Import Payroll Data into QuickBooks (Desktop and online)

Enhanced features of QuickBooks make things easy and simple to uplift business productivity. It is integrated with many applications to find out more accuracy and the best outcomes. Among all applications, Payroll is one of the best-integrated apps to track all accountancy programs related to your bank accounts (which are associated with your business) and all expenses.  But to track all programs in one place, sometimes companies or users want to Import the Payroll Data into QuickBooks. This blog provides complete details on how to import payroll data into QuickBooks Desktop. 

Here you find the complete details on the two most popular versions of QuickBooks such as QB desktop and QB online. If you are using the QuickBooks Desktop version then you can easily import the payroll data into QuickBooks via utilizing the IIF file format. The thing you need to do to create the deposit paychecks and then send them to their employees. For more information, stay in tune with this blog till the last. 

What is Payroll?

Payroll is an essential business function that uses and produces a wide variety of data. Payroll information can be used for reporting to the appropriate government tax authorities, business strategy analysis, and payment management. Along with promoting greater pay equity and compensation fairness among businesses, it can also be used to get rid of mistakes and inefficiencies in payroll procedures.

 Payroll data is important information that can benefit your business more than many business managers and leaders realize. It is essential for ensuring compliance with regional tax laws and labour regulations. Payroll data can be used to set goals for a diverse workforce or to help you make recruitment and retention policies more effective and productive with intelligent analysis.

What are the various kinds of payroll data?

Payroll data extends far beyond the simple considerations of base salary and income tax to cover all the metrics that contribute to business expenses. Payroll data and metrics pertaining to salaries, taxes and deductions, expenses, and various employee benefits are numerous.

Payroll data is a collection of information about the general business expense of obtaining work for pay. The following are examples:

1. Basic salary payments: Payments made on a regular basis to permanent or temporary employees in accordance with the compensation levels agreed upon in their employment contracts.
2. Costs of contingent labour: Payments made to contractors, consultants, or freelance workers that are not covered by the standard payroll.
3. Bonuses: Employees are given financial incentives for meeting targets or other indicators of high performance.
4. Payroll taxes and withholding taxes: Employers are required by law to withhold and remit the correct amounts of income and payroll tax to the appropriate tax authorities in all their countries of operation.
5. Payments for employee benefits: Employers may provide extra benefits such as pension contributions, life or health insurance, childcare assistance, and so on.

Benefits of Payroll Data:

1. Senior management can use payroll data as a strategic tool when making decisions and plans for the future of their business. Understanding the nature of the issue and identifying suitable solutions can be helpful.
2. Payroll information comes in a wide variety of forms, from basic salary payments to benefits and taxes withheld to demographic pay information or numbers needed by local tax authorities.
3. When a global payroll implementation process is involved, it is frequently possible to access and analyze payroll data most effectively and efficiently.
4. There are numerous operational and strategic uses for payroll data. Payroll data can be used to reduce payroll errors, make wise decisions in the future, hire and retain top talent, increase compliance, and foster fairness.

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is one of the most widely used and highly rated accounting software programs on the market, thanks in part to its extensive capacity for handling income and expenses, invoicing and payments, tax deductions, and more for businesses of all sizes — including self-employed individuals. Its prominence is also due to the inclusion of tools that competitors do not have, such as integrated advanced time tracking.

QuickBooks has two main versions: QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, and there are significant differences between them. The QuickBooks Desktop platform, which can be installed locally or hosted remotely, provides different features than the QuickBooks Online cloud computing version, which is completely remote.

Online vs. Desktop QuickBooks:

The main differences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online are listed below.

Features:

The features offered by the accounting software are where QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online diverge most. QuickBooks Desktop lacks several helpful features that the online version does. The following are some features that are unique to QuickBooks Online:

• Attach files, pictures, signatures, and more to specific transactions using desktop and mobile devices.
• Audit logging to monitor changes and actions over time
• Automatic synchronization of bank transactions every evening
• Automatic addition of banking regulations
• Create banking rules that are specific to a given amount, percentage, class, and location.
•  Multiple Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable (AR/AP) lines in journal entries
• Creating presentations from management reports

In contrast, many of the traditional QuickBooks Desktop tools are absent from the online version. Five categories perfectly fit these desktop-only tools.

Accounting:

• Possibility of backing up, restoring, and condensing data and corporate files
• Redeem any unused credits and payments
• Statement for QuickBooks (Add-on package for GAAP compliance) Author
• Reviewing client data
• Possibility of posting to additional AP/AR accounts
• Management of unused funds
• Tax adjustments for purchases
• Set up accounts for a certain time frame.

Reporting:

• Options for reporting based on industries
• Report customization for headers and footers
• The ability to support multiple vendor ship-to addresses
• Forecasting by class, balance sheets, and business planners.

Data Entry:

• Batch timesheets, transactions, and invoices
• Rate-level billing
• Vendor payments through the Automated Clearing House

Inventory:  

• Knowledge of how to create manufacturing features and assemblies.
• Reordering of inventory
• Partial receipt for purchases made under orders.
• Inventory value calculated using average cost.
• Controlling sales orders, tracking invoices, unit measurements, and availability to promise

Job Costing:

• Ability to markup/change estimate columns and charge orders
• Calculating payroll and labour costs
• Reports for job costing expectations and amounts paid in full.

Keep Things in Mind Before You Plan to Import Payroll Data into QuickBooks

Entering data into QuickBooks might be a tricky and time-consuming process. To make it easy,  discover an outsourced payroll company that not only manages all aspects of Payroll but also provides a file that respects the aspects of Payroll.

Once you get that, then it will give you a file that will import the payroll data into QuickBooks. Find a few tips and tricks for importing payroll data to QuickBooks appropriately. 

1. Find a reliable and the best payroll company that has experience with importing payroll data to QuickBooks. 

In the market, you find several companies that ask if they can give you a file that will help you to import the payroll data to QuickBooks.

However, many of them failed to prove it. You have to find the best payroll company and ensure about it.  

2. Connect with the Selected Payroll Company to get acknowledgment about the import file with account activity 

To reduce the complexities, the user has to find out the Payroll data with the guidance of payroll expertise. Once you have done this, then hit click on the Checking Account.

After this, ensure about all previous steps and then move towards the payroll company that manages the importing process. It will help you to know about the Payroll checks and then clear the bank’s fields.

You can easily view the report to review the entire payroll. To build the import file, you have to resolve every error that appears. So, you can move forward without any interruption. 

Before Importing Payroll Data into Quickbooks, Make Sure to Create A backup file 

The user has to create a backup file because if anything goes wrong then you can go back easily to the point from where you started. 

To create the backup files, the user has to perform the following steps:

• From the QuickBooks homepage, open the File menu 
• Then select the “Backup” option
• Hit the next click on the ellipsis (…) button 
• Then, choose the location where you want to save the backup file 
• Hit the OK button
• A confirmation message will appear on your screen, click on the YES button
• At last, the backup file is saved in your selected location. 

More tips and tricks

The Payroll Company provides the check numbers for the direct deposits in a specific format. This will make it easy to verify and match up the direct deposit checks for the multiple payrolls. Follow the same procedure to import the payroll data but replace the format as per requirement. Once the company prepares the import file for the specific data fields, then you need to match up with QuickBooks appropriately. Most of the issues occur when the chat of accounts didn’t match. If it appears, then find a suitable solution to resolve it as soon as possible. 

Things to do before importing Data into Quickbooks

• From the Vendor direct deposit paychecks, you have to create and send the employee direct deposit paychecks individually 
• Create and send the direct deposit paychecks in the same company file where you sending the direct deposit paychecks. 
• If you send paychecks in a different company file, then you might be facing a data loss issue.
• Once you created the paychecks, then Intuit suggests you switch to single-user mode before sending. It helps to manage the processing simply. 

How to Import the Payroll Data into QuickBooks Desktop?

To import payroll data into the QuickBooks desktop version, please follow the mentioned below steps:

• Go to the QuickBooks Desktop menu and then choose the “Employees” section 
• Click on the “Send Payroll Data” option 
• Then, Send/Receive Payroll Data window will appear on your screen
• Review the complete details about the Items to send area 
• Hit the click on the “Send All” option 
• Now, enter the Payroll Service Pin and then hit the OK button to finish the program 

Process of Importing Payroll Data into Quickbooks from Excel

• Start the Excel record from QB. 
• Presently you need to tap on the Reports from the top menu bar choices.
• Presently click on Employees and Payroll.
• After that snap on the Summarize Payroll Data in Excel.
• Presently, click on the report or record you want to send out.
• Presently click on the Export button which shows up on the highest point of the report, and afterward select the area and type.
• Presently go with the prompts to permit macros into Excel whenever required. At the point when you permit the macros, the QB Payroll Reports Workbook screen will open.
• Put a date range Into Excel, and afterward click on it to clear any elective worksheets that you want to eliminate from QB Payroll Reports Workbook.
• To join or forestall the reports into the exercise manual, into the elective Reports fragment, click on it to clear the appropriate checkboxes. For example, you may have to fuse simply the finance information you need to complete your state tax documents.
• To re-try any of the settings of your exercise manual, click on Options or Settings. Then, at that point, Select either click to clear the appropriate checkboxes, and afterward click on the OK button.
• To recuperate the finance reports information from QB, You need to tap on getting QuickBooks Data. At that point the exercise manual will show the information.

how to Import Payroll data into QuickBooks Online

The purpose of the payroll data report summarize the Data in the Excel report option. The outcome of importing data will be found in the Excel sheets. Make sure, you installed Microsoft Excel installed on your computer. To import the Payroll data to the QB online, the user needs to perform the below guidelines step-by-step:

• From the top menu bar, click on the “Reports” menu
• Choose the “Employees & Payroll” option 
• Hit the next click on the “Summarize Payroll Data in Excel” 
• Another way to do this, open the report menu that you want to export 
• Then, choose the selected destination and Type 
• If it is necessary, perform the guidelines to enable the macros in Excel
• In the Excel sheet, enter the data range and 
• Click on the “Clear” option that you want to exclude from the QB payroll reports 
• To include or exclude the report, go to the “Optional Reports” field. Click on the Clear button to unmark the checkboxes 
• Then customize the settings according

If you want to retrieve the payroll data from QuickBooks, click on “Get QuickBooks Data” and it will display on your screen.

Additional Payroll Data You Can Import into Quickbooks from Other Resources

The process to Import Timesheet Payroll Data Into Quickbooks Desktop

Here are the steps that you can follow and import timesheet data.

• Select “QuickBooks Transaction Type” as “Time Tracking”. “Select Your File” – You can either click “Peruse File” to peruse and choose the record from the nearby PC envelope or snap “Test Templates” to explore a test document in the neighborhood. 
• Set up the planning of the record sections compared to QuickBooks fields. This progression will be robotized for you if you utilize the format document. Download the Sample Template document.
• Survey your record information in the Review Grid screen and snap “Ship off QuickBooks” to transfer your document information to QuickBooks.

Import ADP payroll data into QuickBooks Desktop

Importing QuickBooks after you transmit the data from ADP, adding the information to your Quickbooks general record is a straightforward process. 

• In Quickbooks, click the “document” menu
• select “import” then pick the road that you have recently saved to your PC.

How to Import XML FPS file into QuickBooks

Keep Things in Your Mind

• Import one file with the highest number of employees – You can only import one file with the highest number of employees & it should not have the data of multiple payroll schedules. For example; The importing file must contain the employees with the weekly schedule or monthly schedule, you can’t include both of them. If you’re running weekly and monthly payroll, then select the EPS file with the highest number of employees. Later you can add the missing employees.
• During the move to QuickBooks, You must rename the Payroll expenses and liability accounts, so you can identify them after the importing gets completed.

Process of Importing XML FPS File into QuickBooks

When you’re good with your FPS file ready, then follow the procedure below to import the data to QuickBooks online;

1. First of all, Just log in to your QuickBooks Online Standard Payroll Account.
2. Then, Go to the Employees or Payroll Menu, Next Select Let’s Go. A window will be prompted, then select Yes, Import My Data.
3. Now on the next page, you need to select your previous payroll software option, then select next.
4. Export EPS (Full Payment Submission) with the highest number of employees (Note: It must be in XML Format & the Most Recent version).
5. Now, select “Upload File” on the next page, then select your exported XML file.
6. On the very next, on the last page, select the next option to start the importing process (If QuickBooks is unable to import your file, you will an error message displayed explaining the actions you need to take next).
7. Now, You just need to log in to your previous Payroll software & save it somewhere in a safer place on your computer such as a C drive, desktop, or protected area in your computer.

How to Import Employee Payroll Data into QuickBooks Online

Looking for a method to import the employee’s data whenever you need it with multiple formats? Here we have a guide to describe the exact & efficient way to do so. This method supports for CSV, and XLSX like so formats.

Process of Import Employees’ Data into QuickBooks Online

To import employees’ data into QuickBooks online, one needs to create a CSV or XLSX file & then add the employee for exporting the file, follow the mentioned below methods for single or multiple employee data.

Method 1: Create a CSV or XLSX Template to Import

1. First of all, Log in to QuickBooks Online Account, then look for the payroll page, and next, click on the arrow button.
2. After that, tap on the Add Employees option, and next click on Import Employees.
3. Next, Update the Data File and start importing Employee Data, and then Export the CSV/XLSX template file.
4. After exporting the Employee Data Template, You need to edit the template file & add the header to each column.
5. You need to create separate rows for each employee data you have. Add all your employee’s data into it & save it.
6. Once you’re done with the editing part of your “CSV”/”XLSX” file, Upload it back to QuickBooks Online by choosing the “Import Employee Data” option in QB Online.
7. Pick the file afterward, once you choose the file, next click on “confirm Upload”
8. As you click on the “Confirm Upload” option, the importing process will begin.
9. Now, Wait until the process ends & starts showing the report option. Now you can see the uploaded employees in QB Online.

Method 2; Bulk Import Employee Data into QuickBooks Online

To upload bulk employee data into QuickBooks online, one must focus on the described steps below;

1. Log in to QuickBooks Online and choose the “Upload File” option.
2. Next, select the “files” & “Spreadsheet” options. (Note: Only select the spreadsheet or files, which have the employees’ data.).
3. Next, Click on “QuickBooks Entity as Employees”, Now you’re required to map the column present in the import file of Employees.
4. Next, Click on the “Import” button, also opt for the employees, whom you want to add directly to QuickBooks online.
5. Next, you have to start mapping the headers on the data file with the online fields. (This action will help you to import the actual employee data correctly into the QuickBooks Online Software.).
6. Now have a quick look at the mapping along with the “headers” in the file on your screen & close the software.
7. Login Again to “QuickBooks Payroll”
8. Look for “Employees” on the home page, then use the option. Now go to the setting of Payroll then select “Data Extracts” below “Business Management”.
9. Next, In the “Data type” area, go to “Employee and Empty Template”.
10. Next, opt for the “File Format” and Tab on the “Download” option, Your File will start to download the file.
11. Next, Wait until the program ends, once done you’re ready for the data upload in “QuickBooks payroll”.
12. Next, Click on “Employees”, then press the “Import Employees” button.
13. Select the downloaded file and the template, and pick the “open” option.
14. Finally, press “Confirm Upload”.

FAQ