Printing W-2 and W-3 Forms in QuickBooks Desktop: Paper Stocks and Workflow
A guide to the paper types, payroll settings, and step-by-step workflows required to print annual W-2 and W-3 tax forms successfully in QuickBooks Desktop.
As tax season approaches, QuickBooks Desktop users face the annual task of printing W-2 and W-3 forms for employees and federal agencies. Navigating the print settings, selecting the correct paper, and locating archived forms can be a frustrating experience if you are unprepared. Here is a breakdown of what you need to know to get your annual tax documents printed accurately.
Choosing the Right Paper for W-2s
Before you even open your company file, you need the correct physical supplies. QuickBooks gives you two primary options for printing W-2 forms, and the one you choose dictates the final output.
If an employee has misplaced their original W-2, or if you simply need to print a copy for your own internal records, standard plain paper is perfectly fine. However, if you are printing official copies directly from QuickBooks to mail to your employees, you should purchase perforated W-2 paper.
The type of perforated paper you can use depends on your specific payroll subscription. Users of QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced or Intuit QuickBooks Workforce can utilize either three-part or four-part perforated paper. If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted, you are restricted to four-part perforated paper exclusively. To ensure the forms align correctly when fed through your printer, ordering dedicated W-2 kits alongside matching envelopes is highly recommended. You can acquire these supplies through the QuickBooks Checks & Supplies portal by navigating to the Tax Products section and selecting Blank W-2 kits.
Configuring Your Print Settings
Getting your print settings dialed in ahead of time prevents wasted paper and misaligned text. The window of time when you can adjust these settings depends on your payroll configuration. If your automated taxes and forms setting is turned off, you can begin adjusting these options right at the start of the year. If the setting is turned on, you will need to wait until mid-January to make changes.
To adjust your preferences, go to your Settings menu and select Payroll Settings. Look for the Form W-2 printing section, select Edit, and choose your preferred print option. Be sure to select Save and then Done to lock in your preferences.
Printing Current Year Forms
When you are ready to print your active W-2s and the accompanying W-3 Summary Transmittal, QuickBooks Desktop provides a structured workflow. Start by ensuring your software and payroll tax tables are fully updated. This is a critical step, as printing on an outdated tax table can result in incorrect totals.
From the Employees dropdown menu at the top of your screen, navigate to Payroll Tax Forms & W-2s, then select Process Payroll Forms. On the File Forms tab, scroll down until you locate the Annual Form W-2/W-3 - Wage and Tax Statement/Transmittal. Select Create Form, enter the appropriate tax year, and click OK.
You will then choose whether to file the forms for all employees or just specific individuals. Before submitting the forms for printing, you have the option to select Review/Edit. This allows you to look over each W-2 individually; once a form has been reviewed, a checkmark will appear in the Reviewed column. After you are confident in the data, select Submit Form and follow the remaining on-screen prompts to print and file.
Handling Paperless Employees
When managing your print queue, keep in mind that QuickBooks will not automatically generate printed W-2s for employees who have opted into paperless delivery. You can review a list of employees who are still scheduled to receive a printed copy directly from the payroll resources menu. Employees who opted for paperless delivery will not receive a mailed copy, but they retain the ability to download and print their own forms at any time via QuickBooks Workforce.
Accessing Archived Forms
If you need to pull up tax documents from a previous quarter or year, QuickBooks Desktop maintains an archive of your past filings. You can access these by navigating to your payroll tax resources and selecting the Archived forms and filings option. From there, you can set a specific date range or search for the exact forms you need. Once you locate the desired W-2 or W-3, simply select View, click the print icon on the Adobe Reader toolbar, and send the document to your printer.
For Payroll Assisted users looking to reprint specific employee copies, the workflow is slightly different. You will need to open the Payroll Center from your Employees tab, navigate to the File Forms section, and select the option to View or Print Forms. After entering your payroll PIN, you can navigate to the W-2s tab, select the relevant year, choose the specific employees, and open or save the selected documents to your machine for printing.