Set up and manage your Auto Payroll

With Auto Payroll in QuickBooks Online Payroll you can save time running payroll each payday. If all or some of your team works the same hours each pay period, paychecks can be created for you. Payday becomes one less thing for you to remember in your busy schedule. And it works if you pay your employees with paper checks or direct deposit.

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Prerequisites

To get started with Auto Payroll, you’ll need to complete your payroll setup, run your first payroll, and make sure your employees qualify for auto payroll.

Employees qualify for automatic payroll when they

• Have an active employment status, 
• Are paid by salary, or hourly with default hours set,
• Are on a pay schedule, 
• and have W-4 tax information added.

Auto Payroll doesn’t work for commission-only, inactive, and hourly employees with varying hours each pay period, or 1099 contractors.

Add or remove employees from Auto Payroll

Check out the video on how to set up Auto Payroll in QuickBooks Online Payroll.

1. Sign in as the Primary Admin.
2. Go to Settings and select Payroll settings.
3. In the Auto Payroll box, select Edit ✎.
4. Select the employees you wish to pay on Auto Payroll. You'll only be able to select eligible employees.
   • Uncheck employees to remove them from Auto Payroll.
5. Select Save changes.
6. Review the confirmation display for the total number of employees and important dates related to your Auto Payroll processing.
7. Select Done.

Once your employees are enrolled, you’ll receive an email with the details of your upcoming payday, 2-business days before Auto Payroll processes. You’ll get a second email after your Auto Payroll has been processed.

Make changes to the upcoming Auto Payroll

You can make your changes to your employee’s pay or tax info 3-business days prior to the check date, until 5 PM PT.

Make a one-time change to individual paychecks:

Follow this link to complete the steps in product .

1. Select Run payroll.
2. Select Make updates to upcoming pay period.
3. Select Actions ⋮, then Edit paycheck.
4. Edit the payroll items, then Save.
5. Select Save & preview Auto Payroll.
6. Select Save Auto Payroll.

Pay your employee manually

If your employee is currently enrolled in Auto Payroll and you need to pay them outside your normal payroll schedule, you can pause Auto Payroll for a pay period. Auto Payroll will start again on your next pay run.

Follow this link to complete the steps in product .

1. Select Run payroll.
2. Select Pay manually this period on the employees you wish to pay manually.
3. Enter the date, pay schedule, and edit any pay items for this payroll.
4. Select Preview payroll and then Submit payroll.

Related links

• Get started with Online Payroll
• Add your new employee to QuickBooks Payroll
• Set up and manage payroll schedules