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WebeRE
May 1, 2026
Question

Employee Payroll Information

  • May 1, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 4 views

How can we change the account name for an employee? Explanation: We expense payroll to a separate account for each employee. Most of these accounts read like "Payroll - John Smith" but the account for a new employee was mistakenly created as just "John Smith." We would like to add the word "Payroll" to this account's name. QBO won't lets us change the account name because it's used in Payroll, and instead QBO says to remove the account in Payroll Accounting Settings before making changes. If we remove it, will existing payroll information (gross amount, withholding, etc). for that employee be deleted? What's the best way to do this?

1 reply

Tori B
Tori BQuickBooks Team
QuickBooks Team
May 1, 2026

Hey there, @WebeRE.

 

How are you doing today? I hope all is well. 

 

The short answer is: No, your existing payroll information will not be deleted. Removing an account from your Payroll Accounting Settings only disconnects the "link" between the payroll module and that specific category in your Chart of Accounts. Your historical gross amounts, withholdings, and tax data remain safely stored in your company file.


​QuickBooks is designed to protect active accounts to prevent sync errors. You must first tell the system not to use that account for a moment. Here's how:

 

  1. ​Click the Gear icon at the top right and select Payroll Settings.
  2. ​Scroll to the Shared preferences section and tap Accounting.
  3. ​Under the Wage Expenses section (or wherever you track individual employee pay), find the employee "John Smith."
  4. ​Change the account selection from "John Smith" to a different account temporarily (like your general "Payroll Expenses" account).
  5. ​HIt Save and then Done.

 

After that, you can make your edits. Here's how:

 

  1. Open your Chart of Accounts.
  2. ​Find the account currently named "John Smith."
  3. ​Click the small arrow next to "View register" (or "Report") and hit Edit.
  4. ​Update the name to "Payroll - John Smith."
  5. ​Click Save.

 

Now you can reconnect the account. Here's how: 

 

  1. Go back to Gear icon > Payroll Settings > Accounting.
  2. ​Scroll back to the employee's name and change the selection to your newly renamed "Payroll - John Smith" account.
  3. ​Tap Save.

 

That should do the trick. For more information about this process, check out Change your accounting preferences in payroll. 

 

Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I'm happy to lend a hand anytime. Take care! 

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