Payroll users encounter error message “Name Already Exists” or “Something you are trying to use has been made inactive”

When adding an employee in QuickBooks Online Payroll, you may encounter an error message such as “Name Already Exists” or “Something you are trying to use has been made inactive”. This typically happens because the employee's name is already used for another profile in QuickBooks, such as a supplier, customer, or account. The existing name profile may also be inactive.

Here are four methods to find and resolve the name conflict.

Solution 1: Check for the name in reports

The employee name you are trying to add may already exist as an Account, Customer, Product/Service, or Supplier. You can use reports to find active or inactive duplicate names.

Follow this link to complete the steps in product

1. Search for and run the Supplier Contact List Report.
2. Once the report is open, select Customize.
3. Set the following filters to ensure all items are included:
   • Select All Dates for any date range filters.
   • Check the filter to include Inactive/Deleted items.
4. If you find a duplicate name, you must edit it to resolve the conflict. If you cannot locate a duplicate in these reports, continue to the next solution.

Solution 2: Check for an inactive employee

1. Go to your employee list and set the filter to show all employees, including inactive ones.
2. Check if there are any inactive employees with the same name.
3. If the employee is on the list, edit their profile and add a "1" to their last name (for example, change Smith to Smith1).
4. If the employee is not on any list, add them as a new employee but with a number added to the last name (for example, Steve Smith1).

Solution 3: Use the audit log

If you know the time range when the error started, the audit log can help you find what was modified. You must be a primary admin to access the audit log.

1. Go to Settings ⚙ and select Audit log.
2. Use the User, Date, or Events filters to narrow the results.The log shows up to 150 records at a time.
3. Select View in the History column to see who made the change and what they did.

Solution 4: Check for billable time

If the error continues, check the time report for the affected employee's timesheets.

1. If you find timesheets for the employee, uncheck the box for Billable hours.
2. Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
3. Log back in to QuickBooks.
4. Try to add the employee again.

If the error still occurs, contact Support.