Hello there, @jmr1955.
I can provide additional troubleshooting steps to fix the error message you're getting when accessing payroll in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).
The error message 557 or PS036 that you've encountered will usually occur when trying to download payroll updates in QBDT. Also, several factors cause this error.
These are the following:
- Inactive payroll subscription
- More than one active payroll agreement with an inactive Direct Deposit agreement
- Data damage
- Product not updated
- Incorrect Service Key
- The version of QuickBooks Desktop you are using does not support your version of Windows
- Invalid number or EIN
To fix this issue, let's first check your payroll service subscription.
Here's how:
- Close all your company files and restart your computer.
- Open QuickBooks, go to Employees, select My Payroll Service, then hit Manage Service Key.
- Your Service Name and Status should be correct and will show as Active.
- Select Edit and verify the service key number. If incorrect, enter the correct service key.
- Click Next, uncheck the Open Payroll Setup box, then select Finish.
- It will download the entire payroll update.
However, if you still see the error, we can proceed with steps 2 and 3 in this article: Fix PSXXX errors when downloading payroll updates.
Furthermore, I'm attaching this article for future reference in updating your payroll in QuickBooks Desktop: Get the latest payroll news and updates in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.
Keep me posted if you have clarification on handling error messages and other payroll concerns in QuickBooks. I'm always here to help you.
