2020 QB Desktop Payroll Reports (Form 941) Populated Incorrectly

The details and screenshot you've provided above help me understand what you've gone through, @DILCPA. With this, I'm here to provide additional steps to get QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) to populate the Form 941 correctly. 

It's good to hear that the Form 941 for Q1 2020 in your 2017 edition was running fine. Here are the possible reasons the form isn't populating accurately in your 2020 version: 

• QBDT isn't updated to the latest release. 
• The payroll tax table is outdated.

First, let's update QBDT 2020 to the latest release, which is R7. It gives you a better experience and fixes any software-related issues. I'll guide you how. 

1. Go to the Help menu and choose Update QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Select Update Now. 
3. Check the Reset Update box to clear all previous update downloads.
4. Click Get Updates.
5. Restart the software when the download is complete. 
6. Accept the option to install the new release when prompted. 

The screenshot below shows you the second to fourth steps. For the detailed instructions, check out this article: Updating QBDT To The Latest Release.

Second, let's download the latest payroll tax table, which is 22012. It provides you the most current and accurate rates and calculations for supported payroll tax forms, such as your 941. Here's how:  

1. Go to Employees from the top menu.
2. Select Get Payroll Updates.
3. Check the Download entire payroll update box.
4. Choose Update.

See the screenshot below to show you the steps. For more information, view this article: Getting The Latest Payroll Tax Table Update.

Also, I'd suggest visiting this website: 941 Overview. It contains in-depth details about how QBDT populates the lines on this form. 

Lastly, I recommend running any payroll reports in the program. These will help you manage your payroll and employee expenses. You can also customize them to focus on the details you matter the most. 

I'll lend a helping hand if you need anything else. Keep safe always, @DILCPA.

I'm seeing the same issue, though it is different than you describe.

In my case, where I don't have tips, the SS wages are completely blank!  So, you may have this case as well, only your tips wages are also being included, and they normally reduce the SS wages box.

I duplicated this as well, but then got both the latest payroll updates and installed the latest QuickBooks patch release, R7, and then it worked.

There was no warning to install updates and no form error that the numbers were wrong, only that I'd overpaid taxes (which I had not) because it omitted the SS wages and tax using the prior QB release.

Intuit's in for a wild ride on this one.  Sheesh.

@RaymondJayO 

RE: We calculate Column 1 from Social Security's wage base minus its tips. It looks like the tips are higher than the wage base based on the screenshot you've attached. 

Can you explain how such a thing could possibility happen?  Since all tips contribute to both SS Tips Wagebase and SS Wagebase, even if all the income was from Tips, the SS box would never be negative.  It would reach 0.00. Certainly it would not be negative by the exact amount of the tips wages, as seen in the OP's screenshot.

No, the issue is the same as I'm seeing: SS wages (Wagebase) are absent from the form, though the tax was correctly included on all the paychecks as normal.  And paid when due. And the paid tax amount is included in the payment part of the form.

Thanks for your prompt attention.  However, this is not what we are asking or looking for.

We are not asking for payroll, payroll tax, reporting compliance.  We know how to do all that.

Our issue is a "Software" issue with QB Desktop not populating Form 941 correctly.  To Clarify:

1. All the "Subject Wages" are also "Social Security Wages" and "Social Security Tips Wages"

2. I called the QB Payroll Support and they ask me to run through the same payroll summary report, filter for taxes, and YES, the "Social Security Wages and Taxes" are there in the payroll summary report

3. I have called other QB Desktop user and some of them do not have the same issue.  Their reports are populating correctly.  So this has to do with the QB Update or Windows Update or Some type of software issue that is causing the reports not populating correctly. (See some screenshot below)

4. Even though it may appear just the "Social Security Wage" is not populating, but since this is not populating correctly, I am not sure if there are some other items not populating correctly somewhere else.

Thank you so much for your attention!

This appears to be just one more way Intuit is letting down Desktop users and supporters.  This has never happened to me in 24 years until this quarter on the 2020 version and some older versions.  All you can do is manually figure the amounts, override the numbers and enter them, and the form will populate the corrected tax amounts.  Sad Intuit has become so unreliable.  They are just trying to force everyone to use their more expensive online version. 

I am having the same error. I've updated QuickBooks, Updated the entire payroll payroll update multiple times, restarted my computer and it did not correct the issue. Some computer in our office are having this issue to and some are not on the same client file. Can you please let me know how i can fix this error?

I want to ensure this is taken care of, @KDEGOMEZ.

I'd suggest contacting our support since the issue persists after updating QuickBooks. They can help you further with this.

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.

I've added this article about printing Form 941 for future reference: Learn how to prepare and print Form 941, Schedule B, and Form 940

Feel free to drop a comment below if you have other questions. I'm always here to help you out. Have a great day!

Having the exact same issue on QB2020 where line 5a does not populate making it think that I have an overage.

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@KDEGOMEZ wrote:

I am having the same error. I've updated QuickBooks, Updated the entire payroll payroll update multiple times, restarted my computer and it did not correct the issue. Some computer in our office are having this issue to and some are not on the same client file. Can you please let me know how i can fix this error?

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I am having the same issue in QBDT 2020 only. My other clients in older versions are not having this issue. I have run the most current tax table and update version that they said would fix it. It does not and now I am manually overriding the wages. Seems that QBDT has an issue that they need to fix or send a patch for. Not a good time to ignore this defect. 

It will work if you patch QuickBooks to the latest release.  For QB 2020 you need R7.

Check your release using the F2 dialog against this page: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/update-products/update-quickbooks-desktop-to-the-l...

Then Update QuickBooks from the Help menu and restart it, applying the patch when prompted, and check the F2 dialog again to see if you have the latest release.

Have release 7.  

I have release 7 and no, it still produces no wages in SS box on 941. Thank you though.

So it's an obvious issue across the board but you are saying we should all call the help desk. Since this page is from Intuit, why doesn't it get reported to the QuickBooks IT experts at Intuit to fix it. It's not our systems that are having issues, it's the 2020 desktop version of QuickBooks. Seems strange with all these people from all over having the same issue that your recommendation would be for us all to call the help desk. Just a thought. I called the help desk, they couldn't fix it and said they will "be in touch". 

Thank you for joining this thread, @HKLCPA.

Some fields appearing blank on the 941 forms might be caused by the antivirus of your computer. To resolve this, let's turn off the anti-virus.

Once turned off, update again your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Here's how:

1. Go to the Help tab.
2. Select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
3. Click Update Now.
4. Tick the Reset Update and make sure that all categories are checked.
5. Tap Get Updates. 
6. Hit OK and click Install Now.

When the update is done, restart your computer and right-click the QBDT icon then choose Run as Administrator.

Once you're signed in, let's get the latest payroll tax table. 

Also, for additional information on how QuickBooks Populates the 941, you may read through this article link: Form 941.

Let me know how it goes by leaving a reply below. I'll be here if you have other concerns. Stay safe and take care always, @HKLCPA.

Did you get a solution to your problem?  I also have nothing on line 5a and then line 15 shows I have an overpayment.

Exact same problem.  Its shouldn't be this difficult to understand for tech support.  Form 941 is simply not populating Field 5a for Social Security.  Everything is correct in the Payroll Summary and both my Quickbooks and Payroll are fully updated.  

Its a software error.  I'm using Enterprise Accountant 18.0 

I did a check for updates followed by a restart of Quickbooks multiple times (about 3 or 4) before it finally applied the critical update.  Once that was done, it started working correctly.

I have tried this process numerous times on one of our computers and this is still not working.  I have attempted this process on QB 2018 and 2019 with no luck so far.  The forms are populating properly on two other computers, not sure why the one computer isn't.

It took me to restart QB and do update 3 times before it populated, but it did finally work.

I have just the steps you'll need to fix your 941 form, @JLovin.

Let's make sure you have the latest QuickBooks release and tax table version on that one computer. Keeping your QuickBooks updated prevents unexpected issues within the program. Let me walk you through the steps. 

1. Go to Help, then Update QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Select the Options tab, and tick the Mark All button.
3. Click the Update Now tab, then put a check mark on the Reset Update box.
4. Hit Get Updates. Once the update is complete, restart your computer.

Then, let's update your tax table version.

1. Go to Employee, then Get Payroll Updates.
2. Select the Download entire payroll update radio-button.
3. Click Update.

Once done, go back to creating your 941 form again. You can learn more about filing quarterly tax forms at this link here: Tax deadlines and important quarterly and year-end dates.

I'm also attaching this article about troubleshooting amounts in Form 941/Sch. B which I'm sure you'll find helpful. It contains information and detailed steps for your 941 tax liabilities. 

Please know that we aim to get your tax form corrected. Stay in touch if you have other questions or concerns. We're just a comment away. Thanks for joining us today and I wish you have a wonderful rest of the week. 

Nope, turning off antivirus did not work. Called in our IT guys today and they said it is a known problem throughout QB 2020 version and so far they have found no fix because it is not our computers, it is a software issue from QBDT.  The QBOnline doesn't even populate the form so I guess we should feel lucky we even get a form. Seems like it's an important issue that should be addressed by Intuit. 

I know that this hasn't been easy for you and your business, HKLCPA.

I also appreciate all the efforts you've exhausted just to get this working. Since the issue still persists, you'll want to get in touch with our Customer Care Team. This way, we'll be able to look into your account in a safe environment and run a series of tests to rectify the underlying issue.

Here's how to connect with us:

1. Open your QuickBooks.
2. Select Help from the top menu bar, then choose QuickBooks Desktop Help.
3. Click Contact Us.
4. Enter a brief description of your issue, then select Continue.
5. Choose Start messaging or Get a callback from the next available representative.

You may check our support hours first to ensure that we address your concerns on time.

I've also included an article that will guide you in preparing and printing Form 941, Schedule B, and Form 940.

I'll be right here to continue helping if you have any other concerns or additional questions. Stay safe.

Just to repeat myself, I have gone through those steps several times (at least 4 for 2018 and 4 for 2019 versions) with no luck.  Maybe you guys can get this working by Friday, so we can get some work done.  Obviously, there are a lot of people having this problem without your solution correcting it.

How can I be removed from this stream of replies?  OBVIOUSLY Intuit has a problem and hasn't fixed it yet... and all the lame answers about updating updating updating ARE NOT the answer.  Frankly, I'd like to NOT be included on all these responses.  Intuit might get it fixed before the due date of the returns if we all complain to them directly about it, but being patronized in these messages and told to do the very basic things is a waste of our time.  Please don't insult our intelligence anymore; we are trying to report a problem that just needs to be fixed!!!!!!  By Intuit!!!