Map QuickBooks payroll items in QuickBooks Time

Map payroll items to make sure your team is paid correctly for the hours they work. If your employees are paid different rates based on the type of work they do, use overrides to assign pay rates to customers, service items, or classes.

Before you map payroll items:

• You must have an active payroll subscription to use the payroll item mapping tool: 
  • QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium and Elite: initial payroll item mapping is performed during setup of the QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Online integration. Use the directions below if you want to change your previously mapped payroll items.
  • For QuickBooks Desktop Payroll: first, set up the QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Desktop integration, then map payroll items.
• Only account administrators can map payroll items.
• Make sure your employees are set up with payroll items in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop.  
• If you track overtime, make sure that is set up in your account. 
• Vendors and 1099 contractors don’t need mapped payroll items.

How to Map Payroll Items by:

• Employee
• Customer/service item/class
• Employee choice

By employee

This is the default setting. For each type of hour your employee tracks, there will be one payroll item assigned to those hours in QuickBooks. Map regular hours, overtime, and time off.

1. In QuickBooks Time, select the QuickBooks dropdown, then Preferences.
2. Select Payroll Item Mapping Tool.
3. On Map Employees, select an employee's name.
4. In each hour type column, select one payroll item for each. Selections are saved automatically.

If you use advanced overtime options, you’ll need to map any employee overtime payroll items within Pay Rate Engine Settings:

1. In the Payroll Item Mapping Tool, select Manage next to the Overtime rule name in the employee payroll item details. 
2. In the Pay Rate Engine, look for any setting and rule labeled Unassigned rates.
3. Choose a rule to map it. Any Overtime pay item from QuickBooks will appear in a dropdown next to QuickBooks pay item.

By customer/service item/class

If your employees are paid differently based on specific customers, service items, or classes, set up the override setting. This applies to hourly employees only. You can only choose one item to assign pay rates to. If an item doesn't have a pay rate assigned to it, time tracked will be the employee’s default pay rates.

1. After mapping payroll items by employee, in the Payroll Item Mapping Tool, select Settings ⚙.
2. Select the Allow overrides by: box, and select Customer, Service Item, or Class.
3. Select Save.
4. On the Map Customers, Map Service Items, or Map Classes tab, select + Add Override.
5. Choose a customer, service item, or class (whichever displays), then expand the new override option. 
6. Under each hour type column (e.g., regular and overtime), select a payroll item. 
7. Repeat until each Customer, Service Item, or Class is mapped appropriately.
8.  Additions and changes are saved automatically. Close the window when the mapping is complete.

By employee choice

Have your employees select their payroll items when they clock in and out. Before choosing this option, set up defaults by employee first, so time off is mapped correctly.

Important:  Any payroll items selected by the employee on their timesheets will override any overtime calculation account settings. E.g., if an employee has two overtime hours, it’s up to them to select the appropriate payroll item for that overtime timesheet. 

To let employees to select their own payroll items:

1. In QuickBooks Time, select the QuickBooks dropdown, and select Preferences.
2. Select the Payroll Item Mapping Tool, then Settings ⚙.
3. Select Let Employees choose Payroll items, then Save.