New video - How to print (free) and eFile W2's (fee req'd)

Background

AccountEdge has two possible options for printing W-2s and W-3s. You can either print to plain paper or you can purchase the pre-printed forms and print the information to those.

Printing to Pre-Printed Forms

If you have purchased pre-printed W-2 and W-3 forms from us (http://www.accountedgechecks.com) or elsewhere the method for printing is different then if you are printing to plain paper (and allowing Formsviewer to create the boxes and lines). The preferred method is to print to plain paper as it usually doesn't require much page alignment. To print to the pre-printed forms:

1. Go to Command Centers from the menu bar at the to pof the screen
2. Choose Payroll > Print W-2s and W-3s from the drop down menu
3. Select the form (W-2) in the upper right
4. Select the Payroll Year in the upper right
5. Enter Employer ID (EIN)
6. If you need to map any of the boxes (10-14) select the box on the left and then check off the appropriate category on the right
   • Note: If you have Paid Family & Medical Leave it will need to be assigned to box 14.
7. Click OK
8. Click on the arrow (double-arrow to the left of the employee name) to verify/change any of the boxes for the different employees. Click ok when finished with an employee
9. Place a check to the left of any employees you would like to print W-2s for
10. Click Print in the bottom right
11. You'll be prompted and asked if you want to print the W-3 - click Yes if you would like to print (if you are not ready you can click No and return later)
12. If you've clicked Yes you will be prompted to enter your employer information, once you've finished click OK
13. Click to the left of any employees who you've generated W-2s for and click Print. This will print one W-3 with their combined wage and tax information

Aligning W-2 and W-3 Forms for Pre-Printed Forms

If you are printing your W-2s and W-3 on a pre-printed form but find that the fields aren’t printing in the correct boxes because the page is not properly aligned to the fields then you will need to customize the form. To customize the form from the “Review W-2s Before Printing” window follow the instructions below.

1. On the right side of the window click on the Advanced Filters button.
2. At the bottom of this window click on the Customize button.
3. From here you can click and drag fields to move them to a different location.
4. Pro-tip: Hold down the shift key while clicking fields to select multiple fields at once, or right click on the form and click Select All to select all of the fields to move them all at once.
5. Once you are finished make sure to click the Save Form button at the bottom of this window.
6. Click OK to close the Customization window.
7. Click OK to close the Advanced Filters window.
8. Continue with printing your W-2s/W-3.

Printing to Plain Paper

Printing to Plain Paper is the preferred method of printing as it doesn't normally require any alignment troubleshooting or purchasing of forms. The instructions are different for Windows vs Mac OS so please scroll down to the instructions for your OS.

Printing W-2s and W-3 on Plain Paper for Windows OS

1. Go into to the Payroll module

2. Click the blue "Prepare Payroll Tax Forms"
 button.
3. Verify your company information.
4. Set the correct Payroll Year at the bottom.

5. Select the FE W-2/W-3 (FREE) - you may see a previous year list - this is ok - just select the one you see and click Display - it will prompt you to update during this process.
6. The Set Up W-2 Forms window will ask you to assign your payroll categories to the corresponding W-2 boxes. If anything needs to be assigned to box 10, 11, 12, or 14 you will this here and then click the OK button.
   • Note: If you have Paid Family & Medical Leave it will need to be assigned to box 14.
7. Next you will verify the contact information, then press OK.
8. FormsViewer will then check for updates. If there is an update available we suggest clicking Automatic Update so that it will automatically update your forms to the latest version. At this point there may also be Windows updates that need to be installed. These Windows updates are required in order for the FormsViewer program to function.
9. Once everything is updated the W-2 Setup Wizard will ask if you want to test drive or start processing your W-2s.
10. The next couple of windows will have you verify company information. Verify the information and then click Next for these windows.
11. In the W-3 Information window. It is required that you choose the Kind of Payer and the Kind of Employer. Click Next.
12. Now the Employee W-2 Grid will load. If you don’t see it right away, try minimizing AccountEdge in case it opened behind the program. The left half of this grid contains personal information of the employees, the right half of this grid contains the wage amounts.
13. Use the green NEXT button to go through the following data verification steps. While going through the steps you may receive warning messages about data that should be verified.
    • In the Employee W-2 Grid you will notice the heading of some columns read 'Unassigned'. These columns represent AccountEdge pay categories that may not be assigned to boxes on the W-2. You will need to assign the Unassigned columns to W-2 boxes only for the pay categories you created in AccountEdge. The standard pay categories are already accounted for in W-2 boxes, and usually require no further attention. You will need to assign any Unassigned columns to W-2 boxes for AccountEdge pay categories you created. So, if you created and used a pay category named weekend wage, you would need to map that Unassigned column to the appropriate W-2 box, in the W-2 grid.
    • Verify Employee Information: This includes social security number, name, and address.
    • Verify Additional Employee Information: This includes statutory employee, retirement plan, and third-party sick pay checkboxes.
    • Verify Federal Wages and SS Tips: This includes boxes 1 - 7. Verify the amount in box 1 matches the total of wages reported on your four quarterly 941s. Verify SS wages (box 3) multiplied by 6.2% = SS withheld (box 4). Verify Medicare wages (box 5) multiplied by 1.45% = Medicare withheld (box 6).
    • Verify State Wages: This includes boxes 16 and 17.
    • Verify Unassigned Columns: Double check the unassigned columns to see if they need to be assigned.
14. After completing all verification steps you will be brought to the W-2 Printing and Filing Options window where you can choose to Complete eFiling Service or Other Options to print it yourself for free. If you choose Other Options make sure to check off all the form types you want to print. Click Next.

15. The next couple windows will ask for more information based on how you are filing the forms. Select the appropriate options and click Next through these windows.
16. If you are printing the forms yourself you will be brought to a window displaying your forms. Click the Next Step button at the top of this window and it will ask to print and then move on to the next form. Repeat this until you are done printing all of your forms.
17. Once you have completed going through all of the forms you will be brought to the W-2 History File Options window. Here you can see the history of what has been printed. You can click Close to close out of this window.

Video Guide for Printing to Plain Paper on Windows:

Printing W-2s and W-3 on Plain Paper for Mac OS

1. Go into to the Payroll module

2. Click the blue "Prepare Payroll Tax Forms"
 button.
3. Verify your company information.
4. Set the correct Payroll Year at the bottom.

5. Select the FE W-2/W-3 (FREE) - you may see a previous year listed - this is ok - just select the one you see and click Display - it will prompt you to update after clicking display.
6. The Set Up W-2 Forms window will ask you to assign your payroll categories to the corresponding W-2 boxes. If anything needs to be assigned to box 10, 11, 12, or 14 you will this here and then click the OK button.
   • Note: If you have Paid Family & Medical Leave it will need to be assigned to box 14.
7. Next you will verify the contact information, then press OK.
8. The W2 Field Mapping window will have you select if you have a local tax item. Then press Continue.
9. Use the blue arrows in the upper left corner to look through the pages of your W2 forms. Use the green Next Step button to go through the different verification steps. Each time you click Next Step the top of the Forms Viewer window will tell you to verify the accuracy on different parts of the form. The verification steps include the following:
   • Verify Employee SSN's are correct.
   • Verify that employee names and addresses are correct.
   • Verify the federal wages (box 1). Make sure the amount in box 1 matches the total of wages reported on your four quarterly 941s.
   • Verify the state wages (box 16).
   • Verify Medicare (box 5), SS Wages (box 3), and SS tips (box 7).
   • Verify SS wages (box 3) multiplied by 6.2% = SS withheld (box 4).
   • Verify Medicare wages (box 5) multiplied by 1.45% = Medicare withheld (box 6).
   • Verify that all Box 8-14 items are correct.
10. Continue through each step until you get to the Process button. If you print your form before getting to the Process button it will only print a demo mode form.
11. Click the Process button and the Process W-2 Filing window will open. Here you can decide if you would like to eFile or Print Your Own forms.
12. In the next window you can change the Page Setup and Page Alignment. Page Setup will allow you to choose a printer, paper size, orientation, and scale of the print. Page Align will allow you to adjust where the data gets printed on the page. Then use the Print button to print the forms.
13. If you chose to Print Your Own you will then click the Continue button to continue through printing each type of form.
14. If you chose to eFile you will click the eFile button to fill out additional information necessary for the eFile.
     

Video Guide for Printing to Plain Paper on Mac:

W-2 Red Forms

In older versions of AccountEdge, when you select to print your W-2s (W2) in the Forms Viewer, you will notice the reference to RED Federal copies. The IRS no longer requires Red forms, as noted in Section B of IRS Publication 1141, General Rules and Specifications for Substitue Forms W-2 and W-3 dated July 2, 2007. The W-2 and W-3 forms printed from AccountEdge on laser printers are acceptable.