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Create and run your payroll

by Intuit156 Updated 6 days ago

Step 1: Set up a pay schedule for your employees

Using pay schedules can make your regular payroll easier. If you haven’t set up one yet, do that first.

Step 2: Create and send your paychecks

Next, you’ll need to create your direct deposit or paper paychecks, then send them to us for processing.

  • Scheduled payroll: regular paychecks for your employees. You can add bonuses or other pay to these.
  • Unscheduled payroll: pay a bonus, commission, a final paycheck, or to report fringe benefits outside your regular payroll schedule.

The steps to create and run your payroll depend on your payroll service. Select your product below to begin. Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find it.

For a better experience, open this article in QuickBooks Online. Launch side-by-side view Open this link in a new window.

Run payroll faster and make managing your team easier with QuickBooks Payroll.

Create and send a scheduled payroll

  1. Go to Payroll, then select Employees (Take me there).
  2. Select Run Payroll.
  3. If applicable, select your desired payroll schedule, then Continue.
  4. Select or review the Pay period and Pay date.
  5. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
  6. Select the column, or select Actions ⋮, then Edit paycheck to enter your pay details. You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other necessary paycheck info.  If you use QuickBooks Time, select Review Approved Time.
  7. Select Preview payroll.
  8. Select or review the QuickBooks Bank account to track your payroll.
  9. Select Preview payroll details or Submit payroll.
  10. Select Close.

Create and send an unscheduled payroll

  1. Go to Payroll, then select Employees (Take me there).
  2. Select the ▼ dropdown, and select one of the following options: Bonus only, Commission only, or Fringe benefits only.
  3. Based on your selection, you may be asked additional questions. Enter any info about taxes or paycheck calculations (if applicable). Once complete, select Continue
  4. Select or review the pay period (if applicable) and pay date.
  5. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
  6. Select the column, or select Actions ⋮, then Edit paycheck to enter your pay details. You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other paycheck info as necessary. If you use QuickBooks Time, select Review Approved Time.
  7. Select Preview payroll.
  8. Select or review the QuickBooks bank account to track your payroll.
  9. Select Preview payroll details, Save for later, or Submit payroll.
  10. Select Close.

The workflow will guide you through how to print out paychecks and pay stubs.

Create another check

If you see the message Create another check while running payroll, you may have another paycheck for the employee. If you need to make a change to the existing check, go to the paycheck list, delete the paycheck then run payroll again. If you want to give your employee an additional payment, select Create another check.

More info about your payroll:

Note: If you need to create a check outside these two payroll runs, you can create a termination paycheck or process a late payroll.
  1. Select Employees, then Pay Employees, and select from the check types Scheduled Payroll, Unscheduled Payroll, or Termination Check.
    • Skip to step 3 if you need to run an unscheduled payroll
  2. Select the appropriate schedule, and select Start Scheduled Payroll.
  3. Verify the Pay Period Ends date, Check Date, and QuickBooks Bank Account.
  4. Select the employees you want to pay.
  5. You can enter hours using the grid, or if you are using timesheets, you’ll see all their hours for this pay period already entered. To see everyone's paycheck details, select Open Paycheck Detail.
  6. Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or select Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.
  7. Select Continue.
  8. Review the Check/Direct Deposit printing options.
  9. Verify the amounts for each employee, and select Create Paychecks.
  10. Print paychecks and print pay stubs now or later if desired. If you have QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted or direct deposit paychecks, send your payroll information and direct deposit paychecks to Intuit.

More info about your payroll:

Related links

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll AssistedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll BasicQuickBooks Desktop Payroll EnhancedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll StandardQuickBooks Online Payroll CoreQuickBooks Online Payroll EliteQuickBooks Online Payroll Premium

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