A Step-By-Step Guide to Print a Pay Stub & Check Stub in QuickBooks 2025

Printing a pay stub in QuickBooks 2025 involves several steps, whether you're using QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online. Here's a step-by-step guide for both versions:

For QuickBooks Desktop 2025:

Open QuickBooks: Launch your QuickBooks Desktop application and open the company file where you want to print the pay stub.
Go to the Payroll Menu: From the top menu, click on Employees, and then choose Pay Employees.
Select the Employee: In the Pay Employees window, select the employee for whom you want to print the pay stub.
Choose the Pay Period: Enter the Pay Period End Date or select the appropriate pay period for which you want to print the pay stub.
Review and Finalize the Paycheck: Click Continue, and verify that the pay details (hours worked, wages, deductions, etc.) are correct for that period.
Print Pay Stub: Once everything looks good, click on Print Paychecks. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to print pay stubs.
- If you haven’t printed the paychecks yet, select Pay Stub from the options.
- If you’ve already printed the checks, click on Print Later, and you can print pay stubs later from the paycheck list.
Select Printer and Print: Choose the printer, select the number of copies, and then click Print to generate the pay stubs.
Save or Distribute: After printing, save the pay stubs or distribute them electronically as needed.

For QuickBooks Online 2025:

Sign In to QuickBooks Online: Log into your QuickBooks Online account and go to the dashboard.
Go to Payroll: In the left-hand menu, click on Payroll, then select Employees.
Select the Employee: From the employee list, choose the employee whose pay stub you want to print.
Find the Paycheck: Under the Paycheck List, find the paycheck for the appropriate pay period.
View Pay Stub: Click on the paycheck, and then click on View Pay Stub to open it.
Print the Pay Stub: Once the pay stub appears on your screen, click the Print icon at the top right of the page.
Select Printer and Print: Choose the printer and adjust settings as needed before hitting Print.
Save or Distribute: After printing, you can save the pay stub as a PDF or email it directly to the employee if that’s preferred.

General Tips:

Customizing Pay Stubs: QuickBooks allows customization of the pay stub format (e.g., adding company logos, changing the layout) for a more personalized look.
Recordkeeping: Ensure that you store copies of pay stubs securely for both your and the employee’s reference, particularly for tax filing.

By following these steps, you can easily print and distribute pay stubs for your independent contractors or employees in QuickBooks 2025.

Customizing Pay Stubs in QuickBooks 2025

Both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online allow you to customize the format and appearance of pay stubs. This feature helps tailor pay stubs to reflect your business branding and preferences.

QuickBooks Desktop:

Customize Pay Stub Template: Navigate to Lists > Payroll Item List. From here, you can select the pay stub template and modify the layout, font, logo, or other visual elements to align with your brand.
Add or Remove Information: QuickBooks lets you add or remove specific details from the pay stub (e.g., additional deduction categories, vacation hours, or special bonuses). You can customize the content based on your business needs.
Preview Before Printing: Before printing the final pay stub, preview it to ensure that all the necessary information is displayed clearly and correctly.

QuickBooks Online:

Customize Pay Stubs via Settings: Go to Gear Icon > Payroll Settings, then click on Pay Stub Customization. This lets you adjust the layout, colors, and even include a business logo. You can also select the sections to include, such as earnings, taxes, deductions, and leave balances.
Employee-Specific Customization: If required, you can personalize pay stubs for individual employees. For instance, some employees may need to see specific benefit information or additional notes.

Best Practices for Storing Pay Stubs

Once pay stubs are printed or generated in QuickBooks 2025, it’s important to store them properly for both legal compliance and record-keeping purposes. Here are some best practices for storing pay stubs:

Digital Storage:

QuickBooks Desktop: You can save pay stubs digitally as PDF files by choosing the Save As PDF option during the printing process. Store them in a secure folder on your computer or in a cloud storage solution (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) to ensure easy retrieval and backup.
QuickBooks Online: Pay stubs can be accessed and saved directly from QuickBooks Online. You can download them as PDFs and store them in your preferred cloud storage. QuickBooks Online keeps a digital record of all paychecks, so you can always access them through the payroll history section.

Physical Storage:

If you need to provide employees with physical copies, ensure the pay stubs are printed clearly and stored in a secure, organized manner (e.g., in employee files or secure cabinets). Avoid leaving them in areas where they may be easily lost or damaged.

Data Backup:

Regularly back up your payroll records. If using QuickBooks Desktop, enable automatic backups. For QuickBooks Online users, your data is backed up regularly in the cloud, but it’s still good practice to save copies of pay stubs in a secondary location.

Distributing Pay Stubs

How you distribute pay stubs will depend on your business preferences and the needs of your employees or contractors.

Physical Distribution:

Mailing or Handing Out: If you choose to distribute physical pay stubs, ensure they are mailed securely or given directly to employees in sealed envelopes. This protects their personal information and ensures confidentiality.

Electronic Distribution:

Email: You can email pay stubs directly to employees through QuickBooks Online. After viewing the pay stub, you can select the Email Pay Stub option to send it securely to the employee’s inbox. This is especially useful for remote workers or freelancers.
Employee Portal: For businesses that use QuickBooks Online Payroll with direct deposit, employees can access their pay stubs via the QuickBooks Workforce portal. Employees can view, download, and print their pay stubs at any time. This is a convenient option that reduces the need for paper copies and ensures employees have quick access to their records.

Troubleshooting Pay Stub Printing Issues

Occasionally, you may encounter issues when printing or viewing pay stubs. Here are some common troubleshooting steps for QuickBooks 2025:

Incorrect Pay Stub Details:

Check Payroll Setup: Verify that your payroll settings are correctly configured. Double-check pay rates, deduction items, and tax settings to ensure everything appears correctly on the pay stub.
Update QuickBooks: Ensure you are running the latest version of QuickBooks 2025. Regular software updates can fix bugs and improve payroll functionality.

Unable to Print or View Pay Stub:

Printer Settings: If you're having trouble printing, confirm that your printer is connected and configured properly. You can also try printing to a PDF to see if the issue is with the printer.
Browser Issues (QuickBooks Online): If you're unable to print from QuickBooks Online, try switching browsers or clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. Using an updated version of a browser like Chrome or Firefox can improve compatibility.

Pay Stub Format Problems:

If the pay stub is not displaying correctly or is missing information, check the customization settings to ensure all necessary fields are selected. You can also reset to default settings if you suspect a formatting issue.

Legal Considerations

In some regions, businesses are legally required to provide pay stubs to independent contractors or employees. Ensure that your pay stubs contain all legally required information such as:

Employee name and address
Pay period dates
Gross wages, deductions, and net pay
Tax withholdings (if applicable)
Employer name and address

Failure to provide proper documentation could result in legal issues or tax complications.

Final Thoughts

QuickBooks 2025 provides an efficient and streamlined process for printing and distributing pay stubs, offering both customization options and tools for easy distribution and record-keeping. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your pay stubs are accurate, professional, and legally compliant. Whether you’re managing a small freelance business or a larger team, QuickBooks helps maintain transparent, organized, and legally compliant payroll practices.