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Create and run your payroll

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•103•Updated 7 days ago

Learn how to create direct deposit or paper paycheques and send them for processing in QuickBooks payroll.

Hurray, it’s almost payday! Which means it’s time for you to run your payroll so you can get your team paid.

We’ll guide you through the steps to create your paycheques and send them to us for processing payroll taxes and direct deposits in QuickBooks Online Payroll or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Step 1: Assign a pay schedule to your employees

We recommend using pay schedules to make running your regular payroll more efficient. If you haven’t already, set up and add a payroll schedule for your employees.

Note: You can set up multiple pay schedules for different teams or groups to manage your workforce.

Step 2: Create your paycheques and send your payroll

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

Note: When you pay employees, be sure to consider processing times when creating and approving checks.

If you’ve set up a payroll schedule, you can create a scheduled payroll or an unscheduled payroll

Scheduled payroll: Paycheques you give your employees regularly. You can also add bonuses or other pay to these paycheques. You'll have a routine pay period and pay date based on the frequency you choose.
- Note: With QuickBooks Online Payroll, you can set up and manage pay periods for your employees on a weekly, twice-a-week, semi-monthly, and monthly basis.
Unscheduled payroll: You may need to pay your employees bonuses, commissions, a final paycheque, or report fringe benefits outside your regular payroll schedule.
- Example: Need to pay your former employee a final paycheque because they no longer work for you? You'll need to create a termination cheque. With this option, you'll also have the option to enter their release date and mark them inactive.

The steps to create your paycheques and run your payroll depend on your payroll service. Select your product below to begin.

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

QuickBooks Online Payroll

Create and send a scheduled payroll

Go to the Employees or Payroll menu and select Employees.
Select Run Payroll.
Select your desired payroll schedule.
Select or review the QuickBooks Bank account to track your payroll, the Pay period and Pay date.
Select the employees you'd like to pay.
Enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other necessary paycheque info.
Select Preview payroll.
Select Preview payroll details or Submit payroll.
Select Finish payroll.

Create and send an unscheduled payroll

Go to the Payroll and select Employees.
Select the ▼ dropdown, and select one of the following options: Bonus only, Commission only or Fringe benefits only.
Select As net pay or As gross pay, then select Continue.
Enter any info about taxes or paycheque calculations (if applicable).
Select or review the QuickBooks Bank account to track your payroll, the pay period, if applied, and Pay date.
Select the employees you'd like to pay.
Enter compensation, memos, or any other paycheque info as necessary.
Select Preview payroll.
Select Preview payroll details, Save for later or Submit payroll.
Confirm the amounts and payment methods and select Finish Payroll.

The workflow will guide you through how to print out paycheques and pay stubs.

Save time creating your paycheques and running your payroll:

Set up Auto Payroll to pay your employees

Set up and use QuickBooks Time to track hours

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll

Select Employees and select the Payroll tab. Select from the cheque types 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.
Verify the Pay Period Ends date, Cheque Date, and QuickBooks Bank Account.
Select the employees you want to pay.
You can enter hours using the grid, or 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.
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.

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