Anyone else a bit frustrated with Intuit Full Service Payroll transition to Quickbooks Online Payroll Core?
I've used Intuit's Full Service Payroll since 2014, and Quickbooks desktop since 2011 without any issues. At the end of last month (2021), while changing my company from an LLC to Inc., I discovered that Intuit Full Service Payroll is no longer supported and being sunset and transitioned to Quickbooks Online Payroll Core.
A few problems:
1.) I was never notified that Intuit Full Service Payroll was being replaced and my account is still (as of today) NOT transitioned to Quickbooks Online Payroll Core.
2.) There is no longer any phone support for Intuit Full Service Payroll. This makes it challenging to address a number of issues (e.g. Can I close my Full Service Payroll account and save the $120/month now that there are no active employees with the LLC, having confidence that tax documents will be sent to employees? Will my files ever be ported over to Quickbooks Online Payroll? How long will I have access to my Intuit Full Service Payroll records after closing the account?).
Because of the timing of the conversion of our company and Intuit's change from Full Service Payroll to Quickbooks Online Payroll Core, it now makes sense to no longer purchase Quickbooks desktop and instead pay the monthly fee for Quickbooks Online + Payroll. However, this creates a few problems:
4.) New interface. Sigh. Anyone who is accustomed to Quickbooks desktop will quickly realize that the 'user friendly' interface is anything but friendly to experienced Quickbooks users.
Bugs in the new Quickbooks Online Payroll Core: I spent an hour on the phone with tech support this morning to identify why:
5.) In the "Payroll" tab no matter what we do "Review your authorization forms" in the Setup Tasks will not go away. No matter how many times I 'review' it is stuck. Still stuck btw.
6.) Why I was only able to process payroll with 'physical checks' instead of direct deposit when the account deposits were verified and all CA State and Federal EIN/TIN was entered. Turns out there is some kind of glitch that can occur when you don't follow a specific order.
7.) When I went to specify the bank to use for direct deposit under "Payroll Settings" and identify the correct Bank Account the full bank details do not display the full name (My bank has 3 separate accounts - savings, mms, and checking). I accidentally chose the wrong one, and instead of being able to select the correct account I had to once again verify my bank account (even though already linked) which takes 1-2 days thus causing me to miss payroll deadlines. This is really rather silly. If a bank is linked already, you should be able to change which account without having to re-verify with a test deposit. Which BTW is a DEBIT not credit and I've yet to receive my credit for what they debited.
One of the nice benefits however is that Quickbooks Online Payroll Core is actually cheaper than Intuit's Full Service Payroll + purchasing a desktop version every year right? Well...the problem with this is Intuit's new business model.
I'm a shareholder of Intuit and appreciate the company. My office for many years was on East Bayshore right next to their HQ. I really appreciate Intuit as a company. However, their new business model is not good for us as consumers. This is why:
8.) Quickbooks makes it cheap because they try to upsell you on horizontals. Have insurance? Great! Add it to your Quickbooks but while you do that lets change that broker on record shall we.
9.) Forcing you at every turn to have a Quickbooks Checking account. Listen guys, I've got a TON of bank accounts, the last thing I want is yet another to deal with. I'm now getting some card for this Quickbooks Checking account that I don't want, and on every screen (including payroll btw) this is their default to use. No thanks.
10.) Cutting costs with outsourcing customer support to the Philippines (and maybe India?). I'm not a fan of this new trend that too many companies are using. I literally had a 'call back' from someone today who I just plain and simple could not understand. I mean seriously, I understood maybe every 5th word. It's that bad. And the advice with those you can understand? No. They are not familiar with the nuances of payroll taxes in the US.
Anyhow, I know this is an unfortunate situation that won't last forever. All of us that use Quickbooks Online Payroll Core are essentially gamma testing this new platform and all of us (Intuit and customers) will work out the kinks together.
I just wish that the combination of sunsetting Intuit Full Service Payroll didn't happen at the same time I did a company transition, stopped using quickbooks desktop, and started using a relatively new (and bug filled) Quickbooks Online Payroll Core.
Best of luck friends!