@windsor

You want to do what matches your reality. You stated the real banking entries clear on different Dates.

You either Change the entry from the payroll provider to break it out by individual Check amounts, which in a JE is "Credit Bank" lines. Or, run the original Bulk Value into a Bank Clearing account and the it starts to be offset as the Real Banking events are entered. For any one paydate, then, the Clearing Bank ends at 0.

That way, the paydate data creates one entry from the Clearing Bank. That shows as negative balance. Then, as the Real Banking arrives, you would show it is "expense to" the Payroll Clearing Bank, which acts as a transfer or deposit to Clearing Bank. These are not the date of payroll expenses; these are Banking events.