Introduction
Want to send pay stubs directly to your employees from QuickBooks Desktop? This guide walks you through each step to set up email options, generate secure PDFs, and send paycheck stubs efficiently—no printing or mailing required.
1. Update QuickBooks & Adobe
Make sure your QuickBooks desktop software is up to date. Also, install or update Adobe Acrobat Reader—it’s used to convert pay stubs into the PDF format required for emailing.
2. Enable Email Options in Preferences
By default, emailing pay stubs is disabled. Enable it by going to Edit → Preferences → Send Forms → My Preferences. Choose your email method:
- Web Mail (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo)
- Outlook if you use Microsoft Outlook
- QuickBooks Email using Intuit’s service
Save the settings so email sending is enabled moving forward.
3. Switch to Single-User Mode
Emailing pay stubs requires QuickBooks to be in Single-user Mode. Go to File → Switch to Single-user Mode if needed—it ensures the system can process form generation properly.
4. Select Pay Stubs to Email
Navigate to File → Print Forms → Pay Stubs. Choose the payroll bank account, set the correct pay period, and select the employees to send stubs to (uncheck anyone you want to exclude).
5. Preview and Send
Click “Preview” to review each stub before sending. Then click “Email” to proceed.
6. Understand Password Protection
QuickBooks automatically applies a password to each emailed PDF. It’s securely generated using the first four letters of the employee’s last name (lowercase) plus the last four digits of their SSN. Keep this password handy to share with employees so they can open the stub.
7. Enter Email Addresses & Customize the Message
Enter each employee’s email address one at a time and review the email in the Send Forms window. You can customize the To/From fields, subject line, body content, and choose a template.
8. Send and Confirm
When everything looks good, click “Send Now.” Your employees will receive their paycheck stub as a password-protected PDF.
Troubleshooting Tips
- If employees don’t receive stubs, ask them to check spam folders.
- Ensure employee last names contain no parentheses or brackets—these can prevent stub opening.
- Send a test email to yourself to verify connectivity and formatting.
Need a Printable or Template Stub?
If you also need a printable copy or want to compare layout formats, you can generate a clean version quickly with our reliable tool.
Browse sample stub layouts or generate a polished pay stub quickly.
Conclusion
Emailing pay stubs from QuickBooks Desktop saves time, paper, and hassle. By following this step-by-step setup—updating software, enabling email, generating forms, and sending them securely—you can deliver digital paycheck copies seamlessly and securely to your employees.
