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Create and run your payroll

by Intuit•9• Updated 2 days ago

Run payroll in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop to pay employees by direct deposit or check. Use scheduled payroll for regular runs or unscheduled payroll for off-cycle payments like bonuses or final checks.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

Assign a pay schedule to your employees
Create paycheques and send to payroll
In QuickBooks Online
- Create and send a scheduled payroll
- Create and send a unscheduled payroll
In QuickBooks Desktop

Step 1: Set up a pay schedule for your employees

Using pay schedules can make your regular payroll easier. If you haven’t set up one yet, do that first.

Step 2: Create and send your paycheques

Next, you’ll need to create your direct deposit or paper paycheques, then send them to us for processing.

You’ll need to create your direct deposit or paper paycheques, then send them to us for processing. The steps to create and run your payroll depend on your payroll service.

Scheduled payroll: Pay regular paycheques for your employees. You can add bonuses or other pay to these.
Unscheduled payroll: Pay a bonus, commission, a final paycheque, or to report fringe benefits outside your regular payroll schedule

Tip: Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find it.

In QuickBooks Online Payroll

Create and send a scheduled payroll

Follow this link to complete the steps in product

Select Run payroll.
If applicable, select your desired pay schedule, then select Continue.
Select or review the Pay period and Pay date.
Select the employees you'd like to pay.
Select the column, or select from the Actions column, then select Edit paycheque to enter your pay details. You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other necessary paycheque info, then select Save. If you use QuickBooks Time, select Approve time, then follow the next steps to review and approve their time.
Select Preview payroll.
Select or review the QuickBooks Chart of account to track your payroll.
Select Preview payroll details, Save for later, or Submit payroll. Enter the Cheque number if you have selected the submit payroll option, then select Close.

Create and send an unscheduled payroll

Follow this link to complete the steps in product

Select the Run payroll ▼ dropdown, and select one of the following options: Bonus only or Commission only.
Based on your selection you may be asked additional questions. Enter any info about taxes or paycheque calculations (if applicable). Once complete, select Continue.
Select or review the pay period (if applied) and Pay date.
Tip: To enter the pay period, select Period start and Period end dates.
Select the employees you'd like to pay.
Select the column, or select from the Actions column, then select Edit paycheque to enter your pay details. You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other paycheque info as necessary, then select Save. If you use QuickBooks Time, select Approve time, then follow the next steps to review and approve their time.
Select Preview payroll.
Select or review the QuickBooks Chart of account to track your payroll.
Select Preview payroll details, Save for later, or Submit payroll. Enter the Cheque number if you have selected the submit payroll option, then select Close.

In QuickBooks Desktop

Go to Employees, Select Pay Employees, then select Scheduled Payroll, Unscheduled Payroll, or Termination Cheque.
- Skip to step 3 if you need to run an unscheduled payroll
Select the appropriate schedule, and select Start Scheduled Payroll.
Tip: Make sure you have a pay schedule set up in the Create Pay Cheques table located in the Pay Employees tab. To create a schedule, select the Pay Schedules ▼ dropdown and select New.
Verify the Pay Period Ends date, Cheque Date, and Bank Account.
Select the employees you want to pay.
You can enter hours using the grid, or if you are using timesheets, you’ll see all their hours for this pay period already entered. To see everyone's paycheque details, select Open Pay Cheque Detail.
Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or select Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.
Select Continue.
Review the Cheque/Direct Deposit printing options in the Review and Create Pay Cheques window.
Verify the amounts for each employee, and select Create Pay Cheques.
Select Print Pay Cheques or Print/Email Pay stubs now or later as desired.
Select Close.

Create another cheque

If you see the message "Create another cheque" while running payroll, you may have another paycheque for the employee. If you need to make a change to the existing cheque, go to the paycheque list, delete the paycheque then run payroll again. If you want to give your employee an additional payment, select Create another cheque.

More info about your payroll:

Money movement services are provided by Intuit Canada Payments Inc.