Final answer:
A payroll register is the multi-column form used for summarizing payroll data for all employees at the end of the payroll period, including details of gross earnings, deductions, and net pay.
Step-by-step explanation:
The multi-column form used to assemble, compute, and summarize data for all employees at the end of the payroll period is a payroll register. A payroll register is critical in the payroll process as it provides a comprehensive summary of each employee's gross earnings, deductions, and net pay for a particular pay period. This differs from an employee's earnings record, which is a detailed record of an individual employee's earnings over time.
The payroll ledger is a general ledger account that maintains a summary of the payroll expenses, and payroll checks are the actual checks employees receive as payment. The check stub is the part of a paycheck that includes details about the employee's pay. Understanding the payroll register is essential for confirming that an employee's tax withholdings align with federal and state requirements, which are reported quarterly and annually to the respective taxing jurisdictions.