Fix QuickBooks Payroll Item List Missing Issue

While adding multiple items to the list, sometimes the payroll item list does not appear, which creates difficulty for the users to manage the employees’ payroll.

If you are also facing trouble while handling the employee payroll due to the QuickBooks Payroll Item List Missing, read this blog to get your payroll item list back.

Employees sometimes need to pay for things like retirement contributions, health insurance, uniforms, tools, or other dues. To track all such deductions & expenses, it’s important to maintain a payroll items list.

What is a QuickBooks Payroll Item List?

QuickBooks maintains a list of everything that affects the amount on a payroll cheque and for every company expense related to Payroll. This list is usually called the Payroll Item list, which includes compensation, taxes, other additions and deductions, and employer-paid expenses. QuickBooks tracks individual amounts on a paycheque and collects year-to-date wage and tax amounts for each employee using a payroll item list.

Comprehensive Guide to Set Up a Payroll Item List in QuickBooks Online!

For setting up your payroll item list in QuickBooks Online, adhere to the steps as follows:

1. To start the process, navigate to the Lists menu and choose Payroll Item List.
2. Now, hit the Payroll Item list and press New from the drop-down menu.
3. Select EX Setup and then click the Next button.
4. After this, choose the item you wish to configure.
5. Press the Next button and then adhere to the on-screen instructions to input the information required for the Type of item you have chosen. Each item has different requirements that are applied to specific groups of individuals.
6. Hit the Finish tab and assign the payroll item to each employee using Employee Center.

By default, if the QuickBooks payroll feature is turned off.

To enable it, do the following:

1. Initially, select Preferences from the Edit menu and then click Payroll & Employees in the left panel.
2. Hit the Company Preferences tab and choose Full Payroll.
3. Press the OK button at the end.

Manage Missing QuickBooks Payroll Item List?

Is your QuickBooks Payroll Item list missing? To find it, open your QuickBooks, select Manage Payroll Items from the Employees menu, and click View/Edit Payroll Item list.

After this, you can check and see multiple information such as Tax Tracking Designations, Imposed Limits, Type, and Payable to Names. You can also access the drop-down menus, namely, Reports, Activities, and Payroll Items, from the bottom of the list.

However, if you want to edit or remove any payroll item from the list, you must select the desired option accordingly; you can also make the items inactive. You can also customize the columns, by accessing the Customize Columns List.

Steps to Display Missing QuickBooks Payroll Item List!

Following are the tips and tricks to manage the missing payroll items list in the QuickBooks Desktop:

 

1. Be sure that your QuickBooks payroll services are turned on and active. To activate it, just walk through the following steps:

• • Hit the Employees tab and then select the Payroll service option.

• • Next, make a selection on the Manage service key.

• • Once done, you need to check the active status of your payroll services.

1. Now, verify that you are getting all the payroll updates.

• • Again click on the Employees menu and select Get payroll updates.

• • Hit the Update tab and then press OK.
  • After that, reopen the program and navigate to the company file.

•  

1. Before moving forward, create a backup for your data. For this, hover over the files menu and select Create Backup.
2. Re-sort your list and then verify your data.
3. Finally, restore your data within your company file; all your payroll items should be visible.

Troubleshoot: QuickBooks Payroll Item List Missing

If you are unable to find the missing QuickBooks Payroll Item List, first make sure that you have the full payroll features selected in your preferences. After this, perform the below-given steps to get your missing payroll item list back within a while.

Solution 1: Download the latest Payroll Tax Table

1. Head to the Employees menu and then click on Get Payroll Updates.
2. Now, select the Download Entire Update checkbox.
3. Choose Download Latest Update. An informational window starts appearing on your screen once the download is complete.

Solution 2: Verify Your Company’s Data

 

1. To begin with, navigate to Window and then click on Close All.
2. Now, hover over File and select Utilities.
3. Hit the Verify Data tab.

If you see:

1. QuickBooks detected no problems with your data—your data is clean, and you are not required to do anything else.
2. An error prompt—look for it on our QuickBooks Desktop customer site for how to deal with it.
3. Your data has lost integrity—Data damage was found in the file. Rebuild your data to resolve it.

Solution 3: Rebuild Your Company File Data

 

1. First, go to File, Utilities, and then choose Rebuild Data.
2. You’re prompted to create a backup before it recovers your company file. Press OK. A backup is required when you rebuild.
3. Select where you’d like to save your backup, then hit the OK tab. Avoid replacing another backup file.
4. After this, type a new name in the File name and click Save.
5. Choose OK once you get the message Rebuild has completed.
6. Furthermore, navigate to File, select Utilities, then click Verify Data again to check for additional damage.

1. If the verification finds more damage, you must fix it manually. Look for the error(s) in the qbwin.log on the QuickBooks Desktop Customer Helpdesk to fix it.
2. You need to restore a recent backup if the error can’t be noticed. For this, hover over the File and choose Open or Restore Company.
3. Always remember that you don’t replace your existing company file. You must enter the info into your company file again since the backup was created.

Add, Edit or Delete QuickBooks Payroll Item List!

Below we will discuss how to add, edit or remove payroll item lists in both QuickBooks Desktop and Online.

So let’s get started following the steps one-by-one:

For QuickBooks Desktop

Step 1: Set Up the Deduction Item

•  

1. In the first place, navigate to Lists and then choose Payroll Item List.
2. Now, click the Payroll Item drop-down, then hit the New tab.
3. Select Custom Setup and then press Next.
4. After this, choose Deduction, then click Next.
5. Type the name of the deduction and hit the Next tab.
6. If applicable, select the plan administrator’s name or add it and the account number. Then, click Next.
7. Moving ahead, choose the most relevant Tax tracking type. Hit None if the deduction is after-tax.
8. Press Next three times. Choose net pay in the Gross vs. Net window for the None tax tracking type and then hit the Next icon.
9. Leave the Default rate and limit areas blank unless it applies to all your employees. You must add the rate and limit when the item is added in the employee profile.
10. Finally, click the Finish icon.

Step 2: Add the Payroll Item in the Employee Profile

1. Hover over the Employees menu, and then choose the Employee Center.
2. After this, click on your employee.
3. Hit Edit and then select Payroll Info.
4. Include the deduction item from the Additions, Deductions, and Company Contributions.
5. Type the amount per period and a limit if applicable.
6. Press the OK button.

Edit Payroll Deduction Item

If You Want to Change or Edit the Payroll Item Itself

•  

1. Navigate to the Lists menu and then choose Payroll Item List.
2. Hit right-click on the item and select Edit Payroll Item.
3. Change the info as required on each window.
4. Press Finish.

If You Want to Change the Deduction Amount for Your Employee

•  

1. Hover over the Employees tab and then select the Employee Center.
2. Choose your employee.
3. Now, click on Payroll Info.
4. Edit the amount or limit.
5. Hit the OK tab.

Delete Payroll Deduction Item

You can delete the deduction from the payroll item list if it isn’t used on paychecks. You can edit the item and rename it Do Not Use if it is used.

•  

1. Head to Lists.
2. Choose Payroll Item List.
3. Now, right-click the item and select Delete Payroll Item.
4. Press OK on a notification. Are you sure you want to delete this payroll item?

B. For QuickBooks Online

Set Up the Deduction Item

•  

1. First of all, navigate to Payroll and then select Employees.
2. Now, choose your employee.
3. Click Start or Edit from Deductions & Contributions.
4. Under the Deduction/contribution dropdown, select + Add deduction/contribution.
5. After this, choose Other Deduction from the Deduction/contribution type. If you need to set up a pre-tax item that isn’t enlisted, like commuter benefits, AFLAC Accident or Cancer, etc, click the Health Insurance option.
6. Select Other after tax deductions from Type. If you need to set up a pre-tax item that isn’t registered, like commuter benefits, AFLAC Accident or Cancer, etc, choose Vision Insurance.
7. Add a Description. This would be the deduction or plan name and display on paychecks. Later on, select Pre-tax insurance premium.
8. Click on how your deduction is calculated. Then type the amount or percentage.
9. Press Save, then Done.

Edit Payroll Deduction Item

•  

1. Move to Payroll, then select Employees.
2. Next, choose the employee.
3. Press Start or Edit under Deductions & Contributions.
4. Click Edit next to the deduction you wish to modify.
5. Edit the information as per your requirements.
6. Hit Save, then press Done.

Delete Payroll Deduction Item

•  

1. Hover over Payroll and then click on Employees.
2. Choose your employee.
3. Select Start or Edit from Deductions & Contributions.
4. Hit the trash bin icon beside the deduction you want to remove.
5. Press Delete, then click Done in the end.

Ending-Up!

Thus, we can conclude that you’ll now be able to find your missing QuickBooks Payroll Item List after going through the steps described above.

FAQs!

What are the Payroll Items List?

Payroll items generally contain the wages, deductions, benefits, etc., that are used to create the paycheck, track liabilities, and determine what accounts should be affected when paying employees.

How Can I Track Payroll Items List in QuickBooks?

Below are the steps to turn on inventory tracking in QuickBooks:

•  

1. Navigate to Settings and choose Account and Settings.
2. Click on Sales.
3. Now, select Edit in the Products and Services section.
4. Enable the Show Product/Service column on sales forms.
5. Turn on both Track quantity and price/rate and Track inventory quantity on hand.
6. At last, press Save and then Done.

What to Do to Export an Payroll Item List from QuickBooks Online?

To export your item list from QuickBooks Online, do the following:

•  

1. Firstly, go to Settings from the toolbar.
2. Under Tools, choose Export Data.
3. You must set the date range on the Reports tab.
4. After ward, toggle the slider to add or remove items from the Reports and Lists tabs.
5. To finish, select Export to Excel.