Run payroll in QuickBooks Online Payroll

You can create and run payroll for your employees in QuickBooks Online Payroll. This process involves entering employee hours, reviewing pay details, and submitting the payroll for processing. This guide explains the steps to run scheduled or unscheduled payroll for employees paid by direct deposit or paper cheque.

• Prerequisites
• Run payroll
  • Scheduled payroll
  • Unscheduled payroll
• Result
• Next steps
• Related links

Prerequisites

• Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find it.
• Before you can run payroll, you must set up payroll.
• Ensure your employee information and tax settings are up to date. 

Run payroll

Use these steps to run a scheduled payroll or unscheduled payroll to pay your employees. 

Scheduled payroll

Run scheduled payroll to pay your employees with regular paycheques. 

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Select Run payroll.
3. Select the pay schedule you want to run, then select Continue.
4. Select or review the Pay period and Pay date.
5. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
6. 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 time.
7. Select Preview payroll.
8. Select or review the QuickBooks Chart of account to track your payroll.
9. Select Preview payroll details, Save for later, or Submit payroll. Enter the Cheque number if you have selected the submit payroll option.
10. Select Close.

Unscheduled payroll

Run unscheduled payroll to pay your employees with a bonus, commission, or a final paycheque. You can also use unscheduled payroll to report fringe benefits outside your regular payroll schedule. 

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Select the Run payroll ▼ dropdown, and select one of the following options: Bonus only or Commission only.
3. Based on your selection you may be asked additional questions. Enter any info about taxes or paycheque calculations (if applicable).
4. When you’re ready, select Continue. 
5. Select or review the pay period (if applied) and Pay date.
   Tip: To enter the pay period, select Period start and Period end dates.
6. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
7. 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 Review Approved Time, then follow the next steps to review and approve their time..
8. Select Preview payroll.
9. Select or review the QuickBooks Chart of account to track your payroll.
10. Select Preview payroll details, Save for later, or Submit payroll. Enter the Cheque number if you have selected the submit payroll option.
11. Select Close.

Result

Your payroll is submitted for processing. Employees with direct deposit will be paid on the specified pay date. You can now access and distribute the pay stubs.

Next steps

• Print or reprint paycheques and pay stubs.

Related links

• Run payroll reports. 
• Change your primary principal, payroll admin, or other payroll contact
• Set up your QuickBooks Time account in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Online Payroll
• Set up Auto Payroll to pay your employees

Money movement services are provided by Intuit Canada Payments Inc.