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Pay a contractor with a paper check

SOLVEDby QuickBooks299Updated October 23, 2023

Learn how to create paper checks to pay your contractors in QuickBooks Payroll.

With QuickBooks Payroll, you can either write paper checks or pay direct deposits to your contractors. Here's how to record and print paper checks for your contractors.

Before you can pay a contractor, you need to set up their vendor profile and track them as a 1099 vendor. If you don't want to use a paper check, here's how to pay your contractors with direct deposit.

Note: Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find your payroll service.

Create contractor paychecks

Once your contractor has a vendor profile, you can create a paper check for them. Follow the steps for the payroll product you use.

Before you start, make sure you’ve set up your printing preferences.

Once you're set up:

  1. Go to Payroll and select Contractors (Take me there).
  2. Select the dropdown next to the contractor's name and then Write check.
  3. From the Bank account ▼ dropdown, select the account the check withdraws money from.
  4. Complete the check fields you need.
  5. Select the Print check option if you want to open the check queue to print now. Or select the Print later checkbox if you want to print the check later.
  6. Select Save and close to close the check window. Or Save and new if you need to create another check. Note: If you choose a save option, this adds the check to your bank register, but only sends it to the print queue if you select Print later.

Need help printing your checks?

To watch more how-to videos, visit our video section.

  1. Go to Contractors then select Contractors.
  2. Select the contractor you want to pay.
  3. Select the Pay with direct deposit ▼ dropdown, then select Write check.
  4. Enter the info for the payment, then select Save or Save and print.
  1. Select the Banking menu and then Write Checks.
  2. In the Bank Account dropdown, and select the checking account you use to pay contractors.
  3. In the Pay to the Order of dropdown, select the contractor.
  4. Select the Date field and enter the date you want to pay the contractor.
  5. Enter the check amount in the $ field.
  6. Select the Expenses tab and select the related expense account.
  7. Make sure the Pay Online checkbox is unchecked.
  8. If you want to print multiple checks at the same time, check the box next to Print Later. This sends the checks to the print queue. Note: If you leave the option unchecked, QuickBooks automatically assigns a check number.
  9. Select Save & Close.

Need help printing your checks? Here's how to print checks one at a time or in a batch.

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