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Create and run your payroll

by Intuit•196• Updated about 6 hours ago

Run payroll in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop to pay employees by direct deposit or check. Use scheduled payroll for regular runs or unscheduled payroll for off-cycle payments like bonuses or final checks.

Step 1: Set up a pay schedule for your employees

Using pay schedules can make your regular payroll easier. If you haven’t set up one yet, do that first.

Step 2: Create and send your paychecks

You’ll need to create your direct deposit or paper paychecks, then send them to us for processing. The steps to create and run your payroll depend on your payroll service.

  • Scheduled payroll: Pay regular paychecks for your employees. You can add bonuses or other pay to these.
  • Unscheduled payroll: Pay a bonus, commission, a final paycheck, or to report fringe benefits outside your regular payroll schedule

Tip: Not sure which payroll service you have? Here's how to find it.

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

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Run payroll faster and make managing your team easier with QuickBooks Payroll.

Create and send a scheduled payroll

  1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product Open this link in a new window
  2. Select Run Payroll.
  3. If applicable, select your desired payroll schedule, then Continue.
  4. Select or review the Pay period and Pay date.
  5. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
  6. Select the column, or select Actions, then Edit paycheck to enter your pay details.
    • You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other necessary paycheck info.
    • If you use QuickBooks Time, select Review Approved Time.
  7. Select Preview payroll.
  8. Select or review the QuickBooks Bank account to track your payroll.
  9. Select Preview payroll details or Submit payroll.
  10. Select Close.

Create and send an unscheduled payroll

  1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product Open this link in a new window
  2. Select the Run payroll â–Ľ dropdown, and select one of the following options: Bonus only, Commission only, or Fringe benefits only.
  3. Based on your selection, you may be asked additional questions. Enter any info about taxes or paycheck calculations (if applicable). Once complete, select Continue. 
  4. Select or review the pay period (if applicable) and pay date.
  5. Select the employees you'd like to pay.
  6. Select the column, or select Actions, then Edit paycheck to enter your pay details.
    • You can enter hours, compensation, memos, or any other paycheck info.
    • If you use QuickBooks Time, select Review Approved Time.
  7. Select Preview payroll.
  8. Select or review the QuickBooks bank account to track your payroll.
  9. Select Preview payroll details, the choose either:
    • Save for later
    • Submit payroll
  10. Select Close.

The workflow will guide you through how to print out paychecks and pay stubs.

Create another check

If you see the message Create another check while running payroll, you may have another paycheck for the employee.

  •  If you need to make a change to the existing check, go to the paycheck list, delete the paycheck then run payroll again.
  •  If you want to give your employee an additional payment, select Create another check.

More info about your payroll:

Note: If you need to create a check outside these two payroll runs, you can create a termination paycheck or process a late payroll.
  1. Select Employees, then Pay Employees.
  2. Select from the following payroll types and skip to step 4 if you need to run an unscheduled payroll.
    • Scheduled Payroll
    • Unscheduled Payroll
    • Termination Check.
  3. Select the appropriate schedule, and select Start Scheduled Payroll.
  4. Make sure of the following
    • Pay Period Ends date
    • Check Date
    • QuickBooks Bank Account.
  5. Select the employees you want to pay.
  6. You can enter hours using:
    • Manually through the grid
    • Automatically if you are using timesheets
  7. To see everyone's paycheck details, select Open Paycheck Detail.
  8. Select Save & Next to go to the next employee, or select Save & Close to go back to the Enter Payroll Information window.
  9. Select Continue.
  10. Review the Check/Direct Deposit printing options.
  11. Make sure the amounts for each employee, and select Create Paychecks.
  12. Print paychecks and print pay stubs now or later if desired.

If you have QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted or direct deposit paychecks, send your payroll information and direct deposit paychecks to Intuit.

More info about your payroll:

Related links

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll AssistedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll BasicQuickBooks Desktop Payroll EnhancedQuickBooks Desktop Payroll StandardQuickBooks Online Payroll CoreQuickBooks Online Payroll EliteQuickBooks Online Payroll Premium