Learn how to adjust or prorate an employee's fixed salary in QuickBooks Online Payroll and QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.
Salaried employees have a fixed rate for each pay period. But there may be times, you need to adjust or prorate their salary for one paycheck.
Follow the steps below to override an employee’s salary in QuickBooks.
Step 1: Determine your employee's hours worked and the equivalent salary amount
QuickBooks Online Payroll
Calculate the hours worked
To calculate the hours worked, deduct the days or hours the employee didn’t work for from the regular total hours for that period. Use the sample info below:
- Pay schedule: Weekly (40 hrs)
- Hours didn’t work: 2 days or 16 hrs
Hours worked = 40 - 16
In this example, the employee’s hours worked is 24 hrs for a weekly pay period
QuickBooks Desktop Payroll
Calculate the equivalent salary amount for hours worked
Let's calculate the salary amount using the sample info below:
- Annual Salary: $30,000
- Total hours worked in a year: 2080 (based on 40 hours per week)
- Hours worked: 24hrs
- Calculate the hourly rate. To get the hourly rate, divide the annual salary of the employee by total hours worked in a standard year.
- Multiply the hours worked and the hourly rate.
In this example, the equivalent salary amount to enter in QuickBooks is $346.08.
Step 2: Override employee's pay
Now that you know your employees’ hours worked or the equivalent amount for the hours worked, you’re ready to pay your salaried employees.
QuickBooks Online Payroll
QuickBooks Online Payroll calculates the prorated amount for you as you change the hours worked:
- Go to Payroll, then Employees.
- Select Run Payroll.
- When asked, select a pay schedule.
- Select your employee, then change the hours worked.
- Preview and submit payroll.
- Select Finished payroll.
QuickBooks Desktop Payroll
Once you figure out the prorated salary of your employee, enter it as you run payroll:
- Go to Employees, then select Pay Employees.
- Select Scheduled Payroll or Unscheduled Payroll.
- Scheduled Payroll: Select the appropriate schedule in the Create Paychecks section, then select Start Scheduled Payroll.
- Unscheduled Payroll: Verify the pay period end date, and the check date, then select the employees you want to pay. .
- Select Open Paycheck Detail.
- Find your salaried employee.
- In the Earnings section, enter the dollar amount you’ve determined in Step 1.
- Press the Tab key on your keyboard to recalculate the taxes.
- Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or select Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.
- Select Continue, then Create Paychecks.
