Get started with Online Payroll

You have a couple options to help add some of your employee info.  You’ll still need to add some info yourself. 

1. You can invite your employees to add some of their own info through QuickBooks Workforce.
2. If you’ve used ADP, Paychex, or Gusto to pay your employees this year, you can import some of your employee info.

Here's the info needed to add your employees:

• Completed Form W-4 and any state equivalent forms if applicable
• Hire date
• Birth date
• Pay rate
• Any paycheck deductions such as contributions to insurance, retirement, or wage garnishments
• Bank account or pay card info for direct deposit (if applicable)
• Sick, vacation, or paid time off (PTO) accrual rates and balance (if applicable)

Check out these videos to learn how to add your employees:

How to add an employee to your payroll

In this task, you’ll add your federal, state, and local payroll tax info. 

• Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• State Withholding/unemployment account numbers. 
• Local tax withholding account numbers (if applicable)
• Federal, state, or local tax deposit frequency: how often the IRS, state, or local tax agency tells you to pay your taxes
• State tax rates: unemployment, surcharges, state disability, paid family leave.

Where can I find this info?

• Letters from the IRS, state, or local tax agencies.
• Prior tax reports or filings. 
• If you’re new and need to register for your account numbers, select the Get your account number link in this task. CorpNet will help you complete your employer's tax registration.  Fees apply.
• Contact the IRS, state, or local tax agency.

Check out this video to learn how to add your payroll tax info:

How to add your payroll tax info to QuickBooks Online Payroll

Note:  If you run any payroll before this section is complete, you’ll need to make any tax payments or filing forms that come due.  You won’t be able to do this from QuickBooks.

In this task, you’ll connect your payroll bank account so you can use direct deposit and we can pay and file your payroll taxes. You may be able to connect it instantly so you can use direct deposit right away.

The information you’ll need:

• Principal officer’s name, home address, Social Security number, and birth date (this is the authorized signer on the payroll bank account)
• Your business bank account online user ID and password. Or enter the routing and account number of the account you want to use for your direct deposits and payroll taxes. (We know entering this data may be scary. Read about the multiple layers of security we use to keep your data safe)

Check out this video to learn how to connect your bank for payroll:

How to connect your bank to QuickBooks Online Payroll

In this task, you'll enter year-to-date paycheck info for each employee you paid this year. We'll use this info to accurately report wages and taxes on W-2s and other payroll tax forms.

In this task, you'll enter total pay info for each employee you paid this year. This info is available on the employee’s P45.

The information you'll need:

• Pay stubs or payroll reports for each employee paid this calendar year
• Payroll reports with company totals of wages and taxes for each paycheck date in the current quarter

• Total pay to date for each employee paid by other employers this tax year
• Total tax pay to date for each employee paid by other employers this tax year

Check out this video to see how to enter your payroll history:

How to set up QuickBooks Online Payroll when you already paid employees this year

In this task, tell us how you want to handle your payroll tax payments and filings. Your options are:

• I want QuickBooks to automatically pay and file my taxes (this is the default)
• I’ll initiate payments and filings using QuickBooks (e-pay, and e-file)
• I’ll pay and file the right agencies through their website or by mail (manual)

Select Change payment and filing preference to change your option.

Check out this video for help:

How to set up tax payments and filings in QuickBooks Online Payroll

In this task, you’ll:

1. Review and double-check the payroll taxes you’ve already paid this year. This info is calculated from the pay history you entered in QuickBooks. 
2. Tell us how you want your taxes and forms handled in QuickBooks.
   • Have us pay and file automatically for you
   • You can electronically pay and file through QuickBooks
   • You pay and file to the agencies yourself (manually)
3. Your principal officer will electronically sign payroll authorization forms. 

Info you’ll need:

• Your payroll tax liability reports, or receipts of tax payments you made this year
• Your principal officer to answer questions and electronically sign the forms

Check out these videos to help:

How to add previous payroll tax payments to QuickBooks Online Payroll

How to set up tax payments and filings in QuickBooks Online Payroll

In this section you can explore Workers’ comp policies, 401(k) plans, or health plans.  We partner with providers to offer you these great services and they integrate with your payroll.