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Record a paycheck in the past
Learn how to create and send a payroll with checks dated in the past in Intuit QuickBooks Workforce or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.
Did you pay your employee outside of QuickBooks and forget to record or send it to us? We’ll help you get your payroll back on track.
| Note: Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find your payroll service. |
Intuit QuickBooks Workforce
You can create a paycheck with a past check date as long as it’s in the current quarter and tax forms haven't been filed. This paycheck will be a paper check.
When you record a paycheck with a past check date, you’ll need to immediately pay the taxes owed. In QuickBooks Online, we’ll recalculate the taxes you owe for you. Then, depending on your tax setup, you can process the payments yourself in QuickBooks or record the payments you made outside of QuickBooks.
Important: If you date your paychecks in the past, you may receive notices or incur penalties for late tax payments. To avoid this, consider if the paycheck date must be in the past.
If you've missed a paycheck to an employee, there's no need to record the paycheck. Issue the paycheck with the current date and make sure it includes all the pay owed for the period in question.
Run payroll faster and make managing your team easier with QuickBooks Payroll.
Video transcript
[0:00] Welcome. Let's go over how to run payroll in QuickBooks Online. You'll also see how to change an employee's payment method from a paper check to direct deposit. If you need help with adding employees or setting up your payroll taxes, you can check out videos on those topics at the end of this video. Go to Payroll overview. Then select Pay my team.
[0:25] Make sure the pay period and paycheck dates are correct. If they aren't, you can change them here. You'll see a list of your employees on this pay schedule. If you don't want to pay someone, uncheck the box next to their name. For salaried employees, QuickBooks calculates their pay based on the salary info you provided.
[0:46] For hourly employees, QuickBooks calculates their pay from the time you and your employee entered. If your team uses QuickBooks Time, their hours will automatically appear here for you to approve. Select Approved time. From here, you can approve individual employees' time, and select multiple employees, and select Approve to approve the time for everyone you selected.
[1:10] If there's any missing time, use the Add time button to enter it. Select the X to go back to running payroll. If any hours or pay amounts aren't correct, you can select the line with the employee to edit it. You can also add memos, and change an employee from paper check to direct deposit. Note that to make this switch, you'll need to enter the employee's routing and account number for their bank.
[1:37] When everything looks right, select Preview payroll. With automated taxes, QuickBooks withdraws employee wages and taxes for jurisdictions you have set up from your bank. The money withdrawn for taxes is held for you so that QuickBooks can automatically pay your taxes later. For each employee, you'll see the total pay for the period, the taxes being withheld, and net pay they'll receive.
[2:02] Ensure you have the right bank account selected. Changing this doesn't change the actual bank account you use for payroll. You can change the bank account QuickBooks withdraws money from when you pay your employees in your payroll settings. Once you are ready, select Submit Payroll.
[2:21] Now you can print paychecks or pay stubs, or if your employees have access to QuickBooks Workforce, they can view their pay stubs there. Now you're ready to run your payroll in QuickBooks Online.
Go to All apps
, then Payroll, then Employees (Take me there).Select Run payroll.
If asked, select a payroll schedule.
Change the Pay date and Pay period.
Select your employee and then add their salary or hours worked.
Pay method should be Paper check.
Preview and submit payroll.
Go to Taxes, and select Payroll tax.
Select Payments.
Review, then select Pay next to the tax payments you need to make.
QuickBooks Desktop Payroll
If you forgot to record or send a paycheck that’s already issued to your employees, you can create an unscheduled payroll.
Note: If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted, you’ll be charged a $100 late fee.
Go to Employees, then Pay Employees, and select Unscheduled Payroll.
Verify the Pay Period End date.
Change check date to the date you paid your employees.
Select the employees you want to create paychecks with.
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.
Select Open Paycheck Detail to see everyone’s paycheck details. Clear the Use Direct Deposit option as needed.
Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or select Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.
Select Continue.
Verify the amounts for each employee, and select Create Paychecks. If you have QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted, send your payroll information to Intuit.
Related links
Intuit QuickBooks Workforce only: Request an amendment for payroll
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