QuickBooks Payroll Subscription | Automate Payroll & Financial Tasks 

As a business owner, managing payroll and staying on top of taxes can feel like a never-ending task. QuickBooks Payroll is designed to take the headache out of payroll processing, so you can focus on growing your business. 

With automated features such as direct deposit, tax calculations, and filing, QuickBooks makes it easier to stay compliant and save time. 

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the different subscription plans, the features they offer, and how you can get started with QuickBooks Payroll—helping you streamline your financial tasks with ease. Let’s dive in!

QuickBooks Payroll Plans & Pricing Breakdown

Currently, QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is the only available version, as the other editions have been discontinued. It includes fully integrated Enhanced or Assisted Payroll, depending on your subscription. This means that Desktop users can access payroll services without any additional subscription fees.

On the other hand, QuickBooks Online payroll services require a separate add-on subscription. There are three QuickBooks Online Payroll subscription plans available: Payroll Core, Payroll Premium, and Payroll Elite. The subscription fee varies based on the features you choose to access.

Explore these plans below, including their subscription fees and features, to help automate your payroll management.

Payroll Core Pay your team and get payroll taxes done for you.$25/moSave 50% for 3 months*+$6.50/employee per month	Payroll Premium Streamline payday and access HR. Includes Time Premium.$44/moSave 50% for 3 months*+$10/employee per month	Payroll Elite  Access on-demand experts and tax protection. Includes Time Elite.$67/moSave 50% for 3 months*+$12/employee per month
Intuit Assist (Payroll Agent)	Intuit Assist (Payroll Agent)	Intuit Assist (Payroll Agent)
Take care of payday Full-service payroll(Includes automated taxes and forms)Auto payroll1099 E-File & PayExpert product supportNext-day direct deposit	Take care of payday Full-service payroll(Includes automated taxes and forms)Auto payroll1099 E-File & Pay24/7 expert product supportSame-day direct depositTrack time on the goExpert review	Take care of payday Full-service payroll(Includes automated taxes and forms)Auto payroll1099 E-File & Pay24/7 expert product supportSame-day direct depositTrack time and projects on the goExpert setupTax penalty protection
Take care of your team Employee portalHealth benefits for your team401(k) plansWorkers’ comp administration	Take care of your team Employee portalHealth benefits for your team401(k) plansWorkers’ comp administration	Take care of your team Employee portalHealth benefits for your team401(k) plansWorkers’ comp administration
Team management toolsDocument upload and sharing	Team management toolsDocument upload and sharingDocument e-signaturesAutomated I-9HR support center	Team management toolsDocument upload and sharingDocument e-signaturesAutomated I-9HR support centerPersonal HR advisor

How QuickBooks Payroll Services Benefits Businesses 

We previously discussed how you can get different Intuit QuickBooks payroll subscriptions and enjoy the automation and features you’ll have access to. Let’s see how these features benefit businesses in better payroll processing and financial management: 

Automate tedious tasks

QuickBooks Payroll helps businesses save time by automating tasks such as payroll calculations, tax filings, and payment processing. 

Once you enter your employees’ payroll information, QuickBooks handles the rest—whether it’s calculating wages, deductions, or filing federal income taxes, FICA taxes, and other essential tax forms.

Data Accuracy 

With QuickBooks’ integrated payroll services, you get enhanced data accuracy through automation and seamless data integration. 

Built-in compliance checks and AI-powered error detection ensure that payroll processing is correct and compliant with federal and state regulations. Reducing manual input also helps lower the risk of human errors in payroll processing.

Save time and costs 

Automate tedious tasks and save time spent on manual efforts.

Ensure accuracy and reduce costs by minimizing errors, integrating systems, and eliminating the need for expensive third-party services or in-house specialists.

Better reporting 

When data from various software applications, such as time-tracking and banking systems, flows seamlessly into your financial records and is synchronized with your chart of accounts, it improves reporting.

You can perform detailed cost analyses, gain real-time insights, and automate compliant tax filings, such as STP (Single Touch Payroll), providing accurate, timely, and comprehensive financial and labor cost information for better business decisions.

Direct deposit 

QuickBooks Payroll offers easy scheduling for direct deposits, ensuring that your employees are paid on time. You no longer need to worry about paper checks—employees will receive their pay directly into their bank accounts. 

For those who prefer it, paycheck amounts can also be scheduled manually. QuickBooks handles everything from paycheck details to W-2s automatically.

Easy Employee Access with QuickBooks Workforce

Invite employees to QuickBooks Workforce, a free tool where they can access their pay stubs, W-2 forms, and payroll information at any time. This provides employees with greater transparency and reduces the administrative load on HR teams.

Better financial management

When you can manage everything in a single software – direct deposit, employee tracking, bank reconciliation, accounting, and bookkeeping – it ultimately leads to better financial management.

Maintain accuracy and remain compliant with automated tax calculations and filings within the software.  

How to Set Up Payroll Services in QuickBooks Desktop & Online 

Once you have a QuickBooks Desktop Payroll subscription or Online, you’ll need to activate and set up services for your employees, track their time, add their necessary information, and much more.

These requirements and the steps to configure them depend on whether you use QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online.

Select your QuickBooks version and proceed with the relevant steps below:

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced

Here’s how to activate the QuickBooks Payroll and set it up in the desktop version: 

1. Activate your payroll subscription

When you purchase a QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced subscription, you will need to activate it. The activation steps depend on whether you purchased it online, by phone, or from a retail store. 

a. If purchased online or by phone

If you subscribed online or by phone, you should have received a 16-digit service key in your email. Enter this key in QuickBooks to use the payroll features.  

If you haven’t received the service key yet, check the junk or spam folder, or use the automated Service Key Retrieval tool. Make sure to sign in using the Intuit Account login. 

• Open the QuickBooks Desktop company file. 
• Go to the Employees menu and choose Payroll. 
• Select Enter Payroll Service Key.
• Click on Add. 
• Enter the service key. 
• Select Next and then Finish.
• Wait until the new Tax Table downloads completely. 

b. If purchased from a retail store

• Open the QuickBooks Desktop company file. 
• Go to Employees and choose Payroll. 
• From the Box, select Install Payroll.
• In the redirected Payroll Activation page, enter the Payroll License and Product Information. Look for the license and product information on the yellow sticker on the CD folder in the box. 
• Click on Continue. 
• Follow the instructions on your screen to complete the payroll activation, including entering the service key. 

2. Complete your payroll setup tasks

In these steps, you will add your employees, set up the federal and state payroll taxes, and learn how to enter the paychecks and the tax payments you have already paid this year.

We understand that this process can take time to get payroll information into QuickBooks. The setup is designed to allow you to add to the info at your convenience and save as you go. 

• Go to Employees at the top. 
• Choose Payroll Setup. 
• Follow the steps on your screen to add your employees, set up your company’s payroll items and taxes, then enter the pay history.

a. Add employees

Now, we will enter the employee’s information, and you can easily invite your employees to enter their own information via QuickBooks Workforce, which also allows them to access their W-2s, pay stubs, or paycheck information (only if you use QuickBooks Payroll Enhanced). 

Information you will need from each employee: 

• 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, PTO accrual rates, and balance (if applicable)

b. Set up company (pay items, deductions, PTO)

Here, you can choose from a pre-set list of pay items, insurance benefits, and retirement deductions, or manually set up your customer items. If you offer paid vacation and/or sick time off to your employees, you can add them to the list as well. 

Once the setup for payroll items and time off is complete, select the Assign to employees button to apply the items to multiple employees at once. 

c. Set up taxes

Here, you will add all the required federal and state payroll tax information. If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced, you may need to set up payroll taxes electronically.

You will require the following information:  

• Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
• State Withholding and/or Unemployment account numbers: Contact your state agencies to register
• Federal and state deposit frequencies: how often the IRS and state require you to pay your taxes
• State tax rates: Unemployment, surcharges, state disability, paid family leave, etc.

d. Enter pay history

If you have already paid employees this year, you should add those paychecks and all the tax payments you have made. You will find this information on your employee’s W-3s at the end of the year. 

However, if you haven’t paid your employees yet, you don’t need to do that. 

The information you will require: 

• Pay stubs or payroll reports for each employee paid this year (including those no longer with your business)
• Tax liability reports, tax payment receipts, or statements

e. Review and finalize

Once you’ve entered the pay history, input the federal and state tax filing details for closed quarters. QuickBooks will review your pay history and check for any errors to ensure your employees’ W-2s are accurate at year-end.

Info you’ll need:

• Quarterly federal and state payroll tax forms for closed quarters (941, State Unemployment Insurance, etc.)

QuickBooks Online Payroll

Get started with QuickBooks Online payroll by following the steps below: 

Open payroll setup:

• Sign in to your account as the primary admin. 
• Follow this link to complete the steps in the product.

If you use QuickBooks Online Payroll Elite, we recommend that you choose one of our experts to set up payroll with you or to handle it for you. Dial TFN or schedule an appointment.

• Click on Get started.
• Choose if you or someone else in the business paid employees in the current year. 
• Select the specific date when you start paying your employees using QuickBooks.  
• Enter your business address. 
  • Make sure to enter the physical address and not a P.O. Box. The work location will determine your tax responsibilities. 
  • If you have multiple work locations, you can add those later when you add your employees. 
• Enter your main payroll contact info.
  • This is the person who handles your payroll or is responsible for paying your employees. The payroll contact will receive important payroll notifications from Intuit, and may even need to speak with our payroll experts about your payroll account. 
• Select how you’ve run your payroll in the past.
  • Depending on your answer, you might be able to import your employees and pay history information without entering this manually.
• Now, you may start adding your employees.
• If you haven’t paid any of your employees this year, you can opt to pay them now by paper check if needed.  Or you can continue the setup and finish the remaining setup tasks.  See Set up tasks below.

Note: If you choose to pay your employees now, you will be responsible for any payroll taxes owed until the payroll setup is complete.

• If you have paid employees this year, you will get more tasks to complete before running the payroll. 

To set up different tasks, check the details below in QuickBooks.

The final setup tasks are divided into 3 categories: Prepare to pay your team, Manage your taxes, and Support your team. 

• Add your team
• Enter your tax info
• Connect your bank
• Add your payroll history, if you have already paid employees this year
• Set your tax preferences (if you haven’t paid any employees this year)
• Tell us which taxes you’ve paid this year if you have already paid employees
• Take care of your team

To learn how to set up these tasks, visit the official site. 

How to Verify Payroll Subscription in QuickBooks 

Ensure that your paid payroll service is active and linked to your account with the latest update and all the company or required information. Here’s how to perform the QuickBooks payroll subscription verification: 

1. QuickBooks Desktop Payroll 

• Open QuickBooks Desktop Payroll by double-clicking on the QuickBooks icon on your computer.
• Sign in to the QuickBooks Desktop company file as the Primary Admin or Payroll Admin.  
• Go to Employees and choose Payroll Center. 
• In the Payroll tab, you will find the service you are using under Subscription Statuses.

2. QuickBooks Online Payroll 

QuickBooks Online Payroll has 3 core services: Core, Premium, and Elite. To see what payroll subscription you have, you will need to log in to the QuickBooks Online account.

• Visit https://qbo.intuit.com to sign up for the account as the Primary Admin.
• Go to Settings, then click Subscriptions and billing.

How to Reactivate Payroll Subscription in QuickBooks Desktop & Online

Has your QuickBooks payroll subscription expired? Let’s learn how you can renew QuickBooks payroll subscription in both Desktop & Online: 

Reactivate your payroll

First, pay again to access your payroll services, depending on the payroll subscription you use:  

a. QuickBooks Online Payroll

• Go to Settings and select Subscriptions and billing.
• Click on Resubscribe for payroll.
• Review the Subscription summary, then enter the payment info and payment method. 
• When done, click Resubscribe.

b. QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted

If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted and need to reactivate the payroll subscription, contact us at Call Us : +1(866)500-0076 for help. 

c. QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced, or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Basic

There are three ways to reactivate the payroll subscription. Before getting started, ensure that you use a supported version of QuickBooks Desktop. 

Note: Visit Intuit’s official site and get your payroll subscription. 

Through your company file

One of the best ways to get your payroll services back is directly through the QuickBooks Desktop company file.

• Open the QuickBooks Desktop company file.
• Go to Employees and choose My Payroll Service.
• Click on Account/Billing Info.
• Sign in using the Intuit Account login. This will open the QuickBooks Account page. 
• Select Resubscribe under Status. 
• Follow the instructions on your screen to reactivate the payroll services. 

Through your Intuit account

Another way to reactivate the payroll service from the web. 

• Sign in to your Intuit account using your credentials. 
• Select Resubscribe under Status. 
• Follow the steps on your screen to reactivate the payroll services. 

Note: The reactivation may take up to 24 hours to complete. The subscription status will show Active once done.

Review your payroll data

Once payroll services are activated, run the payroll setup again. Let’s review the payroll data, including employees and tax setup, with the following steps:

a. QuickBooks Online Payroll

• Navigate to Payroll and select Employees. 
• Review the profile of each employee. 
• Confirm their payroll info, including deductions, W-4, sick/vacation, etc.
• Go to Settings and select Payroll Settings to review the tax rates. 

b. QuickBooks Desktop Payroll

• Go to Employees at the top.
• Choose Employee Center.
• Go to the Employees tab and review each employee profile. Confirm their payroll information, including deductions, W-4, sick/vacation, etc. 
• Move to the Lists tab and choose Payroll Item List to review the payroll tax items.

What to Do If Your QuickBooks Payroll Subscription Has Lapsed 

Getting the “Your QuickBooks subscription has lapsed” message? See whether your QuickBooks payroll subscription lapsed or expired, or if factors are causing the error. This won’t affect your company file data; however, troubleshooting is necessary.

Let’s learn how to fix the error:  

1. Update the billing info 

If you have an active subscription, update the payment details of the subscription in the Customer Account management (CAMPs) portal: 

• Sign in to the Customer Account Management Portal (CAMPs).

Note: Only the primary admin or the contact (s) on the payroll account can update the payment info. 

• From the products and services, choose QuickBooks Desktop.
• Select the payroll details next to the QuickBooks product. 
• Click Edit next to the Payment Method.
• Now, update the payment information. 
• When done, click Save & Close. 
• Launch QuickBooks Desktop.
• Go to Help at the top and choose Manage My License, then select Sync License Data Online.

If the payroll subscription is still not active, go to Solution 2. 

2. Install QuickBooks Updates

Install the latest update of your QuickBooks Desktop. This often resolves the common subscription issues and ensures you use the latest features and fixes.

If your QuickBooks software is still not up to date and you are getting a subscription error, try solution 3. 

3. Run the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic tool 

The QuickBooks Tool Hub resolves common issues. Make sure QuickBooks is closed before using the tool hub. For optimal performance, we suggest using Tool Hub on Windows 11 (64-bit).

Note: Download and install QuickBooks Tool Hub (1.6.0.8) to the latest release.

• Launch QuickBooks Tool Hub. 
• Select Installation Issues from the left pane. 
• Click the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic tool to repair damaged or corrupted Windows components so QuickBooks can run.

• When the tool finishes, click OK. 
• Open QuickBooks Desktop, then open your company file.

4. Restore your product and license file

When you install the software, QuickBooks Desktop saves a copy of the file on your hard drive that includes your product and license information. If there are any issues with the same, you can easily restore this file. Here’s how: 

• Get the QuickBooks product and license info. If you don’t have it on hand, here’s how to find this product’s details.
• Exit QuickBooks Desktop. 
• Launch the Windows Start menu. 
• In the search, type Run and press Enter. 
• In the Run prompt, type C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v8 and then Enter. If the folder doesn’t open, enter C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v6 instead.
• Find the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file. Right-click it and select Delete, then click Yes to confirm. 
• Launch QuickBooks Desktop, then open your company file.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to re-register QuickBooks using the product and license information. 

5. Check your internet connection settings

If you still see a subscription error, you might need to change the Internet connection settings in QuickBooks Desktop.

To test your secure internet connection, open a web browser and visit Chase Banking.

If you can’t open the Chase banking page, you won’t get updates from QuickBooks. Contact your internet service provider (ISP) for help.

If you can view the Chase banking website, start QuickBooks Desktop and do the following:

• Go to the Help menu. 
• Select Internet Connection Setup.
• Click on Use my computer’s Internet connection settings to establish a connection when this application accesses the Internet.
• Select Next > Advanced Connection Settings.
• Move to the Advanced tab. 
• Choose Restore Advanced Settings.
• Click OK, then Done.
• Try to update QuickBooks Desktop again.

Remember the following: 
Download accelerators may disrupt the download process. To ensure smooth updates, disable any download accelerator before proceeding. For more assistance, contact your ISP.If using a dial-up connection, confirm that your connection speed meets the minimum requirement of 28.8 kilobits per second (Kb/s).When using America Online (AOL), log in with the primary account, if possible, and ensure Parental Controls are disabled. For further help, visit AOL’s online support page.

Still getting a subscription error? Contact us, and we will help you fix this.

Conclusion 

QuickBooks payroll subscription allows you access to different payroll features for direct deposit, tax processing & filing automation, and more. You will learn about different QuickBooks Online payroll subscription plans and about the Desktop features, and the value they add to your business, how to get your subscription back, and more.

For further assistance, it is recommended to consult QuickBooks ProAdvisors at QuickBookSupportNet. Dial Call Us : +1(866)500-0076 to talk to an expert now!

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How do I add a payroll subscription to QuickBooks Desktop?

In QuickBooks Desktop, you don’t need to add the payroll services; you activate them within the software. The payroll services are already integrated into the software and do not need to be activated. Go to Employees > Payroll, then turn on Payroll or Enter Payroll Service Key and enter the service key from the purchase info. 

2. How much is a QuickBooks desktop payroll subscription?

You no longer need to pay separately for payroll services with QuickBooks Desktop. Enhanced or Assisted payroll is now integrated directly into the software; you need to activate and set it up to get started.

3. Is Intuit discontinuing QuickBooks Desktop payroll?

Yes, QuickBooks Desktop is being phased out. Intuit has stopped selling separate payroll editions or versions as of the end of 2024 and is also ending support for older versions. Intuit is encouraging customers to migrate to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or QuickBooks Online, along with their respective payroll services.

4. How much does QuickBooks Online Payroll cost?

The cost of QuickBooks Online payroll varies depending on the subscription plan you choose. QuickBooks Payroll Core pricing starts at $25/mo, QuickBooks Payroll Premium starts at $ 44/mo, and QuickBooks Payroll Elite starts at $67/mo. The pricing may vary depending on the offer or add-on, so it is best to consult an expert at Call Us : +1(866)500-0076.

5. What is included in QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium?

QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium adds enhanced features to QuickBooks Basic Payroll, including same-day direct deposit, embedded QuickBooks Time for time tracking and project costing, an HR support center with handbook tools, and the ability to handle all state/local taxes.

6. What is the difference between QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium and Elite?

The key difference between QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium and Elite is the level of personalized expert guidance and risk mitigation, with Elite providing proactive support and financial guarantees.