Listen to this articleAn Introduction to QB Payroll Error PS038
QuickBooks Error PS038 occurs due to Payroll subscription issues. It also happens when there’s a problem with downloading updates. This payroll error can also come from incorrect tax table information. Or from a problem with the user’s payroll service key. Additionally, issues with billing or subscription status may trigger PS038 errors.
You will receive an error message stating:
Here is what a PS038 error message PS038 might look like:
| “You’ve retrieved the latest payroll update and validated your Payroll subscription. We strongly recommend that you go online again before mm/dd/yyyy. [PS038]” |
This error message indicates that the primary reason is an inactive payroll subscription. Verifying your payroll subscription would help resolve the error PS038. Don’t worry; this comprehensive guide delves into the depths of solutions.
What Causes QuickBooks Error Code PS038
The correct way to resolve the error is first to understand its primary causes, which is essential for effective troubleshooting. Here, we have mentioned some significant reasons that make you prone to the Intuit QuickBooks error code PS038 while updating software.
- The payroll error code PS038 in QuickBooks might appear when you try to send paychecks via online mode, but the paycheck gets stuck as “Online to send.”
- The PS038 error might occur due to corrupted/damaged payroll data in the QuickBooks company file.
- The issue may occur while you try to recover the latest QB payroll updates and validate your payroll subscription.
- This error occurs when a backup copy of a company file is restored with outdated direct deposit payrolls.
- It might be because of incorrect internet connection settings.
- A misconfigured firewall setting might block payroll updates in QuickBooks Desktop.
- You might be using an outdated QuickBooks version, which might be the root of the problem.
Key Points to Know Before Resolving Payroll Error PS038
Before you proceed to fix QuickBooks payroll error PS038, there are certain points of great importance that you must take into consideration.
- You must update the QuickBooks software as per the latest available version.
- Before you carry out the comprehensive troubleshooting, create a backup of your company file and payroll data.
- Install the latest payroll tax table updates in your QuickBooks Desktop application. However, if you get a payroll error PS038 or PS036, proceed to the next section.
Follow the next part of the article to learn how to troubleshoot PS038 on a QuickBooks Desktop. Remember, the steps sometimes require basic technical knowledge and must be followed in order, so perform them carefully. If you need any assistance, then connect with our experts anytime.
Ways to Resolve QuickBooks Error PS038 – Paychecks Stuck as Online to Send
The process to resolve the QuickBooks Payroll Error PS038 starts with sending usage data. Adding paychecks to the Items to Send field might take some time. Once that is done, you can attempt to get the payroll updates.
If this doesn’t work, you must identify the stuck QuickBooks payroll checks: to do so, you need to run Verify data on the company file. Lastly, you need to toggle the stuck paychecks to complete the troubleshooting process.
Let us walk you through these detailed steps below to fix QuickBooks payroll update error PS038.
1. Resend Payroll Data/Usage Data after Updating QB
Depending on the kind of payroll service that you have, you can follow either of the below steps:
- Firstly, click on My Payroll Service under the Employees menu. Then, select the Send Usage Data option.
- Alternatively, you can choose the option to Send Payroll Data from the Employees menu.
- Now, choose Send All in the Send/Receive Payroll Data window, and if asked for, enter the service pin.
If the send is successful, then try to get payroll updates again. However, if you still see the error, then proceed to the next step.
If the send is unsuccessful, then you can connect with a QuickBooks consultant for further assistance.
2. Find the Paychecks Stuck as ‘Online To Send’ from the Record
Let us find all the Inuit paychecks that are stuck. You need not edit or delete the paychecks if they are stuck as ‘online to send.’ You just have to note down the number of matches in the bottom right corner of the Find window. Further, to keep track, note down the oldest and newest stuck paychecks.
Here is how to find a paycheck stuck as Online to Send by going on the find option under the Edit menu.
- Firstly, navigate to Edit > Find > Advanced tab.
- From the Choose Filter menu, search for Filter list and select Detail Level.
- Now, select Summary Only.
- Once again, from the Choose Filter menu, go to the Filter list and choose the Online Status option.
- Now, choose Online to Send from the list of options you see.
- Then, choose Find, and you’ll see paychecks that weren’t sent to Intuit. Take note of the Number of matches you see in the Find window.
- Lastly, you need to Run the Verify data utility from the Verify and Rebuild data option. It will display all the stuck paychecks.
- To do so, navigate to Windows and choose Close All.
- Now, click on File and then on Utilities.
- Choose Verify Data.
3. Run the Verify and Rebuild Data Tool
First, you need to close the Find window and then run the Verify Data tool. This tool allows you to see the stuck paychecks waiting to be sent. Let’s first learn how to run the Verify Data tool.
Run the rebuild data tool by clicking Rebuild Now.
- Click on Rebuild Now. Once the rebuild process is completed, it will show the status of stuck Inuit paychecks.
- Now, try to download your payroll updates again; if you can not complete the update process and still see the error, proceed to the next step.
4. If the Error Persists, Toggle the Stuck Paychecks
These are the same paychecks found in the earlier section when we found stuck paychecks.
Learn how to toggle these paychecks in this section.
- First, open the oldest stuck paycheck and select Paycheck Detail.
- In the Review Paycheck window, under Earnings, add the same earnings item as the last earnings item in the list. For instance, suppose the last item in the list is Hourly Rate; add another earnings item named Hourly Rate.
- A Net Pay Locked message will appear on the screen. Click No to close the message.
- Ensure that the tax amounts and net pay are unchanged, and click OK when you are done.
- Select Yes if you receive a Past Transaction message.
- Click on Save followed by Close to close the paycheck.
- Select Yes when the Recording Transaction warning message appears on the screen.
- Open the paycheck again, select the Paycheck Details button, and then delete the earnings items you recently added in the Earnings section.
- Again, ensure that the tax amounts and Net Pay remain the same. Then, click OK.
- Lastly, repeat the same steps for all the paychecks that have been stuck.
The next step is to update QuickBooks to the latest release and then try downloading the tax table update again to check whether the QuickBooks Error PS038 has been resolved. We have given the step-by-step instructions to download the latest tax table:
- Move to the Employees menu and select Get Payroll Updates.
To know the tax table version:
- Check the number next to ‘You are using tax table version.’
- See the latest payroll news and updates to identify if it’s the correct version.
- Select Payroll Update info to find more details on the tax table version.
What if you don’t get the latest tax table?
Check for Payroll Updates after switching the company file.
In order to get the latest tax table:
- Select Download Entire Update and then select the Update option. When the download finishes, an information window appears on the screen.
If you have another company to do payroll in, open that file and look for the latest payroll updates. When found, open the original file and try to get the Payroll Update again. If the update is complete, you will be able to create and send payroll. You must know that this won’t remove the PS038 error message in the original company file. If this doesn’t help you get past the payroll error PS038, move to the next solution.
5. Restore a Backup of the Company File
If possible, try to restore a different backup of the company file, preferably one created before the error first appeared. This might help resolve the PS038 error in QuickBooks Desktop. When restoring a backup company, make sure you don’t overwrite an existing company file.
Let’s learn how to restore a company file backup.
Note: If you have kept your backup company file on an external device like a USB or a hosting service like Box, consider moving it to your local hard drive first. Then, follow the steps below to restore. If you attempt to restore it directly from the external drive, you might get an error.
- Open QuickBooks, move to the File menu and select Open or Restore Company.
- Select Restore a backup copy and then choose Next.
- Select Local Backup and then hit Next again.
- Consider browsing the computer for the backup company file. It looks like this: [Your company name].qbb.
- Choose a folder to save the restored company file and then select Open.
Note: If you open the backup in the same folder where the existing company file lies, you may end up overwriting the data. To avoid that, you can either rename the existing company file or the backup so the names differ, or you can save the backup in a separate folder.
- Lastly, select Save when you are ready. If you see any messages about overwriting the data, choose the option that best suits your needs. Now, you have a completely new company file to work on.
Open QuickBooks and login to the company file you just restored a backup for. Now, try downloading the payroll updates to check if the error has been eliminated. If not, consider moving to the next troubleshooting solution.
6. Check the Payroll Service Subscription
An inactive payroll subscription is one of the primary reasons for QuickBooks error PS038. Therefore, let’s check the status of the payroll subscription using the steps below:
- Close all the company files and then restart the system.
- Open QuickBooks, go to Employees and select My Payroll Service >Manage Service Key.
- If the Service Name and Status are correct, it will show as Active.
- Select Edit to verify the service key number. If it is incorrect, enter the correct service key.
- Hit Next, uncheck the Open Payroll Setup box, then hit Finish.
It helps download the entire payroll update. But if you still can’t download payroll updates or send paychecks, move to the next troubleshooting solution.
7. Register & Update the QuickBooks Desktop
Updating QuickBooks Desktop can help you resolve many QuickBooks errors. Therefore, in this specific section, we will first learn how to register and update the software. Follow the instructions below:
1. Press the F2 key to open the Product Information window.
2. Besides the license number, check if the status shows Activated.
Note: If it doesn’t show Activated, consider registering the QuickBooks Desktop following the steps below.
- Firstly, open QuickBooks and select Activate QuickBooks Desktop from the Help menu.
- Secondly, follow the steps on the screen to verify the info.
After registering QuickBooks Desktop, the next step is to update it to the latest release. Then, try downloading the latest payroll tax table update. If you still see an error, let us run a quick repair on the program.
8. Run Quick Fix My Program from the QuickBooks Tool Hub
Quick Fix my Program shuts down any open background processes that QuickBooks uses. It then runs a quick repair on the program to fix the issue.
However, for that, you need QuickBooks Tool Hub. Go ahead and first download and install the Tool Hub.
Now, run Quick Fix my Program by following the steps below:
- Open the QuickBooks Tool Hub and navigate to Program Problems > Quick Fix My Program.
- Launch QuickBooks Desktop and then log in to the company data file.
Lastly, try to download the latest tax table to check if the QuickBooks error PS038 has been fixed. If you face a problem, let us check the firewall and internet settings.
9. Configure the Firewall Setting That Blocks Payroll Updates
Incorrect port numbers or configuration settings in the firewall can prevent your application from connecting to the internet. This leads to QuickBooks error PS038.
Therefore, check and reconfigure the firewall settings for QuickBooks Desktop.
10. Check the Internet Connection Settings
Incorrect Internet connection settings may prevent you from downloading the payroll updates. Therefore, ensure that the internet connection settings are appropriate. Follow the instructions below to do so.
- Open QuickBooks and click Internet Connection Setup.
- Choose “Use my computer’s Internet connection settings to establish a connection when this application accesses the Internet” and then hit Next.
- Go to Advanced Connection Settings, followed by the Advanced tab. Choose Restore Advanced Settings.
- Lastly, select OK and then Done.
How Does Payroll Update Error Affect Business Accounting?
No doubt, QuickBooks error message ps038 restricts you from updating the payroll. Additionally, it will affect other payroll activities like payroll tax calculation and paycheck generation and sending in some of the different ways as listed below.
- It Degraded the Windows performance: The moment you end up with Error PS038 while updating payroll, it crashes your active window. Along with that, your processing speed is reduced, and task completion time is enhanced.
- Payroll Update Process is Hindered: It hinders your payroll update process, and thus, you won’t be able to proceed with the update.
- Error while sending a paycheck: Sometimes, the QuickBooks error PS038 leads to data damage, due to which you need to check your records while handling paychecks.
Read More: How to Fix QuickBooks Payroll Error PS060 in QB Desktop?
Summing It Up
The above mentioned methods should help you fix QuickBooks error PS038 and help you update payroll and send paychecks. However, PS038 is a tricky situation, and you may face difficulty in resolving it.
When it gets complicated to resolve, an AsquareCloudHosting expert can help. Speak to QuickBooks Consultant now.
Frequently Asked Questions
PS038 is a QuickBooks payroll update error that prevents you from downloading tax table updates due to problems in QuickBooks or company files. The PS038 error hinders company operations, paycheck calculations, and deposits.
QuickBooks payroll fails to update owing to the error code ps038 in QuickBooks. This occurs due to reasons like damaged company files, outdated QuickBooks Desktop, invalid QuickBooks subscription, etc. If the issue persists after updating QB, follow the troubleshooting steps listed in the blog.
To fix QuickBooks desktop payroll error ps038. The steps include updating Windows and QB Desktop and attempting to send usage or payroll data after that. If the problem persists, run the verify data utility to identify stuck checks and then rebuild the data. For detailed steps to resolve the error code PS038 in QuickBooks, go through our comprehensive blog.
You can verify and rebuild the data utility to fix the PS038 error in QuickBooks Desktop. However, sometimes the rebuild data operation might be unable to resolve the stuck paychecks. It might occur due to a pending accountant copy or because QuickBooks has performed condensed data on the same data as the stuck paychecks. In that case, consider canceling or toggling stuck paychecks in QuickBooks.
To run payroll in QuickBooks, set up payroll details, enter employee information, create paychecks, review and approve payroll, print checks or enable direct deposit, pay taxes, generate reports, and file tax forms at year-end. Back up data regularly and consult a professional for any uncertainties.
To cancel a payroll in QuickBooks, go to the Payroll Center, select the payroll you want to cancel, click “Edit,” and choose “Cancel Payroll.” Confirm your decision and follow any additional prompts. Remember that canceled payrolls cannot be reversed, so review before proceeding.
Kate is a certified public accountant (CPA) with expertise in various accounting software. She is technically inclined and finds passion in helping businesses and self-employed people carry out bookkeeping, payroll, and taxation without worrying about errors. Every once in a while, Kate loves to travel to far-off places and relax in the lap of nature.
