Intuit to Share Payroll Data from 1.4M Small Businesses With Equifax

Thanks for sharing your insights and feedback here in the community, @wexler, 

It is always our top priority that our customer's account is secured with us. Don't worry, our security technology is built with the decades of experience we have protecting our customers' data.

I want you to know that we acknowledge your feedback about the update being implemented automatically to all QBO Payroll accounts. If you do not want this new service included, you can still update the preferences and opt-out by July 31, 2021. Otherwise, you will automatically be opted in.

Follow these steps to opt-out:

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online Payroll.

2. Go to Payroll Settings.

3. In the Shared data section, select the pencil and uncheck the box.

4. Select Save.

Regarding Intuit teaming up with Equifax, this is something they work on internally. But before our developers integrate with third-party sources or companies, they usually go through a wide range of feedback. The goal is to be purposeful and thorough with the enhancements and product updates to make our program efficient to use and is beneficial to the customers.

I'll be sharing some links about our terms and Equifax FAQs:

• INTUIT TERMS OF SERVICE FOR QUICKBOOKS IN THE UNITED STATES
• Get answers to questions about The Work Number® from Equifax

If you have any questions or need further help with QuickBooks, feel free to visit us anytime. You can also mention my name on your posts and I'll be more than happy to help. Have a nice day!

Wexler is right:

Intuit should not 'auto opt-in' businesses and should be getting consent from those businesses.

Intuit does NOT have permission to share data with Equifax or any other company!

Any luck opting out, using your version?

There is no opt out option to be found in my copy of QB Pro 2021 desktop.  

I've fully updated and read the support article at 

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/data-utilities/get-answers-to-questions-about-the-...

The option to opt out is just not where they say it is supposed to be.  

QB likes to hide things.

I was just on with support for an hour and after multiple payroll and software updates the "HR & Benefits" section under Preferences did not exist. There is however a "Benefits & HR" section but it does not include an "Income & Employment" section let alone a checkbox to clear and opt out. I am using Quickbooks Pro 2019 and support tried to say that this service was not offered to the 2019 software. I pointed out that Q-Buzz was having the same issue w/ QB Pro 2021 and they basically had no more answers. I reported a bug through Help<Send Feedback Online but am open to any other suggestions as to how to ensure we are opted out. I'm also curious if the Krebs article opt out date of July 31 is official. I don't see it in any intuit correspondence.

I am working with the QB 2021 Desktop version and I have run all of the company and payroll updates and still cannot find the box to opt-out. Where is it located or what else can I do to find it?

Allow me to share a few information on how to opt-out payroll data and I'm here to guide you on how this works, CPA_1.

In QuickBooks Desktop, you'll opt-in automatically since this is how it works and design. But you can opt out from the benefit of the services. You'll want to turn this service off if you don't want the verification service for your employees. To do this, follow the steps below. If you are signed in to your Intuit account:

1. Open your QuickBooks Desktop File.
2. Select Edit, then Preferences.
3. Select HR & Benefits.
4. Select the Company Preferences tab. 
5. In the Income & Employment section, clear the checkbox next to Include automated income and employment verification service powered by The Work Number from Equifax.
6. Click Yes.
   
   

If you are not signed in to your Intuit account, follow the above steps and additional directions below: 

1. Enter your email address on the next screen and select Continue.
2. Sign in to your Intuit account.
   
   

However, if you decide later that you want this service though, follow the steps above and select the checkbox Include automated income and employment verification service powered by The Work Number from Equifax.  But if the issue persists, I recommend reaching out to our support team so they can double-check on this and investigate further. They have the necessary tools to pull up your account in a secure environment.  Please read this article for the complete information: Get Answers to Questions About The Work Number® from Equifax.

For your reference, you'll want to manage payroll in QuickBooks Desktop, I've included these articles for your guide: Help On Common Payroll Topics.

Please touch base with us if you have questions about sharing payroll data with Equifax. We're here to help you 24/7. Stay safe always!

Hi Maria, The steps you outline here do not work. I'd be curious to hear from ANY user for which this process resulted in the new "opt-out" checkbox described. In my version of QB Pro 2019, the section you refer to as "HR & Benefits" is called "Benefits & HR" and contains only Workers Comp options and no section for "Income & Employment". Please advise on another way to opt out of The Work Number data sharing. Thanks.

Hi Maria, The process you describe here does not work. I'd be curious to hear from ANY QB Desktop user for whom this process resulted in the appearance of the described "opt-out" checkbox. In my version of QB Desktop Pro 2019 the "HR & Benefits" section is called "Benefits & HR" and only includes Workers Comp options nothing labeled Income and Employment. As you can see in this thread a number of 2021 users are having the same experience. Please advise another way to opt out of the data sharing with Equifax. Thanks.

Thanks for letting us know on how settings look like on your end, @austin1234.

Let me share some information about the opt-out of the work number. While the program has been live on the software as of Aug. 1, 2021, the data you collect will be available to The Work Number and Equifax automatically. Thus, you can opt-out of this benefit at any time.

To be able to make changes on the settings, make sure to sign in as the QuickBooks admin, update QuickBooks to the latest release, and restart QuickBooks.

To login as Admin:

1. Go to File.
2. Select Close Company.
3. In the No Company Open window, choose your company file.
4. Enter your Admin credentials.

From there, you can see the steps mentioned by my peer above. Check out this guide for details: Get Answers to Questions About The Work Number® from Equifax.

Additionally, here's a link that covers all the tasks you can do when using QuickBooks Desktop Payroll: 

• View all articles for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Please know that you're always welcome to come back to this thread anytime if you have follow-up questions or concerns. I'll be around to help. Have a good one.

I'm having the same problem as so many others.  There is no "HR & Benefits" option under Preferences in our version of QB Desktop 2020, after updating and signing in.

Highly irritating that I have to waste time on this.

 Same with me. Also, gee, they really give a lot of time to opt out before this took effect.

Edited to say, after logging off and on as admin twice, the option showed up under benefits and hr.

Same here. Gee, I wonder why they gave us so much time to opt out from when this went live. And, I wonder how often the same steps will be given that don't work.

This doesn't work, there is no option anywhere in my QB Accountant Desktop 2021 program.  I have updated my payroll, the program, everything, about 20 times.  Rebooted both program and computer 3 times.  There is no preference for HR & Benefits or anywhere to opt out of this stupid invasive service.  I run my company payroll through my own Payroll Service Key and we have an Accountant Service Key for our clients.  If  I'm not able to opt my clients out of this service, they will be irate.  This is a horrible way to do business.  With all the security breaches the last few years this isn't something ANYONE asked for.  

I dislike Online QB interface so we have stayed with Desktop versions for our office and our clients.  What I don't understand is if I'm a desktop user, how is QB even able to access my employee files if I'm not connected to the internet with that file?  

Either find a way to get us opted out of this service or I'll be looking for other methods of payroll preparation for myself and my clients.