Intuit recently announced the release of QuickBooks 2022 Desktop. The Author has been evaluating various pre-release versions of these products for almost a year and has spent hours communicating with Intuit personnel, including product managers and developers, so we can help you learn about the new products. This article is one in a series of individual product features intended to provide additional content to that found in our QuickBooks Desktop 2022 Product Summary.
About Simplified Assisted Payroll Activation
When using QuickBooks Assisted Payroll[i] , this feature provides a guided and streamlined setup of the payroll activation process. The easy-to-follow steps allow users to get to their first Payroll faster.
This new functionality will be available to all QuickBooks Desktop 2022 users, including Pro Plus, Premier Plus, QuickBooks Desktop Accountant, and all QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Solutions (v22.0) versions in the United States. However, the Simplified Assisted Payroll Activation feature requires a QuickBooks Assisted Payroll subscription.
Getting Started with Assisted Payroll
Streamlined activation and set up for Assisted Payroll with QuickBooks Desktop 2022 begins from the QuickBooks Desktop Employee menu by selecting Payroll.
- Choose Activate Assisted Payroll (as shown below).
- The Assisted Payroll Streamlined Activation process window will open.
- Click the blue Get started button to begin the streamlined activation process.
- The Add Assisted Payroll service key window will open; enter your Assisted Payroll service key.
Note: To add a service key, you must be subscribed to Payroll and have a Federal EIN (Employer Identification Number) entered in the QuickBooks Company Information window. That Federal EIN will be displayed in the field on this window by default.
- Click Add when you have entered your Payroll Service Key.
- When the Connect Bank Account window opens, enter your Bank Routing Number and Bank Account Number.
- Click Add when you have completed entering your bank account information.
- When the Call us to set up payroll window opens, follow the on-screen instructions to contact QuickBooks Assisted Payroll Support to schedule your payroll setup.
What you can anticipate during Assisted Payroll Setup
Assisted Payroll Support will help you complete your setup by performing the following services. They will also assist you with your first Payroll and explain the filing and paying of taxes related to it.
They will check your Company Payroll Information and perform set up, including:
- Compensation information. (hourly, salary, tips, bonuses)
- Employee benefits information (health insurance, retirement, paid time off)
- Other payroll deductions and additions (wage garnishments, mileage)
They will set up Federal and State Taxes, including:
- State Withholding and Unemployment Tax identification/account numbers. (Some states use 1 number for both state withholding and unemployment taxes; others have different account numbers for each type of tax).
- State Unemployment Tax rate information
They will set up your employees based on W4 information, payroll items, and benefits that apply, including:
- W4 for each employee.
- Compensation information (hourly rate, yearly salary, commission)
- Direct deposit information for each employee (if applicable).
- Benefits information (401(K), wage garnishment, paid time off)
They will review and enter/adjust any year-to-date payroll history and tax payments as may be required based on the starting date of your first QuickBooks Assisted Payroll in relationship to the Tax Year, including:
- Entering all year-to-date payroll history and tax payments since January of the current year.
- Reconciling your payroll taxes to your payroll data since January of the current year.
They will also assist you with your first Payroll and explain the filing and paying of taxes related to it.
- To the extent you require, they will help you run your first Payroll: entering employee hours, reviewing, and approving it.
- They will explain the process of performing the tax calculations, payments, and related reporting on your behalf.
To learn more about this feature:
If you are reading this (due to our publication date), you either already attended or missed Insightful Accountant's special September QB Talks held on October 6, 2021, when Laura Madeira presented her version of "What's New in QuickBooks Desktop for 2022". You could read Laura's Intuit Firm of the Future article on QuickBooks Desktop 2022, or you could attend one of Laura's webinars she will be presenting on behalf of Intuit which you can register for at the Firm of the Future article website here.
Editor's Acknowledgements
A general acknowledgment to Intuit for graphic images used in this feature, Insightful Accountant adapted some images to emphasize a specific feature. The Author prepared some graphic images used in this feature from pre-release copies of QuickBooks 2022. Title art adapted from images courtesy of Intuit.
Footnotes & Disclosures:
[i] Available with a QuickBooks Desktop Assisted Payroll subscription. Payroll subscriptions are in addition to any standard QuickBooks subscription unless a special combination package is offered.
Shading created for emphasis in some images.