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How do I create W2s (2023)

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Getting Started

All Filers

W2-W3 Instructions from the IRS.

Instructions can also be found by using the link below:

Deadlines

  • Employee W2s must be distributed by January 31st *
  • If filing electronically, online submissions are due by January 31st **
  • If filing paper forms, they must be postmarked by January 31st**

*  January 31st is the deadline to distribute Forms W-2 to employees regardless of the day of the week January 31st falls on.

** January 31st is the deadline to file W-2s using Business Services Online or to submit paper Form W-2. If this date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline will be the next business day.

Are you filing electronically or by paper?

Springbrook Express recommends filing electronically, employee copies of W-2s will still be printed off. With the employee's permission, you can email the W-2s. For more information see IRS Publication 1141 or 15-A

  1. Do NOT purchase pre-printed W2 forms if filing online.  

BIAS will print the entire form on blank paper for employee and employer copies.

  1. File Electronically

Electronic filing is completed on the Business Services Online website.

If the entity has not filed online before, click Register and follow the instructions. It is recommended to test the log in ahead of time.

What version of payroll do you use?

Wage Reporting

All wage items included in 941 reports will be included on W2s.  There is no additional action necessary to trigger a W2.

Benefit & Deduction Reporting

Go to Advanced Payroll > Payroll Setup > Benefit & Deduction Tab

  1. Review reportable items. For complete reporting detail, it is vitally important to follow IRS guidelines in IRS General Instructions for W-2 and W-3.

The W2 settings below are commonly used by most entities and is not all inclusive.  If uncertain, refer to your plan documents or contact your plan provider. The IRS general instructions are the final authority.

  1. Enter the number in the W2 Box and W2 Code from the IRS for reporting on the W2.  
  1. Select Emp, Owner, Both, or Tax Basis in W2 Include.  

Employee Setup

Review employee Personal Information to ensure accuracy.

  1. Verify social security numbers and mailing addresses on employee records to match current W4s.
  2. If emailing the W2s, verify the employee's email address and follow the IRS Publication 1141, found here:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1141.pdf The information is also found in IRS Publication 15-A found here:  https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15a

  1. If employee has submitted a new W4 for 2020, check the Use 2020 and enter complete information in appropriate boxes.

How do I generate W2s & W3s?

Go to Advanced Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Select Tax Year

  1. Click Generate

  1. Review the W2 information that populates. Compare W2 wage totals to sum of 941s filed with the IRS.  If they don't match, rerun the 941 reports in BIAS and compare them to what was filed.

  1. Click to highlight Employee and review Box 12 Totals and Box 14 Totals.  Review the Ret column. The X indicates that they have a pension plan that will appear in Box 13.  Repeat for each employee.

  1. Once review is complete, check Locked.

How do I print employee copies of W2s?

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic

  1. Select Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Enter PIN for the Business Service Online Site, typically log on ID.

  1. Load printer with blank paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees: Click the link below to download the instructions https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

How do I generate the electronic file to upload?

Go to Advanced Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic

  1. Select the Form Employer

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Enter PIN for the Business Service Online Site, typically log on ID.

  1. Click Printer to print employer copy of W2 summary, and to produce electronic 20XX_MMREF1 wage file.

How do I test the electronic file through AccuWage Online?

Go the Business Services for Electronic Filing

The following information is from the AccuWage Help Guide from the Social Security website.  AccuWage Online is a free application from Social Security Administration that enables you to check W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) and W-2c (Corrected Wage and Tax Statement) Wage reports for correctness before uploading them to Business Services Online.  AccuWage is for use with Electronic Filing W-2/W-2C - EFW2 or EFW2C

For help go to the BSO User Handbook

How do I submit the final electronic file?

Go the Business Services for Electronic Filing

Wage Reporting

All wage items included in 941 reports will be included on W2s.  There is no additional action necessary to trigger a W2.

Benefit & Deduction Reporting

Go to Payroll > Payroll Setup > Deduction Plans

  1. Review reportable items. For complete reporting detail, it is vitally important to follow IRS guidelines in IRS General Instructions for W-2 and W-3.

The W2 settings below are commonly used by most entities and is not all inclusive.  If uncertain, refer to your plan documents or contact your plan provider. The IRS general instructions are the final authority.

  1. Enter the number and code in W2 from the IRS for reporting on the W2.  
W2 Box

Employee Settings

Go to Payroll > Payroll Control Center > Employee Info.

Review Employee Info to ensure accuracy.

  1. Verify social security numbers and mailing addresses on employee records with current W4.
TEST

Go to Payroll > Payroll Control Center > Tax Defaults

  1. For employees on a PERS or LEOFF plan, check Retirement Plan under W2 Boxes.

 

TEST

  1. If employee has submitted a new W4 for 2020, check the Use 2020 and enter complete information in appropriate boxes.

How do I generate W2s & W3s

Go to Payroll >Reports > W2 Forms

  1. Select Tax Year

  1. Click Generate

  1. Review the W2 information that populates. Compare W2 wage totals to sum of 941s filed with the IRS.  If they don't match, rerun the 941 reports in BIAS and compare them to what was filed.

  1. Click to highlight Employee and review Box 12 Totals and Box 14 Totals.  Review the Ret column. The X indicates that they have a pension plan that will appear in Box 13.  Repeat for each employee.

  1. Once review is complete, check Locked.

How do I print employee copies of W2s?

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic

  1. Select Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Enter PIN for the Business Service Online Site, typically log on ID.

  1. Load printer with blank paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees. Click the link below to download employee W2 instructions: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

How do I generate the electronic file to upload?

Go to Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic

  1. Select the Form Employer

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Enter PIN for the Business Service Online Site, typically log on ID.

  1. Click Printer to print employer copy of W2 summary, and to produce electronic 20XX_MMREF1 wage file.

Go to the Business Services for electronic filing.

How do I test the electronic file through AccuWage Online?

Go the Business Services for Electronic Filing

The following information is from the AccuWage Help Guide from the Social Security website.  AccuWage Online is a free application from Social Security Administration that enables you to check W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) and W-2c (Corrected Wage and Tax Statement) Wage reports for correctness before uploading them to Business Services Online.  AccuWage is for use with Electronic Filing W-2/W-2C - EFW2 or EFW2C

For help go to the BSO User Handbook

How do I submit the final electronic file?

Go the Business Services for Electronic Filing

If filing on paper, BIAS will fill in the required information on pre-printed W2 forms.  They can be acquired through any standard office retailer.  See Quill.com's Item #901-5645E as an example of the W2 package needed or Item #901-5209 for an example of blank W2 forms.

What version of payroll do you use?

Wage Reporting

All wage items included in 941 reports will be included on W2s.  There is no additional action necessary to trigger a W2.

Benefit & Deduction Reporting

Go to Advanced Payroll > Payroll Setup > Benefit & Deduction Tab

  1. Review reportable items. For complete reporting detail, it is vitally important to follow IRS guidelines in IRS General Instructions for W-2 and W-3.

The W2 settings below are commonly used by most entities and is not all inclusive.  If uncertain, refer to your plan documents or contact your plan provider. The IRS general instructions are the final authority.

  1. Enter the number in the W2 Box and W2 Code from the IRS for reporting on the W2.  
  1. Select Emp, Owner, Both, or Tax Basis in W2 Include.  

Employee Setup

Review employee Personal Information to ensure accuracy.

  1. Verify social security numbers and mailing addresses on employee records to match current W4s.

  1. If employee has submitted a new W4 for 2020, check the Use 2020 and enter complete information in appropriate boxes.

How do I generate W2s & W3s

Go to Advanced Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Select Tax Year

  1. Click Generate

  1. Review the W2 information that populates. Compare W2 wage totals to sum of 941s filed with the IRS.  If they don't match, rerun the 941 reports in BIAS and compare them to what was filed.

  1. Click to highlight Employee and review Box 12 Totals and Box 14 Totals.  Review the Ret column. The X indicates that they have a pension plan that will appear in Box 13.  Repeat for each employee.

  1. Once review is complete, check Locked.

Do you have pre-printed W-2's?

Printing Employee Copies of W-2's

Go to Advanced Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Paper

  1. Choose Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load printer with pre-printed paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees. Click the link below to download employee W2 instructions: 7.https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

Printing Employee Copies of W-2's

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic, Electronic will print the complete form on the blank paper.

  1. Select Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load printer with blank paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees. Click the link below to download employee W2 instructions: 7.https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

How do I print the W3?

Go to Advanced Payroll > Reports > Generate W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Select Style Paper

  1. Choose Form

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load pre-printed W-3 in printer
  2. Click Printer

  1. Mail Paper W-2/W-3

Select the appropriate mailing address depending on the type of W-2 and the carrier you choose (e.g., U.S. Postal Service or a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS).

Wage Reporting

All wage items included in 941 reports will be included on W2s.  There is no additional action necessary to trigger a W2.

Benefit & Deduction Reporting

Go to Payroll > Payroll Setup > Deduction Plans

  1. Review reportable items. For complete reporting detail, it is vitally important to follow IRS guidelines in IRS General Instructions for W-2 and W-3.

The W2 settings below are commonly used by most entities and is not all inclusive.  If uncertain, refer to your plan documents or contact your plan provider. The IRS general instructions are the final authority.

  1. Enter the number and code in W2 from the IRS for reporting on the W2.  
W2 Box

Employee Settings

Go to Payroll > Payroll Control Center > Employee Info.

  1. Verify social security numbers and mailing addresses on employee records with current W4.
TEST

Go to Payroll > Payroll Control Center > Tax Defaults

  1. For employees on a PERS or LEOFF plan, in W2 Boxes check Retirement Plan.
TEST

  1. If employee has submitted a new W4 for 2020, check the Use 2020 and enter complete information in appropriate boxes.

How do I generate W2s & W3s

Go to Payroll >Reports > W2 Forms

  1. Select Tax Year

  1. Click Generate

  1. Review the W2 information that populates. Compare W2 wage totals to sum of 941s filed with the IRS.  If they don't match, rerun the 941 reports in BIAS and compare them to what was filed.

  1. Click to highlight Employee and review Box 12 Totals and Box 14 Totals.  Review the Ret column. The X indicates that they have a pension plan that will appear in Box 13.  Repeat for each employee.

  1. Once review is complete, check Locked

Do you have pre-printed W-2's?

Printing Employee Copies of W-2's

Go to Payroll > Reports > W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Paper

  1. Choose Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load printer with pre-printed paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees: Click the link below to download the instructions 7.https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

Printing Employee Copies of W-2's

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Electronic, Electronic will print the complete form on the blank paper.

  1. Select Form Employee

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load printer with blank paper and click Printer to print employee copy of W2.

  1. Print off Employee W2 Instructions
  2. Mail W2s and instructions to employees: Click the link below to download employee W2 instructions: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/biasinstaller/install/W2_EmployeeInstructions.pdf

  1. Mail Paper W-2/W-3 to the IRS

Select the appropriate mailing address depending on the type of W-2 and the carrier you choose (e.g., U.S. Postal Service or a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS).

How do I print the W3?

Go to Payroll > Reports > W2 Forms

  1. Click Print

  1. Choose Style Paper

  1. Choose Form W3

  1. Verify Type Of Employer information

  1. Load pre-printed W-3 in printer
  2. Click Printer

  1. Mail Paper W-2/W-3

Select the appropriate mailing address depending on the type of W-2 and the carrier you choose (e.g., U.S. Postal Service or a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS).

Congratulations, you are done!
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