Year-end processing tips for Form W-2

We've compiled a list of tasks to follow and resources to use as you prepare for year-end W-2 form processing.

Filing by paper: Order necessary forms

Figure out the total number of W-2s that you'll need for your clients and then order the forms.
  • Print the W-2 Ordering Worksheet from the Print Reports screen.
  • We recommend that you order forms W-2 from Forms CS. We can't guarantee perfect alignment to other vendor's forms or to government preprinted forms.
  • The Social Security Administration (SSA) accepts black and white facsimile copies for the Copy A or W-3 forms.

Filing electronically: Register early

Make sure your information is correct

  1. On the Clients screen, make sure that the client EIN (on the Main tab) and the state withholding ID (on the Payroll Taxes tab) are present.
  2. Make sure the payroll tax form filing method and the additional information for W-2 forms on the Payroll Taxes tab.
  3. On the Print Reports screen, select the Employee Earnings report and mark the
    Missing/Invalid W-2 Information
    checkbox to include that section in the report.
  4. Verify employee Social Security numbers on the
    Verify SSN/TIN
    screen (in the Actions menu).
  5. Double-check the Box 12 and Box 14 codes and descriptions in the following locations:
    1. The Payroll Items screen
    2. The Payroll Taxes tab on the Clients screen.
    3. The Personal tab on the Employees screen.
  6. Run the W-2 Verification report on the Print Reports screen.
  7. On the Verify W-2 screen (in the Actions menu), mark employees as verified.

Verify the files with AccuWage Online

We recommend that you verify your W-2 files before submitting them to the SSA using the SSA AccuWage Online tool. This tool identifies the most common format errors in wage submissions, and can greatly reduce submission rejections.

Attend a refresher course

Sign up for a year-end seminar!

Update applications

Make sure that you've installed the latest version of the application. If you're on Virtual Office or Software as a Service (SaaS), you're good to go! If not, take some time to get all the latest updates so that you have access to this year's payroll tax forms.

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