Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks: How to Run & Create Paycheck?

Unscheduled payroll in QuickBooks processes allows businesses to issue paychecks without predefined pay schedules. Employees receive compensation for irregular hours, bonuses, commissions, or prorated final pay. QuickBooks calculates withholdings, taxes, and deductions automatically based on employee profiles and Year-to-Date (YTD) data.

Key features include:

• Manual selection of employees and pay types.
• Integration with the existing payroll setup for accurate tax calculations.
• Preview options to review totals before finalising.

Businesses use unscheduled payroll QuickBooks entries for flexibility in cash flow management and employee relations. The system updates liability accounts and generates forms like 1099s where applicable.

How to Run Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks?

You can pick the pay date manually when operating an unscheduled payroll, and enter the earnings of the employee. Make sure that for the current pay period, you can only build unscheduled checks back to six months ago. Dates that come after your last check date and before your next payday are the appropriate check dates.

Steps to Run Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks Desktop

Below are the steps to do so:

• First of all launch QuickBooks Desktop.
• After launching QuickBooks Desktop select the Employees menu.
• After that, choose the Pay Employees Option.
• Then, as your check type, select the Unscheduled Payroll.
• Payroll data can be entered here.
• Then, when you’re done, click the Continue button.
• Now, click on Create Payroll after reviewing the payroll details.

Steps to Run Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks Online

You can perform the instructions to run the unscheduled payroll in QuickBooks Online:

• The very first step is to hit the Workers who are present on the left panel
• Next, go to the “Employee” tab
• On the right-hand corner of the upper side, select and click on the “Run Payroll” button.
• Now, search for an employee that you need to pay
• Afterward, choose the link named “Create another check”
• Enter the compensation of the employee, including vacation or sick hours, any salary adjustments, and other types of pay
• Verify once the Pay date as well as the Pay Period
• Pick “Preview Payroll” and then the “Submit payroll” option once verification is done
• In any case, if you have made any handwritten or paper checks, then give them to the employee, including the check date
• At last, to end the process, you have to press ‘Finish payroll’.

Read this: How to locate and use, and Fix QBwin.log File Errors

How to Create Unscheduled Payroll Paychecks in QuickBooks

Steps to Create Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks Desktop

QuickBooks Desktop handles unscheduled payroll through the Employees menu. Users select payees and enter details manually.

Follow these steps:

• Open QuickBooks Desktop and navigate to Employees, then Pay Employees.
• Select Unscheduled Payroll as the check type.
• Mark employees for payment from the list.
• Click Open Paycheck Detail to enter hours, rates, bonuses, or deductions.
• Review YTD totals and tax withholdings in the preview window.
• Click Create Paychecks after verification.

The system prints checks or prepares direct deposits. Payroll liabilities post to the appropriate accounts automatically.

Steps to Create Unscheduled Payroll in QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online simplifies unscheduled payroll processes with a payroll run interface. Users add employees manually to off-schedule runs.

Execute these steps:

• Go to Payroll next Employees from the left navigation.
• Click Run Payroll or Pay Employees.
• Select Manually add employees or Create Paycheck.
• Choose employees, enter pay date, and period details.
• Input hours, salary, bonuses, tips, or reimbursements.
• Preview payroll summary, adjust withholdings if needed.
• Submit payroll and distribute pay stubs.

QuickBooks Online tracks the run and updates reports like Payroll Summary.

Prerequisites for Creating Unscheduled Paychecks

Users prepare QuickBooks for unscheduled payroll by verifying setup elements. An active payroll subscription ensures tax tables update correctly. Employee profiles contain current withholding elections, rates, and YTD earnings. Vendor lists include accurate tax agency details for liability payments.​

Complete these preparations:

• Update payroll tax tables through the payroll centre.
• Review employee records for address, W-4 status, and pay rates.
• Reconcile prior payroll liabilities to avoid discrepancies.
• Confirm sufficient funds in payroll liability and checking accounts.

Handling Special Pay Types in Unscheduled Paychecks

Unscheduled payroll accommodates bonuses, commissions, and sick pay. Users add these as earnings items in paycheck details. QuickBooks withholds federal, state, and local taxes based on supplemental rates or employee elections.​

For bonuses:

• Select Bonus from earnings items.
• Enter gross amount.
• Adjust supplemental withholding if a flat rate applies.

Vacation or sick pay draws from accrued balances if tracking is enabled. Prorated pay for partial periods uses hourly or salary proration formulas.

Reviewing and Approving Unscheduled Payroll

Users preview paychecks before they are created to catch errors. QuickBooks displays gross pay, deductions, net pay, and employer taxes. Compare totals against source documents like timecards or commission sheets.​

Verification checklist:

• Confirm employee names and pay rates match profiles.
• Validate tax withholdings against the latest W-4 forms.
• Check YTD earnings for accuracy.
• Ensure liability accounts receive correct postings.

Print or email pay stubs post-approval. Reconcile bank and liability accounts promptly.

Common Issues and Resolutions

When processing payroll in QuickBooks, users occasionally encounter unexpected errors or missing data. Addressing these promptly keeps payroll records accurate and prevents duplicate or incomplete entries.

Here’s what to check and how to resolve them systematically:

• Employees missing from payroll are often marked as inactive. Reactivate their profiles through the Employee Center before running payroll.
• Tax table errors usually occur when the payroll subscription expires; renewing it ensures calculations stay accurate and compliant.
• Duplicate paychecks often result from accidental resubmissions — review recent payroll runs to confirm if payments were already processed.
• Run the Verify Data utility if payroll totals appear mismatched or inconsistent.
• Update employee tax setups to reflect any changes in withholding rates or deductions.
• Clear pending payroll liabilities before initiating a new payroll run to prevent overlap.

Reporting on Unscheduled Payroll Activity

QuickBooks generates reports to track unscheduled payroll QuickBooks impacts. Payroll Summary details show pay types and totals. The Tax Liability report lists withholdings by period. Customise the Itemised Payroll Summary for bonus breakdowns.​

Access reports via Reports, next Employees & Payroll. Export to Excel for analysis. Year-end forms like W-2s automatically aggregate scheduled and unscheduled data.

Best Practices for Unscheduled Payroll Management

Businesses limit unscheduled payroll to essential cases. Document reasons for off-cycle payments in memos. Train staff on processes to ensure consistency. Schedule regular payroll reconciliations, including unscheduled items.

Integrate with time-tracking to ensure accurate hours. Review accrual balances quarterly. Businesses maintain audit trails by noting approvals before submission.

Conclusion

Unscheduled payroll QuickBooks features enable precise handling of irregular payments while preserving accurate records. Users follow menu-driven steps in Desktop or Online to select employees, enter details, preview, and submit. Preparations like updated profiles and tax tables ensure compliance. Reviews catch discrepancies early. Reports provide oversight. Proper use supports efficient payroll operations without disrupting regular schedules.

Frequently Asked Questions