Employee has applied for a social security number but ha not received it.

Hello there, JamesBCPA. 

Thank  you for sharing your concern about your employee's SSN and sending your feedback on this matter. I completely understand how important it is to ensure that everything is in order when it comes to your employees' records.

I appreciate your patience as QuickBooks now requires a valid SSN to be entered for W-2s in the latest updates. I understand that this may cause some inconvenience, especially in cases where the SSN is not readily available.

In your employee's situation, I suggest contacting the IRS for proper guidance on how to add them to the W2s while waiting for the social security number. Then, you can generate payroll reports for your employees' transactions and determine the necessary data to input in their W-2. For the list of payroll reports and how to access it in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, see this article: Run payroll reports.

I'm also attaching this article that you can utilize to ensure a smooth and accurate process for preparing your tax forms at the end of the year: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns with your employee's social security number. I'm always here to help. Stay safe.

@JoesemM  You didn't really read the OP's post, did you?

RE: I appreciate your patience as QuickBooks now requires a valid SSN to be entered for W-2s in the latest updates. I understand that this may cause some inconvenience, especially in cases where the SSN is not readily available.

Yes, that is the issue!  Actually, "not available" is only one of the reasons to enter all zeros. The other is that the SSN does not actually exist - which is the important case we have been asking about since last summer - and have been routinely stonewalled by Intuit, giving non-advice like:

RE: In your employee's situation, I suggest contacting the IRS for proper guidance on how to add them to the W2s while waiting for the social security number.

There is no need to do that. The information is published and is described in some detail by the SSA and IRS in multiple places, including:

https://www.ssa.gov/employer/critical.htm

Where it says:

"Forms W-2 Submitted to Social Security on Paper - If you still do not have an employee's SSN when your Form W-2 report is due, complete the SSN field by entering Applied For in Box d on the paper Form W-2."

And:

"Specifications for Filing Forms W-2 and W-2c Electronically (EFW2/EFW2C) - If you still do not have an SSN when your Form W-2 report is due, complete the SSN field by entering all zeros in locations 3 through 11 of the Code RW, Employee Wage Record. The paper Forms W-2 you give to employees also may have all zeros in block d, Employee SSN."

RE: Then, you can generate payroll reports for your employees' transactions and determine the necessary data to input in their W-2

The necessary data is... wait for it... to enter an SSN of all zeros when e-filing and to print "Applied For" in the SSN field on the printed W-2, as directed by the SSA. Which is commonly known. Which is what QuickBooks has always correctly done, for decades. Until now.

RE: For the list of payroll reports and how to access it in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, see this article: Run payroll reports.

The OP's post has nothing to do with reports.

RE: I'm also attaching this article that you can utilize to ensure a smooth and accurate process for preparing your tax forms at the end of the year: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Well, despite that article, things aren't going to be smooth at all for the OP and many of your other payroll customers.

@JoesemM So, essentially, you're telling me that QuickBooks is not going to do anything to correct the software so that it prepares Forms W2 according to IRS instructions, which means that you're current customers who have this problem will have to seek other software providers to do this properly. Is that what you are saying? Really? If that's the final answer, then we can all stop trying to twist your arm to do this and spend that energy on finding another provider. I don't want to, but I will have no other choice, if Intuit isn't willing to correct the software and stop this stupid marketing ploy. I very impatiently await your reply.

Yea, but all you have to do is enter the SSNs and then it'll all be fine, right?  You know, those SSNs that don't actually exist...

@JoesemM, QuickBooks just sent me a message to ask if my problem had been resolved. It has definitely NOT been resolved. Please know that I don't blame you, personally, but I - all of us - would greatly appreciate it if you would kick this issue up a few notches to someone who can do something about it. And, note in case someone else asks this question - and they will -  your reply does not address the problem.

We've been asking for the same since July. Now it's the very last minute and at least one employee claimed that they're working on a change. I doubt it, but still...

Just wanted to pop back in and remind everyone at QuickBooks that THIS ISSUE IS STILL NOT FIXED! IT IS JANUARY 10, 2024 AND WE NEED TO FILE FORMS W2. WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM? @JoesemM 

AANNNDDD.... I just discovered that I can't e-file ANY of this client's Forms W2s because 5 of the employees have not received social security numbers for which they have applied! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I even de-selected those employees, thinking I could e-file the other 350 Forms W2 and manually file the 5 with applied-for SSNs, QuickBooks has me COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT THIS POINT! AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MANUALLY ENTER 354 FORMS W2 TO THE SSA? IS THAT YOUR SOLUTION, INTUIT? FIX THIS NOW, NOW, NOW!

@BigRedConsulting, you are a beast! This little utility somehow snuck in the back door and fooled QuickBooks into accepting [removed] as the SSN and I can now e-file my W2s for employees who have applied for SSNs but have not received them. THANK YOU! If you are having this problem (and, YES, INTUIT, IT IS A PROBLEM THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE FIXED), I highly recommend following the link to get the utility @BigRedConsulting created. Happy returns, everyone!