits, Stanford will reissue the payment to your updated direct deposit account or issue a check payment, if updated account information is not available.
  • For student refunds, Stanford will contact you, request that you edit your direct deposit information and process the deposit again.

To prevent delays, please update your direct deposit information as soon as changes occur.

Last Updated: Jul 20, 2026