A Comprehensive Guide to Use QuickBooks Payroll Software

  • Jonathan Browns
  • By Jonathan Browns
  • Dec 30, 2025
  • Accounting
  • 7 min read

Managing the payroll is a bit of a challenging task for businesses as it comes with a lot of stress and responsibility. So, by having QuickBooks Payroll software, you can stay updated with the latest changes in taxation laws and employment law. As a result, it will help you pay the employees on time and accurately, which prevents you from paying heavy tax penalties. Herein, in this guide, we have provided you with all the information regarding the benefits, pricing, and features of payroll software for QuickBooks.

Wondering how to set up and use QuickBooks Payroll software to manage the employees’ pay? Connect with our QuickBooks professionals for better assistance.

QuickBooks Payroll: An Overview

QuickBooks Payroll is an outstanding software that automates payroll, tax calculations, deductions, and filings for small-scale businesses. Moreover, this software also helps in managing direct deposit, managing W-2s, and ensuring federal/state taxes are filed accurately. Also, it provides you with the feature that includes HR guidance, penalty protection, and employee self-service. However, the payroll software is compatible with QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Accountant, and for Mac. 

What are the Major Benefits of Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Software?

By accessing the Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Software, it becomes easier to record the payments of your staff and help compute the payroll accurately. Furthermore, there are numerous other benefits that you can grab with the help of QuickBooks Payroll.

1. Saves time:-

Now, the time has gone when you had to manage the payroll manually, as it is handled by the QuickBooks payroll software. Using this application, you can keep track of leave taken, expenses, bonuses, holiday pay, and overtime. Moreover, you can also compute the hourly pay or salaries.

2. Simplify Payroll Compliance:-

At times, it gets a bit challenging for businesses to stay updated as per the latest payroll taxation policies. But now, with the help of payroll software with QuickBooks, you can stay updated with the latest tax table.

3. Improved Accuracy:-

Earlier, while processing the employees’ payroll, the users may make mistakes in manually computing the employees’ payroll. But with the upcoming release of this payroll software, you don’t have to worry about miscalculations. Thus, it ensures that the payroll is computed as per the latest tax table updates.

4. Enhance Employee Satisfaction:-

There are a few payroll software that give access to their employees to their own portal. As a result, it gives them restricted access to the system and allows them to check details, see their payment history, and even book time off.

5. Create Automatic Payslips

As per the latest laws, all employers have the option to give each employee a payslip with all the necessary details of their pay and deductions. Moreover, it’s essential to ensure that the payroll software helps you produce the payslips easily.

6. Organised Record Keeping:

Another great thing about the payroll software QuickBooks is that you can easily manage record keeping by handling year-end easily. You can access the features that include automatic tracking, recording, and reporting. As a result of using these features, it becomes easier to handle the employees’ payroll without taking so much stress.

7. Minimize the Payroll Errors:

As you all know, processing the employees’ payroll is a bit of a challenging task, and it comes with a lot of responsibility. But running the QuickBooks payroll software for small businesses helps in calculating the employees’ payroll easily and minimizes payroll errors.

Note: If you are a QuickBooks Online Payroll Software or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll software user, then here’s how to set up and use it for small businesses.

Exclusive Features of Payroll Software For Accountants

You can now make the payday stress-free with the help of tools like Auto Payroll and Automated tax forms and filings. No matter whether your clients run payroll on their own or want you to handle it on their own, QuickBooks Payroll Elite manages everything.

Auto Payroll

1. Tax penalty protection:

Now, you can access the tax penalty protection feature and get your filing errors resolved. Also, you can pay the penalties up to $25,000. Intuit works directly with the IRS to take care of all the payroll-related matters.

2. Same-day direct deposit

Using the same-day direct deposit, you can pay your employees on time without making any further delays. You can submit the payroll by 7 AM PT on the payday morning to have funds withdrawn on the same day.

3. Trusted time tracking

Also, you have the option to schedule the employees according to their shift or job and update hours in real time. The trusted time tracking feature will help in approving timesheets and running payroll from your mobile phone.

4. Personal HR advisor

The businesses can take professional assistance regarding the major HR issues, such as hiring, compliance, and performance.

5. Customized payroll setup

You can now complete your payroll-related tasks easily. Moreover, you can also save your precious time and get your payroll done and run smoothly with a white-glove setup and support from a QuickBooks Payroll expert.

6. 24/7 expert product support

If you get stuck while processing the employee’s payroll, you can get assistance with it. You can figure out features using the step-by-step instructions you get over the phone or by calling.

Pricing Structure of QuickBooks Payroll For Accountants

To get started with the Payroll for Accountants, have a look at the pricing plan given below.

Payroll Core & Simple Start
Pay your team and get basic accounting tools.
Payroll Core & Essentials
Pay your team, track billable hours, and pay bills in one place.
Payroll Premium & Plus
Pay your team, get HR & benefits, and track projects or products.
$44 monthly & Save 50% for 3 months + $6.50/employee per month$62.50 monthly & Save 50% for 3 months + $6.50/employee per month$101.50 monthly & Save 50% for 3 months + $10/employee per month
Intuit AssistIntuit AssistIntuit Assist
Payroll Agent
Helps manage and run payroll and flags anomalies for review.
Payroll Agent
Helps manage and run payroll and flags anomalies for review.
Payroll Agent
Helps manage and run payroll and flags anomalies for review.
Take care of paydayTake care of paydayTake care of payday
Full Service Payroll

Comprises of automated taxes and forms.
Full Service Payroll

Comprises of automated taxes and forms.
Full Service Payroll


Comprises of automated taxes and forms.
Auto PayrollAuto PayrollAuto Payroll
1099 E-File & Pay1099 E-File & Pay1099 E-File & Pay
Expert Product supportExpert Product supportExpert Product support
Next-day direct depositNext-day direct depositSame-day direct deposit


Track time on the go


Expert Review
Take care of your teamTake care of your teamTake care of your team
Employee PortalEmployee PortalEmployee Portal
Health benefits for your teamHealth benefits for your teamHealth benefits for your team
401 (k) plans401 (k) plans401 (k) plans
Worker’s comp AdministrationWorker’s comp AdministrationWorker’s comp Administration
Team management toolsTeam management toolsTeam management tools
Document uploading and sharingDocument uploading and sharingDocument uploading and sharing


Document e-signatures


Automated I-9


HR Support Center
Take care of your booksTake care of your booksTake care of your books
Live Expert Assisted
Try expert help Free for 30 days
Live Expert Assisted
Try expert help Free for 30 days
Live Expert Assisted

Try expert help Free for 30 days
Track Income & expensesTrack Income & expensesTrack Income & expenses
Capture & organize receiptsCapture & organize receiptsCapture & organize receipts
Maximize Tax deductionsMaximize Tax deductionsMaximize Tax deductions
Invoice & accept paymentsInvoice & accept paymentsInvoice & accept payments
Track milesTrack milesTrack miles
Run general reportsRun general reportsRun general reports
Send EstimatesSend EstimatesSend Estimates
Track sales & sales taxTrack sales & sales taxTrack sales & sales tax
Manage 1099 contractorsManage 1099 contractorsManage 1099 contractors
Connect 1 sales channelConnect 3 sales channelConnect all sales channel

Manage billsManage bills

Enter timeEnter time

Include 3 usersInclude 5 users
Intuit AssistIntuit AssistIntuit Assist
Smart Expense organization Boosts by efficiency by reviewing and organizing your transactions.


Smart Expense organization
Boosts by efficiency by reviewing and organizing your transactions.
Smart Expense organization

Boosts by efficiency by reviewing and organizing your transactions.

Accounting Agent
Posts transactions quickly – with explanations and predictions.
Accounting Agent

Posts transactions quickly – with explanations and predictions.

Payments Agent
Helps create tailored strategies to get you paid get faster.
Payments Agent

Helps create tailored strategies to get you paid get faster.


AI- powered reconciliation
Identifies potential issues and suggests solutions.


Customer Agent
Prioritizes leads from your inbox and personalizes email follow ups.


Sales Tax Agent
Identifies potential issues and suggests fixes before you file.

Note: QuickBooks software free download isn’t available. You can get a 30-day free trial, but for permanent use, you need to purchase its paid QuickBooks subscription.

QuickBooks Payroll Software For Mac

Herein, we have disclosed the features you can access with QuickBooks Payroll software for Mac.

What are the Features You Can Access With Payroll Software For Mac?

The QuickBooks Payroll focuses on the security features and uses multi-factor authentication to keep the data secure. Moreover, you can also get in control of finances using the robust reporting dashboards.
By running the Payroll for Mac software, users can access the following features.

1. Track Time & Create Schedules:

By running the QuickBooks payroll software, you can easily take care of multiple timesheets. Then, you can give the approval for the time once you are all set. Furthermore, you can modify, publish, and share schedules with your teams.

2. Payroll Support:

Another great feature is that you can get step-by-step instructions along with the troubleshooting methods to resolve the payroll-related issues.

3. Auto Payroll:

You can also make the necessary configurations and set payroll to run automatically. Moreover, you can also receive notifications to always stay in control.

4. Payroll Reports:

By running the QuickBooks Payroll feature, you can obtain real-time data from payroll tax liabilities to the total employee pay.

5. File Taxes:

The QuickBooks Payroll feature enables you to compute, file, and pay your payroll taxes on your behalf.

Pricing Plan

Herein, we have provided the pricing plan for purchasing the QuickBooks Payroll for Mac software.

Payroll CorePayroll PremiumPayroll Elite
$25 monthly +$6.50/employee$44 monthly +$10/employee$67 monthly +$12/employee
Take care of PaydayTake Care of PaydayTake Care of Payday
Full Service Payroll: It comprises of features like automated taxes and forms.Full Service Payroll: It comprises of features like automated taxes and forms.Full Service Payroll: It comprises of features like automated taxes and forms.
Auto PayrollAuto PayrollAuto Payroll
1099 E-File & Pay1099 E-File & Pay1099 E-File & Pay
Next-Day Direct DepositSame day direct depositSame day direct deposit
Expert Product Support24/7 expert product support
Expert Review
24/7 expert product support
Expert Setup Tax penalty protection Personal HR Advisor
Take Care of Your TeamTake Care of Your TeamTake Care of Your Team
Employee PortalEmployee PortalEmployee Portal
Health Benefits for your teamHealth Benefits for your teamHealth Benefits for your team
401 (k) plans401 (k) plans401 (k) plans
Worker’s Comp AdministrationWorker’s Comp AdministrationWorker’s Comp Administration

HR Support CenterHR Support Center

Track Your Team’s TimeTrack Your Team’s Time

Includes Time Elite: It comprises of features like track time and attendance.Includes Time Elite: It comprises of features like track time and attendance.

Mobile app with GPSMobile app with GPS

See who’s workingSee who’s working


Geofencing


Project Management Tools

Conclusion

QuickBooks Payroll is a great software that streamlines the process of manually managing the employees’ payroll, HR, and other payroll-related tasks. We hope that this post will help you walkthrough the entire Payroll process. If you are still having issues while processing the payroll, feel free to connect with our BizBooksAdvice professionals for help.

Question 1: How do I connect to QuickBooks Payroll?

Ans. To connect to QuickBooks Payroll, click on the Gear icon and hit Payroll Settings. Choose the Integrations option and look for your payroll management system. Thereon, click the Add and then the Connect option. Later on, do as per the instructions on the screen to pick your organization and authorize data sharing.

Question 2: How to activate QuickBooks Payroll?

Ans. To activate the QuickBooks Payroll, hit the Settings menu and click Subscriptions & Billing. After this, search for the QuickBooks Payroll and then hit the Subscribe option.

Question 3: Does QuickBooks do payroll automatically?

Ans. The QuickBooks Online Payroll automatically makes the paychecks for the salaried and hourly paid team members. However, the auto payroll feature does well with direct deposit or paper checks.

Question 4: Where are payroll settings in QuickBooks?

Ans. To get the payroll settings in QuickBooks, launch your QuickBooks data file and log in as an admin. Thereon, hit the Edit menu and then click the Preferences tab. From the menu, hit the Payroll & Employees tab.

Question 5: How to setup QuickBooks for payroll?

Ans. For setting up QuickBooks for payroll, hit the Payroll option from the left menu. After this, pick the suitable plan according to your business. Later on, provide the business details along with the contact details.

Related Posts-

QuickBooks Payroll Calculator

QuickBooks Payroll Not Withholding Taxes

About The Author

Jonathan
Jonathan Browns

Jonathan Brown is a trained QuickBooks professional with 10 years of experience in the accounting sector. Moreover, he is passionate about helping businesses reduce the stress of managing accounts. Also, he is proficient in assisting entrepreneurs and small business owners to use QuickBooks and enhance their accounting experience.

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