Why do my w-2s still say draft copy?

Preparing and filing employee forms right on time is an essential need to do, Leah. Allow me to share information about W2s, so you can manage your payroll tasks efficiently.

If you're set up to have QuickBooks automatically pay your taxes and file your forms, there's nothing you need to do. Intuit files the forms for you and submits them before the set deadline. All copies are available to view or print approximately 35 days after the end of the quarter. 

That said, QuickBooks will then automatically file your W2s on your payroll filing screen.

In addition to this, you can electronically file on your own to submit these forms inside the online program. To help you do this:

1.  Sign in to your QuickBooks Online account.
2. Go to Taxes and click Payroll Tax. Then, select Filings.
3. From W-2 Copies A & D (employer), click File.
4. Select Annual Forms, then W-2 Copies A & D (employer). Then, Continue.
5. If prompted, tell us whether or not one or more employees were active participants in a retirement plan during the tax year.
6. On the Employer Copies: Form W-2 page, select View to open Acrobat Reader.
7. Review and print Copy D (Employer's copy) for your records.
8. Click Submit to authorize us to file Copy A of Form W-2 electronically for you.

Once the form is processed and complete, we'll let you know via email. For more insights, please check this article: File your W2 and W3 forms.

Furthermore, you can also invite your employees to use QuickBooks Workforce to view their W2s online. This way, they can check and print their own copies for the current year.

This information may help you manage and file employee forms on time. If there's anything else you need further assistance with, just let me know in the comments below. I'll be available in this thread to help you. Keep safe and have a good one!

This is a canned answer that does not address my question. 

Under Payroll Tax Center Filings, my only option is to preview the W-2s. I cannot archive them or file them. The message above the Action Needed section says my W-2s are being queued up, as I previously stated. When I preview the W-2s, they are stamped with "Draft copy - Do Not File."

I want to know why it is taking so long for them to be ready, and when they will be ready.

Please don't reply with canned answers.

Theres a box at the bottom of the page that says something in regards to w2s on the 15th. Maybe that will help since they are not.

I appreciate you for coming back for adding clarification about your concern regarding W-2s. I can also see how vital it is to file them through QuickBooks as quickly as possible. Let me provide additional details on the reason why there's a watermark appears on your end. 

Usually, the "Draft copy - Do Not File." that shows on your end means that the Automate taxes and forms turned option is turned on. In this case, QuickBooks will automatically pay and file your state and payroll taxes (including year-end flings). This could be the reason you're unable to archive and file W-2s.  

Furthermore, W-2 forms start to become available in your product on January 15, 2024. This form will be mailed to your employees at the addresses indicated in the employee profile by January 31. You can refer to this article to see further details: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Online Payroll.

In case you need steps on how to run several payroll reports in QBO that help you view employee info, wages, taxes, and deductions, you can read this article: Run payroll reports.

Please don't hesitate to hit that Reply button if you have additional questions about managing W-2s. I'm always here to help you further, Leah. Have a great day ahead.

Had the same issue thank you. Not sure how intuit couldn't answer this. 

Thank you for reaching out about your W-2s, Alstow. I completely understand your concerns about the draft copy status. Let me explain how this could happen.

Your W-2s are marked as "draft copy" because the "Automate taxes and forms" option is turned on in your QuickBooks settings to avoid duplicate filings. This feature helps QuickBooks automatically prepare and file your payroll taxes, including W-2s at the end of the year.  Because of this, your W-2s won't be finalized until they're ready to be sent out, which usually happens around January 15, 2025. You can take a look at them before they are mailed to your employees by January 31.

Moving forward, maximize the efficiency of your financial processes by collaborating with our Explore QuickBooks Payroll team. They're veterans in the field, known for smoothing out financial operations and offering insights tailored to your business. One click connects you to a more prosperous financial path.

Also, using a year-end checklist for QuickBooks Online Payroll helps facilitate a more organized, accurate, and compliant payroll process, making the transition smoother for your businesses.

Moreover, running payroll reports in QuickBooks Online Payroll allows your businesses to improve payroll management, ensure compliance, and obtain important insights into your workforce and financial well-being.

If you have immediate needs or specific adjustments about QuickBooks W-2 preparations, please let me know, and I can guide you through the available options. Have a good one!

After I learned last year that the delay was due to using the automated filings feature, I turned off that feature. I'm happy to generate the filings and payments myself throughout the year (I actually prefer this), and then to be able to get W-2s done faster at year end - totally worth the "manual" process. The sooner I can check it off, the better. 

I am having the same question. I have automatic taxes turned "ON" but I opted to change the W-2 option so that I am the one printing and mailing the W-2's to employees not QB. Does that mean I am also waiting until after the 15th to be able to print them and assume QB is not printing/mailing out also? Not much clarification anywhere on this.

Thanks

-WK

Hello, @WendyK25. 

Welcome to the Community! 

If you have the automatic taxes and forms turned off, then the W-2 forms will be available to print and file in your product on January 1st, 2025. If you have the option turned on, the W-2 will become available on January 15th, 2025. 

Please review this guide for more details and information about taxes and forms: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Online. 

Feel free to come back if you have any other questions. We're always here to help!

Mine has been turned off since Nov and Draft is still printed on the W2s

Proactively managing and filing your W2 form in advance is key to ensuring a seamless tax filing experience, U2500. Allow me to share some insights that could explain why your W2 form is still marked as a draft.

A W2 form in QuickBooks (QB) appears with a 'draft' label if the 'Automate Tax and Forms' feature is activated. This setting enables QB to efficiently handle and file your state and payroll taxes automatically, beginning on January 15.

If the automate tax and forms feature is turned off, you can start printing W2 forms from January 1. However, if your W2 form still displays a "Draft" watermark, this suggests that there are unresolved issues or necessary updates before the form is finalized and ready for submission.

To resolve this matter, I recommend reaching out to our live support experts. They possess specialized tools designed to investigate any discrepancies or technical issues with your W2 form. They can offer immediate assistance and guide you through the process to ensure your form is accurate and ready for submission.
 

Here's how you can connect to our live support:

1. Sign in to your QuickBooks Online account.
2. Click (?)Help at top right corner.
3. Enter your concern, then hit Let's Talk.
4. Select Contact Us to connect to live support agent.
5. Choose a way connect with us:

• Start a chat with a support expert.
• Get a callback from the next available expert.

Please be guided that our support hours are as follows:

• Plus, Essentials, Simple Start M-F 6AM to 6PM PT and Saturday 6AM to 3PM PT
• Advance, they are open 24/7

This team will review the comments in the Community as well as the recent cases with support.

You can also check this article on how to File your W-2 and W-3 Forms.

I'm here to help you with filling out your W2 forms in QuickBooks Online. If you need further assistance, don't hesitate to hit Reply and leave us a comment. We're here to help you.

My draft copy came off today. Why are there 2 pages for each employee when I select 3 per page? It does not show up like this in Desktop. 

Hello, buskirk20. We understand you're encountering an issue where each employee's payroll data is taking up two pages, despite selecting the '3 per page' option in QuickBooks Payroll. In fact, there's already an ongoing investigation closely related with this issue.

What we recommend as of the moment is contact our dedicated Payroll Support team to get included in the group of affected users. This way, you'll receive the most recent updates via email on this matter.

Please be informed that our Payroll Core team is available from Mondays to Fridays between 6 AM and 6 PM PST time, while Payroll Premium or Elite is available any time of any day.

Here's how to get in contact with our Payroll team:

1. Click (?) Help, then hit the Search tab.

2. Type in 'payroll support' in the Search questions, keywords or topics box.

3. Tap Contact Us button.

4. Choose Chat or Callback.

Moreover, I would like to share this article to learn more about taxes and forms: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Online Payroll.

Should you continue to encounter any difficulties related to W-2 forms, feel free to reach out in the comment. Our team is always here to ensure your QuickBooks experience is smooth and hassle-free. Have a great day.