@Kevin_C  RE: As much as I'd like to take care of this, the Community is a public platform, and we want to protect your security and privacy.

How does not answering the question protect anyone's security and privacy? The question has nothing to do with the user's data or their account, but instead just about how Intuit is going to solve the problem they created last summer - for everyone.

The question from @EC14  is: "Year end is coming up fast and I do not have the option of manually creating W2's. They have to be e-filed due to the number of W2's. So, QB what do you suggest I do? I can't put [removed - nine zeros], I can't put the ITIN, I can't write "applied for" - WHAT CAN I DO???"

Along with the rest of us, @EC14 wants to know how to print and e-file W-2's on time, by the deadline, according to the IRS instructions, when an employee is in the Applied for case - when they are waiting (months, perhaps) for the SSA to issue their SSN.

It's a simple question. I'm sure Intuit has a solution, like it always has for at least 20 years - but we just can't figure it out.

Add me to your list of unhappy payroll processors.

I have 2 companies that are in the same predicament having international employees that "applied for" but did not receive their social security numbers and I don't know how I'm going to be able to submit their W2 tax forms per the IRS regulations. 

I just spoke with QB payroll support and was told that there's nothing that can be done. I'm just out of luck?

What are we supposed to do? I have to file electronically and I thought this form was part of the Enhanced Payroll service that I was paying for.

I just submitted the feedback through my software. Hopefully the programmers resolve this quickly!!!

I just contacted payroll support. They told me they did not have a solution to this problem.

RE: I have 2 companies that are in the same predicament having international employees that "applied for" but did not receive their social security numbers and I don't know how I'm going to be able to submit their W2 tax forms per the IRS regulations.

Intuit, I think, has made a mistake and the QuickBooks managers in India just can't admit it. They must save face at all costs, even to the point of sinking the boat they're riding on.

They've stated here and in release notes, that they now require a birthdate and a real SSN and an email address so that they can more easily sell HR products to you. I suspect the person who pushed for the change cares more about their pet project than about the core payroll product.

RE: What are we supposed to do? I have to file electronically and I thought this form was part of the Enhanced Payroll service that I was paying for.

Yes, it is exactly what you're paying for - the ability to create accurate payroll and create and file accurate payroll forms, on time, which follow the IRS and SSA guidelines. You should be able to enter nine zeros for an applied for SSN. That you can't needs to be escalated. However, it seems there are no employees here who care, who might want to save Intuit from the fiasco that's coming.

RE: I just contacted payroll support. They told me they did not have a solution to this problem.

Intuit has been on notice that they've made a mistake, since last summer when they changed QuickBooks and broke this, and really even before they made the change - as they could see plainly how QuickBooks worked (correctly) before. They had to comment out a bunch of code and put in new restrictive code (and that awful, ugly new tab on the employee records) in order to break what was working. It seems they've collectively decided that selling add-on products is more important than delivering what customers have already paid for. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

@Kevin_C  @MirriamM 

Do you have a solution to this yet? Your customers are paying intuit to be able to file their payroll forms. They should be able to do so.

I appreciate you continuing to follow-up on this BigRedConsulting.  I am anxiously awaiting an actual solution to this very frustrating problem as well.

Add me to the list of frustrated payroll providers. I've just been using dummy SSNs and now have to keep a separate list of names so I can remember to overwrite the W-2s before I e-file them. 

I have other software companies asking me to change to their software on a monthly basis. Somehow, Intuit has done a better job of convincing me to move to someone else than any of those sales reps. 

Hi @MirriamM 
I have an employee on a TN Visa. She is waiting for her SSN (applied for it last week). I'm about to process payroll and will need to pay her. 

I'm unable to add her as an employee since she doesn't have an SSN yet. Our lawyers said that it is completely legitimate to pay her now, as she awaits the SSN. What would you recommend I do to proceed and pay her? 

Thanks! 

I recognize the significance of ensuring your employees are paid promptly, jmillwork. I'm here to offer an alternative solution so you can still remunerate them without requiring their Social Security Number.

I see that creating a dummy SSN in QuickBooks was possible before. You and other users were used to using zeros as a temporary SSN. Before, if your employee has a Tax Identification Number (TIN), you can use that too. Just remember to update their record under Personal Info once you have their SSN. 

However, QuickBooks now requires the input of your SSN. Since QuickBooks now mandates it, you'll have to wait until your employee has their SSN before you can track and pay them using QuickBooks.

Alternatively, you might want to use a different app to handle payments or pay your employees directly to the IRS. Please note that it could lead to significant issues and complications in legal purposes. I recommend waiting until the employee has their SSN before making any payments.

Additionally, you can visit this article to get a few details on how to electronically pay your state payroll taxes and file state forms through QuickBooks Desktop Payroll: Set Up State E-File And E-Pay in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or issues regarding QuickBooks payroll. I'm here and available to provide assistance whenever you need it.

Note: that is no longer an option.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you read the whole thread?  Not being able to put 000's is ALL of our problems.  If we could put 000's this thread wouldn't exist.  The fact that you're a moderator and don't know this is very scary.  You have given us wrong information.   All of us need the ability to put 000's as the SSN, but again QB took the ability away from us.  So please, we need an actual solution to this problem.  YE is basically here, and still no answers from QB on how they will fix their error.  

Good morning, @eandrcpa. 

Thanks for chiming in a letting us know that information. 

Since entering the 0's as the number isn't an option any longer, I recommend to contact our Customer Support Team for further assistance. Here's how: 

1. Go to the Help menu. 
2. Click the QuickBooks Desktop Help option. 
3. Press the Contact Us button. 
4. Enter your question and hit Let's talk. 
5. Scroll down and pick to Get a callback. 

Keep us updated on how the call goes and what information they give you. I'll be waiting for your response! 

@Candice C  RE: Since entering the 0's as the number isn't an option any longer, I recommend to contact our Customer Support Team for further assistance.

Why? What on this earth are they going to do?

What should happen instead is that you contact your product development team and raise and urgent issue and tell them that they screwed up and should allow nine-zeros for the SSN the way QuickBooks always has until this year, to handle just this case - an "Applied for" SSN situation.

Intuit is in the wrong here, and it is blatantly obvious to everyone who understands anything about payroll. And we've been telling Intuit this since last summer when the change was made.

I have done this and the answer I initially received was to add any number (1-8) to replace the beginning number of ITIN starting in 9.  Then proceed to enter the remaining ITIN.  Umm, what? You want me to put a fake SSN in QB, and then file with the IRS with a completely bogus SSN, so my clients gets notices from the IRS stating a discrepancy in the SSN filed.  Not going to happen!  No resolution in the phone call, but a case was opened.  For anyone interested in adding their clients EIN to the case number here you go!

From QB Intuit QBD Accountant Support: I am sending you this email to confirm that with our deepest intent to resolve the issue you are experiencing right now, we have attached your account to the list of affected users for adding SSN information in W2 forms: 15109042292 and would therefore be worked on by our product engineers from this point onward. Though a turnaround time can not be declared yet, please be assured that resolving this matter for you is our top priority.

@SarahannC  RE: You can use zeros as a temporary SSN. If your employee has a Tax Identification Number (TIN), you can use that too. Just remember to update their record under Personal Info once you have their SSN.

You really don't actually use QuickBooks, do you. Nor are you at all informed about changes to QuickBooks. It's no wonder that so many of the answers here are so obviously inadequate.

It's easy to tell when you manage to copy/paste a canned answer that is six months out of date, that reflects how QuickBooks should work, but not now it does work - which, in turn, is the issue that your customer complained about.

@EC14  RE: From QB Intuit QBD Accountant Support: I am sending you this email to confirm that with our deepest intent to resolve the issue you are experiencing right now, we have attached your account to the list of affected users for adding SSN information in W2 forms

Their "deepest intent to resolve the issue"? Who writes or talks like that? And it's complete nonsense! Most likely it's actually a lie.

Ten bucks says Intuit doesn't fix their screw-up in time for their customers to file W-2's.

@Candice C  @SarahannC  @JaeAnnC  @MariaSoledadG  @MirriamM  @kevin_C

We're still waiting for an answer.

How are we supposed to file W-2's for employees who have applied for an SSN but not received one, since we can no longer file with an SSN that's all zeros, as is directed by the SSA and the IRS?

Please ask your payroll developers & payroll compliance experts what their solution is and let us know! Time is running out.

Hello there, BigRedConsulting.

The option to enter a dummy number in the Social Security No. field is currently a product limitation. We're unable to provide a definite time frame when updates are available, but our engineers are working on this one. In the meantime, you'll have to file a physical W2 through mail or wait for the employees' SSN to be available before filing. 

I've included an article that contains a checklist of the tasks to be accomplish for the upcoming year-end: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Furthermore, you can find additional information on how to file and print the W-2s by utilizing these valuable resources:

• File your W-2 and W-3 forms
• Print your W-2 and W-3 forms
• Fix an incorrect W-2 and W-3

Don't hesitate to visit the Community again if you have other payroll concerns or questions about processing W-2 forms. I'll get back and respond to them, @BigRedConsulting.

@Rasa-LilaM 

RE: The option to enter a dummy number in the Social Security No. field is currently a product limitation

No one asked about entering a dummy number, which is actually quite possible. It's just not what is required by the SSA and the IRS. They require all zeros when the SSN is not available. This is well known.

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

RE: We're unable to provide a definite time frame when updates are available, but our engineers are working on this one.

Oh, they are? That's news! So, you're saying there is an open case and there are plans to release updates to all of the supported versions of QuickBooks Desktop to handle the "Applied for" case?

RE: In the meantime, you'll have to file a physical W2 through mail or wait for the employees' SSN to be available before filing. 

Most employers don't have the option to file on paper. So that's not an actual option. If the employer has more then 10 W-2's they have to e file. This is well known: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/new-electronic-filing-requirements-for-forms-w-2

Also, en employer is not allowed to wait until Intuit gets around to fixing this. They have to file  on time. So waiting is not a actual option.

RE: I've included an article that contains a checklist of the tasks to be accomplish for the upcoming year-end: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

We don't need a checklist. We need to know how to file W-2's when an employee has applied for but not received their W-2, which is very common - especially because the SSA is so far behind issuing them. More than a year behind, it seems.

Any update on when the ability to put "applied for" for the SSN field for the W-2 will be reinstated? Paper filing is not an option. 

Hello, @mhpkap! Thank you for taking the time to post your concern in the Community. We appreciate your query regarding your inquiry about an update on the ability to put Applied For in the SSN box on the W-2 forms in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

I’ve seen that you’ve posted multiple times with the same concern in the Community space. My colleague has already provided brief information regarding your inquiry. If you haven't received the notification about the response, please visit this link to read the recommendation: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/employees-and-payroll/re-how-do-i-print-efile-a-w-...

Your time and effort are truly appreciated. If you have any additional concerns or need guidance on processing W-2 forms in QBDT, please don't hesitate to let us know. We're always here and ready to assist with your queries. Have a great day ahead!

@LollyNino_C 

RE: We appreciate your query regarding your inquiry about an update on the ability to put Applied For in the SSN box on the W-2 forms in QuickBooks Desktop

Really, you appreciate it?  What do you appreciate about it?

Tick tock, tick tock, time is running out for Intuit to fix this. You've had six months since you screwed up QuickBooks. There is very little time left.

The solution that your colleague posted does not work. We need the ability to enter nine zeros for the SSN or the ability to override the SSN field to put "applied for"

How can I add myself to this thread so I can keep up with the updates? Hopefully commenting is enough. I'm in the same boat. 3 clients with over 10 employees.