How can I manually remove items from SETUP TASKS and TO DO LIST on my payroll overview page?

You can only remove each item in the SETUP TASKS and TO DO LIST once completed, @spearfishglass, to ensure thorough account setup in QuickBooks Online (QBO) Payroll. I'll share further details below.

You need to open each item and select the appropriate action to accomplish them. Please refer to the Setup Tasks section in the link for further guidance: Get Started with QuickBooks Online Payroll.

In the TO DO LIST area, you'll also need to complete the payroll task by clicking Let's go to open each item and view the steps to complete it. Once completed, you can click Done to remove it. Check out the screenshots below for visual reference:

On the other hand, may I know if there are still items you've already completed yet it hasn't been removed?

If everything is good and you're ready to run payroll or view reports on payroll totals, taxes, and contributions, you can run a Payroll Summary report and other payroll reports. Check out these articles:
 

• Create and run your payroll
• Create a payroll summary report in QuickBooks
• Run payroll reports
   

Do you have any additional queries in managing payroll overview specifically, with TO DO LIST and  SETUP TASKS section or other payroll concerns? We can always continue our conversation in this thread with a reply. I'm always glad to help you out.