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Override an employee's salary in QuickBooks Online Payroll

by Intuit • Image Alt Text 77 •
Image Alt Text Updated 8/4/2026 02:50

Learn how to adjust or prorate an employee's fixed salary in Intuit QuickBooks Workforce and QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.

Salaried employees have a fixed rate for each pay period. But there may be times, you need to adjust or prorate their salary for one paycheck. 

Here's how to adjust your salaried employees' pay according to the number of hours worked.

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

Override your employee’s pay

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce calculates the prorated amount for you as you change the hours worked. To calculate the hours worked, deduct the days or hours the employee didn’t work for from the regular total hours for that period. 

  1. Go to All apps A bunch of numbers and letters on a tile wall., then Payroll, then Employees (Take me there).

  2. Select Run Payroll.

  3. When asked, select a pay schedule.

  4. Select your employee's salary, then choose Edit employee hours for this pay period.

  5. Enter the total hours to reduce for this pay period, then select Apply.

  6. Preview and submit payroll.

  7. Select Finished payroll.

Calculate the hours worked

Use the sample info below to calculate the hours worked.

  • Pay schedule: Weekly (40 hrs)

  • Hours didn’t work: 2 days or 16 hrs

Hours worked = 40 - 16

In this example, the employee’s hours worked is 24 hrs for a weekly pay period.

Override your employee’s pay

Enter the prorated salary of your employee as you run payroll. 

If you want to know how to calculate the prorated salary amount, check this out.

  1. Go to Employees, then select Pay Employees.

  2. Select Scheduled Payroll or Unscheduled Payroll.

    • Scheduled Payroll: Select the appropriate schedule in the Create Paychecks section, then select Start Scheduled Payroll.

    • Unscheduled Payroll: Verify the pay period end date, and the check date, then select the employees you want to pay.

  3. Select Open Paycheck Detail.

  4. Find your salaried employee.

  5. In the Earnings section, enter the dollar amount.

  6. Press the Tab key on your keyboard to recalculate the taxes.

  7. Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.

  8. Select Continue, then Create Paychecks.

Calculate the prorated salary amount

Let's calculate the prorated salary amount using the sample info below:

  • Annual Salary: $30,000

  • Total hours worked in a year: 2080 (based on 40 hours per week)

  • Hours worked: 24hrs

  1. Calculate the hourly rate. Divide the annual salary of your employee by total hours worked in a standard year.

    • (30,000 / 2080 =  $14.42)

  2. Multiply the hours worked and the hourly rate.

    • (24 * 14.42 = 346.08)

In this example, the equivalent salary amount to enter in QuickBooks is $346.08.

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