Get started with QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced
by Intuit•7• Updated 1 year ago
Learn the info needed and process behind how to set up your new QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced.
Pay your team quickly, accurately, and on time with QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced. You’ll need to complete a few tasks to get started.
Step 1: Activate your payroll subscription
Once you purchase QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced subscription, you need to activate it. The steps to activate depend on if you purchased it online, by phone, or from a retail store.
If purchased online or by phone
If you purchased your payroll online or by phone, you’ll receive a 16-digit service key by email. You’ll enter this key in QuickBooks so you can use the payroll features.
If you didn’t receive your service key, check your junk or spam folder, or use our automated Service Key Retrieval tool. You'll need to sign in using your Intuit Account login.
- Open your QuickBooks Desktop company file.
- Go to Employees, then Payroll.
- Select Enter Payroll Service Key.
- Select Add.
- Enter your service key.
- Select Next, then Finish.
- Wait for the new Tax Table to be downloaded completely.
If purchased from a retail store
- Open your QuickBooks Desktop company file.
- Go to Employees, then Payroll.
- Select Install Payroll from Box.
- Enter the Payroll License and Product Information in the Payroll Activation page. You can find your license and product info on a yellow sticker on the CD folder inside your box.
- Select Continue.
- Follow the on-screen steps to complete your payroll activation, including entering your service key.
Step 2: Complete your payroll setup tasks
In these tasks, you’ll add your employees, set up your federal and state payroll taxes, and enter any paychecks and tax payments you’ve already paid this year.
We know it takes time to get your payroll info into QuickBooks. So the setup is designed to allow you to add info at your convenience and save as you go.
- Go to Employees, then Payroll Setup.
- Follow the on-screen steps to add your employees, set up your company payroll items and taxes, then enter pay history (if applicable).
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