Calculating Manual payroll option is not available

Good day, @bchctygrl .

Thanks for joining the Community. Let me help you set up manual payroll.

1. Go to Help and choose QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. In the search field, type in Manual Payroll and press Enter.
3. Click on the Calculate payroll taxes manually (without a subscription to QuickBooks Desktop Payroll) link. 
4. In the Set your company file to use the manual payroll calculations setting section, click on the manual payroll calculations link.
5. Click on the Set my company file to use manual calculations link.

To help you with the process, I've attached some screenshots below.

You should be able to set up manual payroll after following these steps. Keep me updated on how this goes. I'm always here to help you further. Have a nice day.

Let's make sure you'll be able to access the manual payroll button, bchctygrl.

Tracking payroll manually in QuickBooks Desktop may require you to calculate, enter payroll taxes and file your tax form yourself. You'll want to update QuickBooks to the latest release to ensure you get the latest fixes and improvements. To do manual updates, follow the steps below: 

1. Close your company files and QuickBooks.
2. Open the Windows Start menu.
3. Search for QuickBooks Desktop. Right-click the icon and select Run as administrator.
4. While on the No Company Open screen, go to the Help menu and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
5. Go to the Options tab. Select Mark All and then select Save.
6. Go to the Update Now tab and select the Reset Update checkbox.
7. When you're ready, select Get Updates.
   
   

For more information on how to set up manual payroll, I've included this article for your guide: Set Up Manual Payroll Without A Subscription in QuickBooks Desktop.

You may also want to check out this article for the step-by-step process: What is Payroll Processing? How to Process Payroll Step-by-Step.

Keep me posted if you have any concerns with payroll. The Community is always right here to make sure that you get covered. 

I am using Quickbooks Desktop Premier 2023.  I have used a quickbooks payroll subscription in the past, but now I wish to switch to manual payroll.  However, the manual payroll checkbox option in the preferences menu is GREYED OUT.  It is not available to select.

The first reply to the OP described how you can instruct quickbooks to switch to manual payroll by using the help menu.  However, this option no longer works.  The help menu in 2023 does not return the same information as posted above anymore. Rather it simply gives instructions on how to switch to manual payroll through the preference menu, which does not work as mentioned above.

What is the fix for this that will enable manual payroll?

Hello.

I appreciate your time in doing the suggested steps above. I'm chiming in to help you fix the greyed-out Manual payroll preference. 

Before anything else, let's update your QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release. This ensures we have all the critical fixes and patches to ensure all functions are working smoothly. 

However, if you still can't select the Manual payroll option, let's remove the payroll service key from the file. You mentioned something about using payroll before. The service key is likely preventing us from switching to Manual payroll. 

Here are the steps: 

1. Back up your company file first. 
2. After backing up, go to the Employees menu. 
3. Go to My Payroll Service, then select Manage Service Key. 
4. Highlight your payroll subscription. 
5. Click Remove or press ALT + 0 (zero). 
6. Proceed with Yes to confirm. 

After removing, check the Preferences again, then enable the Manual payroll option. 

Though, if you still can't select the option, we'll want to contact our payroll support. They can use their tools to check what's preventing you from selecting the option and ensure you're able to use the Manual payroll processes. 

Their contact details can be found here: Contact Payroll Support.

After enabling the option and running those paychecks manually, do you also need to review your current financials? Check out this article as a guide: Understand reports.

If you have concerns about processing payroll manually, or if you need help with certain tax forms, let me know and I'll help you out again. 

Because Desktop Payroll service has ended, My Payroll Service no longer offers any service key management. What do you now advise?

Answered my own question.

After Desktop Payroll services ended, My Payroll Service won't offer any service key management (just upselling).

So you have to follow the counter-intuitive first step noted elsewhere:

- Disable your Internet connection to your Desktop computer (seriously)

- In QBP Desktop's Help, search for "manual payroll"; it will show the local (not Internet) copy of the "Calculate payroll taxes manually" article which does include the "manual payroll calculations setting" link shown in the screenshots above, which links to an "Are you sure?" Help page, which pops up a QBP Desktop message that Manual Payroll has been enabled.

Then if you go into Edit / Preferences / Payroll / Company, you'll see the (unclickable) checkbox is now checked.