Can TurboTax processing 130+/- W2s from ADP, Decision HR, and other data? Can't add last year’s data to new QBO. Ease and cost? Need Payroll Summary and/or Register?

[jdburlingham]

I am seeking recommendations for processing 130+/- W2s. My new bookkeeping client used ADP, Decision HR, and an online payroll calculator at different times during 2024. Since I cannot add last year’s payroll data to their new QuickBooks Online account, I need to merge different data sources for each employee and use a W2 processor. I saw SSA has a free service but for only 50 W2s. Plus, I have seen ads for TurboTax (My preference as longterm user), Tax Bandit, and more. Any thoughts in terms of ease and cost? Also, they have minimal access and reporting available from previous payroll services. Would I need the Payroll Summary and/or Payroll Register to complete data collection and process the large W2 batch?

[SabrinaD2]

Yes, TurboTax offers ways to handle payroll and W-2 processing for your needs. Based on the data sources you mentioned (ADP, Decision HR, and an online payroll calculator) and your requirement for processing about 130 W-2s, here’s how TurboTax can support you:

1. TurboTax Business
TurboTax Business is designed specifically for small businesses, partnerships, S-corporations, and multi-member LLCs. TurboTax Business is excellent for processing W-2s for a larger batch of employees (130+). It provides the tools to generate and e-file W-2s efficiently as part of a business tax return.  Check out cost information at the following link: Find out more about TurboTax Business.

Data Collection: Payroll Summary vs. Payroll Register

• Payroll Summary: Usually, a payroll summary provides an overview of payroll data, including total wages, taxes, and deductions. This may not be detailed enough to complete W-2 processing but can serve as a starting point.
• Payroll Register: Generally, this provides detailed, employee-specific data, including individual earnings, tax withholdings, and deductions. You will need this information to ensure the accuracy of your W-2s.
• Suggestion: Use the Payroll Register as your primary source for data collection. The Payroll Summary can be a supplementary resource.

Next Steps

1. Use the manual data from the Payroll Register to enter into TurboTax Business to generate and e-file the W-2s.
2. Follow step-by-step instructions here to create W-2s and 1099 forms for employees