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Fix error codes 00000 XXXXX in payroll setup

by Intuit Updated 6 months ago

Learn how to fix errors in the format 00000 XXXXX.  These prevent the payroll setup wizard in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll from opening.

If you’re trying to open the Payroll Setup Wizard in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll and see an error message with a code in this format: 00000 XXXXX, don’t worry.  We’ll help you find the cause and get it fixed. 

Step 1: Find the error message

To start, you’ll need to find the specific error message in a report found on the error. 

  1. From the error message, select the View Report link. 
  2. Double-click the file ReportHeader.xml
  3. Press CTRL F on your keyboard to open the search box, then enter Exception String 0 in the search field. 

This will take you to the error message on the report.  The specific error message appears after the words Exception String 0

For example: 

Exception String 0 System.Exception: exception thrown in background thread ---> System.ArgumentException: Item has already been added. Key in dictionary: '(unnamed employee)' Key being added: '(unnamed employee)' at System.Collections.SortedList.Add(Object key, Object value) 

Step 2: Fix the errors

Select the error message below that matches or is similar to the error message you see in QuickBooks. 

The specific vendor name or payroll item causing the issue will show in this error message.  This means there’s a duplicate vendor or payroll item with the same name. 

Fix the duplicate vendor or payroll item

  1. Select Vendors, and then Vendor Center or select Items, then Payroll Item List.
  2. Find the Vendor or Payroll item name listed in the error message. If you see more than one item, skip to step 4. If you don’t, go to the next step. 
  3. Select Show Inactives. This will show any potential duplicate items. 
  4. You can try to delete the duplicate item, but if it’s been used on any transactions in QuickBooks, you won’t be able to.  Otherwise edit the item and rename it, then save it. 

This means there’s one or more duplicate employees in your employee list. 

Fix the duplicate employee

  1. Select Employees, and then select Employee Center.
  2. From the View drop-down, select All Employees to include inactive employees.
  3. Find the duplicate employee names. Right-click on the duplicate name and select Delete Employee.
  4. If you can’t delete a duplicate employee because of existing payroll transactions, move the transactions to the first employee listed. Then try to delete the duplicate employee again. If there aren’t any payroll transactions for the employee, time card data may be corrupted. Go to Employees > Enter Time and look for any entries that contain odd or invalid characters.

This means either there’s a blank space in front or at the end of an employee first or last name, or the employee first and last name fields are completely blank on one or more employee profiles (the name only shows in the Print on check as field in the employee profile). The employee names will show in the employee list as normal, so you’ll need to review each employee profile.  

Fix employee names

  1. Select Employees, and then select Employee Center.
  2. From the View drop-down, select All Employees to include inactive employees.

Open each employee profile to review the employee first and last name fields.  Delete any blank spaces before or after the employee’s first and last name, or enter a first and last name if they’re missing and only show in the Print on check as field.

This error usually includes a specific code: 

Error 00000 99867: this means an employee doesn’t have a state setup in their employee profile. 

Find the employee with the missing state and fix

  1. Select Employees, and then select Employee Center.
  2. Right click anywhere on the employee list and select Customize Columns
  3. From the Available Columns list, select State Lived, then select Add.
  4. From the Available Columns list, select State Worked, then select Add
  5. Select OK
  6. Double-click the employee with missing state(s).
  7. Select Payroll Info.
  8. Select Taxes.
  9. Select the State tab, then select the correct state.
  10. Repeat steps 6-9 for all employees with missing state(s)

Error 00000 88703: This means the first and last name fields are blank on one or more employee profiles (the name only shows in the Print on check as field in the employee profile). The employee names will show in the employee list as normal, so you’ll need to review each employee profile.  

Fix employee names

  1. Select Employees, and then select Employee Center.
  2. From the View drop-down, select All Employees to include inactive employees.
  3. Open each employee profile to review the employee first and last name fields.  Enter a first and last name if they’re missing and only show in the Print on check as field. 

If the error doesn’t come with a specific code, this means a payroll item has an unexpected amount. Use the Payroll Checkup to locate and update the amount that doesn’t fall within the expected range.

This means your Arial font in Windows OS is corrupted or missing. Contact your IT for help fixing this issue.

This means that a local tax is incorrectly added in an employee profile.  You’ll need to create and review a couple of reports to find the local tax item that doesn’t have type Other

Find the incorrect local tax item and fix

  1. Create an Employee Withholding report.
    1. Select Reports, then Employees & Payroll, and then select Employee Withholding.
    2. Select Customize Report.
    3. From Columns remove the checkmarks from the current items and select these items: Employee, Local Tax 1, Local Tax 2, Local Tax 3, Local Tax 4, Local Tax 5, Local Tax 6, Local Tax 7, Local Tax 8, Local Tax 9, Local Tax 10, Local Tax 11, Local Tax 12.
    4. Select the Filters tab.
    5. Select Active Status and select All.
    6. Select OK.
    7. Leave the report open, print or select Excel, and then Create New Worksheet to export to Excel.
  2. Create a Payroll Item Listing report.
    1. Select Reports, then Employees & Payroll, and then select Payroll Item Listing.
    2. Select Customize Report.
    3. Remove the checkmarks from all the items except Payroll Item and Type.
    4. Select Active Status and select All.
    5. Select the Filters tab.
    6. Select OK.
    7. Leave the report open, print or click Excel > Create New Worksheet to export to Excel.
  3. Compare the two reports.  Look for Local Taxes that don’t have type Other.
  4. Edit each employee with a tax item that is not type Other.  You can double-click the employee from the Employee Withholding report to open the employee profile.
  5. Select Payroll Info, and then select Taxes.  
  6. Select the Other tab and remove the tax item that does not have a type Other.  
  7. Select OK twice to save your changes.

This means a file in QuickBooks is corrupted or missing.  To fix, ​​Repair QuickBooks. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to do a Clean install QuickBooks Desktop in Selective Startup.

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll AssistedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll BasicQuickBooks Desktop Payroll EnhancedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll Standard

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