Why is QuickBooks Desktop Payroll not
updating? Here’s the Fix!
QuickBooks users may often encounter the issues with payroll update in QuickBooks Desktop that further
hampers their payroll calculations and financial management. The issue of QuickBooks Desktop payroll not
updating may arise due to outdated QuickBooks, stuck paychecks and payroll data not sent to Intuit, and
damage in data files. In this guide, we will explain quick ways to fix payroll update issues in QuickBooks.
Reasons For QB Desktop Payroll Update Issues
If you do not understand the causes why this error appears, then let us help you. We have listed all the possible
reasons here.
 Outdated QuickBooks Desktop software can interrupt the payroll update.
 Issues related to payroll data not being sent properly to Intuit can also cause payroll errors.
 Data corruption or issues within QuickBooks data files can also lead to the issue of QuickBooks payroll not
updating.
 Stuck paychecks that are not being sent to Intuit can trigger this error in your system.
Solutions to Resolve QB Desktop Payroll Update
Issues
Here are the solutions that you can follow to eliminate the payroll update errors in
QuickBooks and ensure swift payroll management.
Solution 1: Update QuickBooks Desktop to Resolve
Errors
To fix this error, update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest version by following
these steps:
 Open QuickBooks Desktop.
 Go to the Help menu.
 Select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
 Click on the Update Now tab.
 (Tip: Check the Reset Update box to clear any previous update downloads.)
 Click Get Updates to start the download.
 Once the download is complete, choose to install the new release.
Solution 2: Send Your Usage Data in QuickBooks
To send payroll data, follow these steps:
 Go to the Employees menu.
 Choose My Payroll Service.
 After that, select Send Usage Data.
 If you don’t see this option, proceed to the next step.
 Navigate to Employees and select Send Payroll Data.
 Within the Send/Receive Payroll Data window, click Send All. If asked, enter
your payroll service PIN.
 If the data is sent successfully, check for payroll updates again.
Solution 3: Identify Stuck Paychecks
 If you are dealing with QuickBooks Payroll Error Code PS038, this solution can
help.

 Go to Edit and select Find.
 Click on the Advanced tab.
 In the Choose Filter section, select Detail Level from the filter list and
choose Summary Only.
 Return to the filter list, scroll down, and select Online Status, then choose Online
to Send.
 Click Find to display paychecks that aren’t sent to Intuit, note the "Number of
matches" mentioned under the Find window, and then proceed to the next step.
 Close the Find window and run a data verification with the help of Verify Data
Utility. This will highlight any stuck paychecks awaiting transmission.
 Rebuild your data file.
 Attempt to download your payroll updates again.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have explained the proven ways to resolve the issue of
QuickBooks Desktop Payroll not updating.