Can I make a w-2 for my employee?

[mbparker]

I already bought and installed TurboTax Home and Business for 2018.

[HelenaC]

Yes, the TurboTax Home and Business software allows you to prepare W-2's and 1099 forms using Quick Employer Forms . You can access Quick Employer Forms and create your W-2s and 1099s in TurboTax, on the Welcome Back screen. 

For additional information, see What is Quick Employer Forms?

Please see the screenshots below.

[eric_l]

I’m not sure I trust what TurboTax says about their Quick Employer Forms.  I entered data for 30 Forms 1099-MISC, but my work disappeared instead of being saved as advertised.

On about January 10, 2020, I (eventually) figured out how to enter payee data at the TurboTax web pages for eventual printing and eFiling of IRS Forms 1099-MISC (block 7, Non-employee Compensation) due tomorrow, January 31, 2020.  [For my 2019 returns, I upgraded to TTax Home & Business -- specifically because I wanted the advertised ability to eFile my 1099-MISC forms and know that my current 2019 data would be saved online for quick & easy transfer to next year.]
 
(1) It turned into a time-wasting hassle to (eventually) discover that the ability to enter 1099-MISC info via the online web pages could NOT be accessed from my freshly-created and therefore existing 2019 TTax file in my desktop computer. Instead, when first opening TTax I had to click the "Start a new return" button and from there choose to enter 1099-MISC (or W2, etc.) data. That worked and I manually entered data for about 30 payees. I chose not to eFile at that time (TTax FAQs explain that my data would be saved online for later eFiling and for transfer to next year). Instead of immediately eFiling, I opted to wait until the end of January (i.e., today, 01/30/2020) in case errors needed to be corrected before eFiling. [NOTE -- There was NO "sign out" link or button available on any of the screens that appeared for me, so I simply closed the browser window. Chrome browser.]
 
(2) Today, 01/30/2020, I am trying to get back to my previously-entered 1099-MISC data that is supposed to be stored someplace within my online account at TTax ... ... ... and, after successfully logging in with my username and password, I cannot find any of my previously-entered data. The option to enter brand new data appears, but NO saved data from a couple of weeks ago. AARRGGH! A link to previously-saved data does NOT appear when I use the "Start a new return" button when TTax first loads. I cannot find a link to my already-entered data when I go back into my already-started 2019 tax file that's stored in my desktop computer. AARRGGH!
 
Now I wonder why I wasted my time and money upgrading my TTax product so that I could (supposedly) enter and eFile 1099-MISC forms via TTax to the IRS.

[LindaB1993]

Unfortunately, there is no import/transfer feature between the desktop data files and quickemployerforms online. 

The benefit of the online program is of the Efile feature.  The benefit of the Desktop file is that the data file is accessible in the TurboTax program past October 31.  (Quickemployerforms limit access to prior data after October 31.  You would need to rely on the saved PDF of the forms for access.)

However, you should be able to retrieve the desktop file when you open the Dsektop Home and Business version.

When the program is launched, it should automatically show your saved data file as a selection.  If you do not see it, you may conduct a search in file explorer under the TurboTax program.

[eric_l]

Thanks for the info.  What's missing, it seems to me, is the ability to enter (one time) & save my 1099-MISC (or W2, etc) data in my desktop Home & Business tax file --- and then --- EXPORT/TRANSFER/IMPORT the 1099-MISC data from desktop to the online Quick Employer Forms (QEF) web pages.  

As currently structured, if I want both Desktop and QEF benefits, I am forced to manually enter my 1099-MISC data in two places (both Desktop and QEF).   That's not too bad for just a few forms, but it is a big waste of time when users of TTax need to issue & file dozens of 1099 forms.

And in my case, data for 30 Forms 1099-MISC that I entered into QEF on ~1/10/2020 is missing as of 1/30/2020 (see screenshot w/personal account name data partially redacted).