Updating employee data on quickbooks online advanced payroll

Thanks for visiting the Community, jbiddel.

We’ll have to perform the basic troubleshooting steps to move past the error.

Let’s use a private or incognito window when importing your employees’ data. This is to identify if the browser's settings or old cache might have caused this unexpected behavior.

Websites you visited using this session aren't saved in the browser history. Here’s how to bring up one.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + N for Google Chrome.
• Press Ctrl + Shift + P for Firefox or Internet Explorer.
• Press Control + Option + P for Safari.

If you’re able to update the workers’ data smoothly, clear the cache of the normal browser to optimize its performance. The following article will walk you through the process: Clear cache and cookies to fix issues when using QuickBooks Online.

To help get started using the Advanced Payroll, I’m adding a link that contains a breakdown of our self-help articles: QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll Hub.

Let me know in the comment section if you have any clarifications or questions. I’ll be right here to answer them for you. Have a good done.

Hi, I have the same problem but resulting in a different error.

I have the three mandatory fields with 

• FirstName
• Surname
• DateofBirth

and I added my required field email

• EmailAddress

the first three fields are prefilled exactly as exist on Quickbooks, so I exported all employees from QuickBooks and copied required data just to ensure it is exactly matching the records and the EmailAddress field prefilled with the email addresses I want to update. I wonder why doesn't it know I am updating details not creating a new employee, I have matching names and DOB. I have only ever managed to successfully update detail via CSV if I prefill all fields that are required when creating a new employee using existing details apart from changing the ones I want to update.

OTHERWISE, I GET THE FOLLOWING ERROR: (and this error is not the same each time, sometimes it would not be happy about other missing fields.)

• Line 2: Tax Code is required
• Line 2: No Tax Calculation Method was specified. Valid values are Cumulative, Week 1/Month 1
• Line 2: Invalid National Insurance Calculation Method. Valid values are Standard annual earnings period method, Monthly calculation basis
• Line 2: No National Insurance Category was specified. Valid values are Payroll.TaxEngine.GB.NationalInsuranceType[]
• Line 2: No Employee Statement was specified. Only Job (started on or before 6th April), Only Job (started after 6th April), More than one income
• Line 3: Tax Code is required
• Line 3: No Tax Calculation Method was specified. Valid values are Cumulative, Week 1/Month 1
• Line 3: Invalid National Insurance Calculation Method. Valid values are Standard annual earnings period method, Monthly calculation basis
• Line 3: No National Insurance Category was specified. Valid values are Payroll.TaxEngine.GB.NationalInsuranceType[]
• Line 3: No Employee Statement was specified. Only Job (started on or before 6th April), Only Job (started after 6th April), More than one income

Hello, Haroldas Ben.

We can try reviewing the fields in your CSV to check for potential issues such as typos. The field formatting might be the culprit triggering the errors. 

After reviewing the fields, try importing the file again to update your employees' details. You can also visit this article for a guide on the required fields: Employee import via Excel / CSV in QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll.

If you're still getting the line errors, then this might be an issue in the browser's cache. This might also explain why you're getting inconsistent line error messages when doing so. If you haven't done so already, you can follow the steps given by colleague, Rasa-LilaM.

I'd also like to add something if you're using the Windows or Mac app. You can click on the Help menu (located in the app's task bar), then select Reset App Data. You'll want to close and reopen the app to successfully refresh it. 

If you're still having issues with the CSV file, I'd recommend contacting our support. They can look deeper into the system and find out what's causing the line errors. Here's how:

1. Click the Help icon beside the magnifying glass.
2. Hit the Contact Us button.
3. Type "Line errors when trying to update employee data with CSV file" or similar.
4. Proceed with Let's talk.
5. Select the Chat option. 

If you need help with other tasks regarding QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll, you can visit the articles hub: QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll Hub.

We always appreciate your time reaching out to the Community team. Please let us know if you have other questions. We're here to help. 

Can this issue be resolved anytime soon? So annoyed having to type the new email addresses when it can be imported. I have the same problem, system thinks it is creating a new employee and keeps asking for more details tax code, NIN, etc. I only need to update the email addresses. Thanks

I even found this field called "EmployeeStarterType" which accepts two inputs "New starter" or "Existing employee"

And I chose existing employee, the system still producing errors asking for other details required for the new employee setup. Why doesn't it know I am trying to update the existing employee as I have the minimum required fields completed plus the one above?

the error message when trying to update details.

Thanks Haroldas Ben, I appreciate that this must be frustrating for you. Do the same errors appear when entering data into the required fields manually, rather than copying and pasting from QuickBooks? 

Hi George? I am not sure what you mean, I am not copying/pasting any data. The data is on csv file and the problem occurs after it reads the import file and refuses to import the updated employee data from csv because it thinks I am creating new employees rather than updating the existing employee data.

Hi Haroldas Ben, this was in reference to your first post on the thread - if you're still unable to import the data successfully, please reach our chat team so that we can set up a screen-share to take a closer look. :)

Just spoke with chat support and on the phone. Both confirmed that the only way to update details in QuickBooks online payroll advanced is to manually open employee in Quickbooks and update details one by one. It is categorically not ta feature of Quickbooks to be able to update employee details via csv file. I wasted so much time on the chat and the phone calls that I simply refused their answer pointing them to this article (see the link below) and asked to speak with the manager. I don't know if the manager just told me what I wanted to hear or she will really take some action but she seem to be the only person agreeing that it should be possible or at least how she also read and understand that article. I was told it will be investigated. This feature wasn't working when we started using Quickbooks few years ago and it is still not working, I don't have much hope for it and started looking for alternative software.

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/help-article/employee-management/employee-import-v...

Just to follow up, the specialist manager has called me back and now officially confirmed it is not possible to update employee details via csv file import on QuickBooks Advanced Payroll online. The only work around is shopping for another payroll software, most of them do include this basic functionality.

The link I shared in my previous post giving the file specification for such a feature on quickbooks is incorrect and it will be updated soon (I hope so, because it's what misled me in signing up with quickbooks in a first place). 

This topic is now concluded and can be closed by the admins.