Add pay history to QuickBooks Online Payroll

Learn how to enter your employee’s year-to-date paycheck info, and company totals.  

If you’re new to QuickBooks Online Payroll and you’ve already paid your employees this year, you’ll need to add their pay in the setup.  Their pay history goes on their W-2s and other payroll tax forms. 

You’ll also need to enter your company wages and taxes for each payday in the current quarter. This info makes sure you’re not missing any historical paychecks. 

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

Check out this video to add your pay history, or follow the steps below. 

Step 1: Get your pay history info

You’ll need a few key pieces of info:

• Employee pay stubs or payroll reports with year-to-date amounts. The stubs or reports should show each pay item, deduction, tax and net pay. 
• If you’re starting with us in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter: employee pay stubs or payroll reports dated on or before the last day of the closed quarter.
  • Quarter 1: January 1 - March 31
  • Quarter 2: April 1 - June 30
  • Quarter 3: July 1 - September 30
  • Quarter 4: October 1 - December 31

For example: You’re starting with us on July 15. Your pay stubs or payroll reports should show your last payday on or before June 30. 

• Payroll reports or spreadsheets for each payday in the current quarter. These reports should show the paycheck dates.  And have totals of each pay item, deduction, and tax for all employees paid added together. 

Step 2: Start the setup

Now it’s time to get into the setup in QuickBooks Online.  

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online as the primary admin. 
2. Go to Payroll, and then select Overview.
3. If you haven’t already, add all of your employees paid this year in the Tell us about your team task. Include all employees that no longer work for you. Make sure to set up each pay item, deduction, contribution and tax showing on their pay stubs or reports.
4. Next to Add your payroll history, select Start. 

Step 3: Enter how much you paid your employees this year

Here, you’ll see a list of all your employees. 

1. Select Enter next to your first employee. 
2. Answer the questions about when you paid your employee. 
3. Use the employee pay stubs or payroll reports to enter the amounts in each column. If you’re missing an item, exit the history task and add it to your employee through the Tell us about your team task.  

Note: We recommend entering the net pay amount to help catch any data entry issues. 

4. When you’re finished, select Continue. 
5. Repeat steps 1–4 for each employee paid this year.
6. When finished with all employees, select Continue twice. 

Note: Because you enter year-to-date totals for your employees, QuickBooks Online Payroll reports will only show accurate historical payroll details year-to-date. If you need details for a specific pay date or period, use your prior payroll reports. The year-to-date pay history won't show on any financial reports, like your balance sheet or profit and loss. You may need to enter this into your books manually.

Step 4: Enter your company totals for each payday

Now you’ll need your reports or spreadsheet for each pay date in the current quarter. 

1. If you exited the setup, go to Payroll, and then select Overview. If you're still in the setup, go to Step 2 or Step 3.
2. Next to Add your pay history, select Edit.
3. Select Continue until you get to the display: Company payroll totals for this quarter. 
4. Select Add pay date. 
5. Enter your first paycheck date for the quarter listed. 
6. Fill in the total amounts from your reports. 
7. When finished, select Continue. 
8. Repeat steps 1–5 for each pay date in the quarter listed.
9. When finished with all pay dates, select Continue.
10. If you see a display: Paycheck history quarterly detail, your federal or state annual forms require totals by quarter. Use a quarterly tax liability report from your prior payroll provider to enter the amounts requested for each quarter. 

Edit your pay history

You can make changes to your pay history if you haven’t created any paychecks. Go to Payroll and select Overview to get back to the setup and pay history tasks.

If you’ve already created paychecks, contact us to make changes to your pay history.