How do you stop the 941 from automatically populating with the employee retention credit? The employer does not qualify and shouldn't recieve it, but QB populates it.

Hello, @katie45.

The information included in your 941 form depends on the payroll item on your employees' paychecks. I can share some information on how QuickBooks generates your 941 data. 

You can generate the Payroll Summary report to verify if the employee retention related- payroll items were included in your employees' paycheck. Here's how:

1. Go to the Reports menu.
2. Scroll down to the Employees and Payroll section.
3. Select the Payroll Summary report.
4. Set the date to the quarter of the 941 you're working on.

You can read through this article to learn more: How QuickBooks Populates The 941?

On the other hand, you can manually print a copy of this tax form directly from the IRS website so you all can manually enter your desired data. Here's an article you can read for ideas about how you can obtain a copy of your tax form: Quick links to federal tax forms.

Lastly, I've got you the following article below for ideas to help manage your payroll account and related tasks: Help Articles for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

If there's anything else that I can help you with, let me know in the comments. I'll be here to lend a hand.

The problem that I am having is that the taxable social security line 5a is continuing to come up blank. The majority of my clients don't meet with the requirements for having the employee retention credit. I am able to override the form and manually enter in the social security wages, but I feel as if that isn't something I should have to do. If the client doesn't meet the requirements for the employee retention credit, why doesn't QuickBooks have an option to not automatically have the credit on the return? 

I need to know how to get the normal 941? My clients do not qualify for the employee retention credits and I do not want to fill out a form manually because that will effect my year end reports. I just want a normal 941, please help!!!!   

Hello there, Cindy B,

The payroll item on employees' paychecks will determine the information on the Form 941. I recommend contacting our QuickBooks support to check on why it populated on the form when the employee doesn't qualify for the retention credit. Here's how:

1. Go to the Help menu.
2. Click QuickBooks Desktop Help or press F1 on your keyboard.
3. At the bottom, click Contact Us.
4. From the Dialogue box, enter your question.
5. Click Continue, then select Get a callback.
6. Enter the information needed.
7. Once done, click Confirm my call.

To ensure that you'll be assisted on time, check out our support hours.

Here's an article about printing Form 941 for future reference: Learn how to prepare and print Form 941, Schedule B, and Form 940.

I'll be here if you have other concerns.