It is unacceptable to have a work around to file the easiest Form 941 there is. One with no taxable wages. It basically includes name, address, and one box checked to indicate no taxable wages. 

I agree.  Why would they block an IRS form that is mandatory?  They keep increasing the price of payroll and then take away forms?  Does not make any sense!  

Hello there, @bookcents.

I know how important to file the 941 form return with zero payrolls. Currently, this is a reported issue and under investigation. Rest assured that our product engineers are now working to resolve this as soon as possible. 

I'd recommend contacting our Payroll Support Team, so you'd be added to the list of affected users. Just provide your name, updated email address, and the investigation number INV-48016.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Help menu.
2. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
3. Click the Contact Us button.
4. Enter a short description of your concerns, under the Ask a question field.
5. Click Continue.
6. Select Get a callback.
7. From here you can choose to schedule a callback for a time that is convenient for you.

You can see their hours of operation from this article: Support hours and types.

We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Ditto!  Is there an ETA on the fix to this problem?  This is a very time consuming issue for the multiple return preparer!

I understand the impact of any delay in resolving this on-going issue, @ncexpression.

Currently, there's no definite turn around time on when the permanent resolution will be released. Rest assured, our Product Engineers are diligently working on releasing an update to permanent resolved this concern.

In the meantime, I'd recommend contacting our Technical Support team. This way, you'd be included in the list of affected users lists. You can follow the steps shared by my colleague, @MaryAnn_E.

Also, I've added these articles as your reference in preparing your payroll tax forms in QuickBooks:

• Process, print, and save QuickBooks Desktop Payroll tax forms
• Internal Revenue Service Payroll Tax Compliance
• Latest payroll news and updates

If you have other questions, don't hesitate to post here. The Community and I are always here to help.

I am having the same issue. Even though I had no employees or payroll for Q2, I am still required to file 941. QB Desktop refuses to generate the form. I have installed the latest QB2020 updates and payroll updates. Please fix this bug!

Thank you for the info. I will call the support team to add my name to the list. I too have Zero payroll and am looking to file online.

I'm not sure what it means that the"form is blocked" - is this the fault of the IRS or is it a programming glitch on Quickbooks side?

In other words, does this mean the government is giving us an extension to file our quarterlies?? Or are they still due by the 31st and our fate is in Quickbooks hands?  Because it sounds like while you hope your team can fix it, Quickbooks cannot promise that this will be resolved by the time we need to file our 941.  Am I understanding this correctly?

Also, FYI, It is July 21st - I just tried again, and it didn't work for me. If there is an update on ETA - this would be good to know as well.

Thanks for the clarification and help.  

This has not been an issue in prior years or quarters so I'm not sure why your technicians decided to stop allowing the 941 to generate without payroll records during the highest ever unemployment spike but we need this fixed immediately! We have ten days to file these reports throughout the entire country. Unlock the ability to generate these reports, there is no reason Intuit is preventing it in the first place. 

I have updated everything on my QB Desktop 2019 and am still getting the "No employees have been paid in the given year." message. I am not having problems creating my DE9 or DE9C as zero. This needs to be fixed as MANY businesses did not have payroll this year!

---

@Angelyn_T wrote:

Hello, @robinz46.

 

The form is already available in QuickBooks Desktop. If you're experiencing issues, you can update your QuickBooks to the newest release and get the latest payroll tax table update. For your guide, check out these articles:

 

• Update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release
• Get the latest payroll tax table update

However, the form is temporarily blocked in QuickBooks Online. Rest assured our engineers are now working to provide the form as quickly as possible so customers can file it through QuickBooks. While they're finding a fix, you can go to the IRS website and manually fill out a 941 return. This way you can print or download the form then mail it to the Federal Agency.

 

For now, I also encourage reaching out to our Support Team and have them attach your case to INV-45584 so they can add your account information to the notification list.

 

To contact support, tap on Contact us from the Help menu.

 

If you have any other questions, mention me in the comment section below. I'll get back to you as quickly as possible. Keep safe!

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It's too bad that someone that either does payroll or accounting can be relied on to help and could assist as a technical advisor for software improvements.  QBooks does from time to time do stupid updates it's sad.  That person would be fired today or change the fix.  COVID and the PPP assistance has caused for many reasons to have NO payroll for April May and June.  We need zero reports, for that matter some people that are s corp company owners are not taking payroll and are on unemployment, hence the ZERO 941.  

UNACCEPTABLE - QUICKBOOKS NEEDS TO FIX BUG BEFORE 07/31/2020 or pay for late filing penalties plus interest, if any!

I have verified I am using the latest version update 22013.

I successfully created 941 forms for EIGHT (8) other corporations

ONLY having issues with processing NO ACTIVITY for one corporation as no paycheck reported for 2nd QTR

QuickBooks will make sure that you’ll able be able to file your taxes, @jansturbo.

Also, thank you for letting us know that you have the latest update of QuickBooks Desktop.

We have an ongoing issue when trying to load the Form 941. Our Product Engineering team is already aware of this and is now working for a fix. To add you to the list of affected users, I suggest you contact our Customer Support. 

Also, you'll be notified when the issue will be resolved. You can arrange a callback to talk to them. Follow the steps below:

1. From your QuickBooks Desktop account, click the Help menu at the top. 
2. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help. On the Have a Question? window that appears, click the Contact Us button at the bottom part of the page. 
3. Provide some insight with this concern in the Tell us more about your question box. Then, hit the Search button. 
4. You'll now be provided with a few support options. 
5. Select Talk to a Specialist to arrange a callback from a support agent. Or Message an Agent to chat with them directly. 

Here's the contact the QuickBooks Desktop Customer Support Team article for more information about this.

I'm always here if you need more help with the account. Have a great rest of the day!

This is JUST WRONG.

The problem of QuickBooks not allowing zero income 941 Quarterly Reports must be fixed!  I will call Support but this is ridiculous, especially for us small businesses who already pay so much for payroll service just so we can have these forms!

So I'm still on hold for 41 minutes after calling to explain the same problem exactly.

I did not try the run a payroll & void it as that's just crappy protocol.

Did they ever get back to you or have you found a correction.  Wondering if I have to file them directly with the IRS to be on time for Q2 2020

Curiously, I had the same issue with 1st quarter and was told they were working on it. Never an issue in prior years. Rewrite your software to the prior guidelines and get this issue fixed. The fee for payroll software is too much for you to be still working on a fix....This is not an adequate option.

Is this FIXED YET?

it seems to be working with some of my clients but not others.

The workaround when the message appears seems to be to create a payroll check in the second quarter and then void the payroll check.

You can then prepare a zero return. My unemployment tax returns show an employee during the month that the check was voided but that can be fixed by override.

They will probably eventually get it corrected but we only have one week to complete these payroll tax returns.

The 941 for the first quarter is also now unavailable because the form was changed and quickbooks can only keep one version of the form.

As of today, finally worked.

EDIT:  it worked by an automatic QB update.  I also went to get PAYROLL UPDATE, but it was the same update and tax table version numbers.  So seems the fix was through a QB update.  Have your people UPDATE QB and the PAYROLL just in case.  But worked for me without updating PAYROLL fyi if that helps.

Just glad Intuit got it fixed, cut it real close, but stress gone!!!!

I created a dummy check with $1 gross wages and then deleted it.  No luck.  Created a second dummy check with $1 gross wages and generated the form.  Used the override feature to change all of the values to $0.  Printed and saved the form.  Then went back in and deleted the paycheck.

It does not look like this was fixed, still not able to print a zero Form 941. Is this going to be fixed in the future? Just what accountants needed was more time for filing zero returns.

It finally worked for me...  are you sure you UPDATED Quickbooks ALSO, not just payroll?  After QB (desktop version) update, it worked... no dummy check monkey business involved.

I had the same issue.  I created a paycheck in 2nd quarter, then voided it, and now the 941 populates.  This issue shouldn't need a work-around, but I sure appreciate your post.  Took me 2 mins to do this and file the report.  Thank you!