Gross Pay - This is not a legal Pay Stub

Thank you for laying out the details of your concern, @bobbieme.

I'm here to explain why your payroll checks are showing up as Gross Pay - This is not a legal Pay Stub in your Profit & Loss by month.

Since you've migrated to QuickBooks Online, it will show as gross pay since the system will recognize them as regular checks and not as a pay stub. If you want to send a report to your employees, you can pull up a paycheck list.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Payroll menu.
2. From there, choose Employees and select an employee.
3. Once done, choose the Paycheck list.

Otherwise, you can record them as prior payroll in QBO.

For future reference, we also have a variety of reports you can pull up in QBO Payroll in case you need help checking up on your employee's data and other payroll-related concerns: Run payroll reports.

Loop me in if you'd like to know more about handling your payroll tasks, I'd be glad to help you again. Take care always.

Carneil_C, thank you for your response.

Perhaps I'm not understanding your answer.  We've run 3 payrolls since we migrated.  It is only the 3 paychecks that were produced in QBO that display this message; not the 'historical checks'. Those are there as regular checks and look 'normal'.

I've included a new screenshot of the full quarter for reference.  

So, why do the pay checks (produced in  QBO) show this message? What is the purpose?

I'd really like to understand.

Thanks for your guidance.

I appreciate the prompt response, Bobbie. Let me clarify why your payroll checks show (Gross pay is not a legal pay stub) when running the Profit and Loss report.

The Profit and Loss report compares your income and expenses for different periods. In your situation, the gross amount will display that message since the Profit and Loss report will show actual expenses.

If you want to send a report for your employees like a paystub, you may follow the steps shared by my colleague above on running the Paycheck list or Payroll Detail report. Let me guide you on how:

1. Sign in to your QuickBooks Online (QBO) account.
2. In the left menu, click Reports.
3. Search for the Payroll Details report.
4. Select the pay period you want to show. 
5. Click Run Report.

You can also visit the Run payroll reports to learn more about other available business statements of your employees.

Additionally, QuickBooks offers a variety of reports about your company. If you wish to know the available reports for your version and how to customize them, kindly visit these links: 

• Reports are included in your QuickBooks Online subscription
• Customize reports in QuickBooks Online

If you have further questions about payroll reports in QBO, please don't hesitate to comment below. I'll be glad to help. Take care always.