If you are using QuickBooks Payroll, you might encounter an error code PS038 when you try to update your payroll tax tables or send your payroll data. This error means that QuickBooks cannot complete the update or the data transmission because of some issues with your company file or your internet connection. In this blog post, we will show you how to fix this error and resume your payroll activities.
The error message PS038 usually comes with a date and a message that says “You have retrieved the latest payroll update and validated your Payroll subscription. We strongly recommend that you go online again before mm/dd/yyyy [PS038].” This indicates that you have already downloaded the latest payroll update, but QuickBooks is unable to install it or verify your subscription status.
QuickBooks Payroll Error PS038 can happen due to various reasons, such as:
- Your company file is damaged or corrupted.
- Your internet connection is unstable or slow.
- Your QuickBooks software is outdated or incompatible with your operating system.
- Your payroll subscription is expired or inactive.
- Your firewall or antivirus software is blocking QuickBooks from accessing the internet.
To fix the QuickBooks error PS038, you need to follow these steps:
- Make sure your QuickBooks software is updated to the latest release: You can check for updates by going to the Help menu and selecting Update QuickBooks Desktop. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the updates.
- Make sure your internet connection is stable and fast: You can test your connection speed by going to a website like speedtest.net and running a speed test. If your connection is slow or unstable, you may need to contact your internet service provider or troubleshoot your network settings.
- You Need to Make sure your payroll subscription is active and valid: You can check your subscription status by going to the Employees menu and selecting My Payroll Service > Account/Billing Information. Sign in with your Intuit account credentials and verify that your subscription is current and not expired.
- Make sure your firewall or antivirus software is not blocking QuickBooks from accessing the internet: You may need to add QuickBooks as an exception or disable your firewall or antivirus temporarily while updating or sending payroll data. For more information on how to configure your firewall or antivirus settings, refer to this article: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/configure-firewalls-and-antivirus-settings/configure-firewall-and-internet-security-settings-for-quickbooks-desktop/00/203713
- Run the Verify and Rebuild Data utilities to repair any damage or corruption in your company file: These utilities are built-in tools in QuickBooks that scan and fix any errors in your data. To run these utilities, follow these steps:
- Go to the File menu and select Utilities > Verify Data. This will check your company file for any issues. If no issues are found, you can proceed with updating or sending payroll data. If issues are found, you will be prompted to run the Rebuild Data utility.
- Go to the File menu and select Utilities > Rebuild Data. This will attempt to fix any issues that were found by the Verify Data utility. You will be asked to create a backup of your company file before running the Rebuild Data utility. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the backup and the rebuild process.
- After the Rebuild Data utility is finished, run the Verify Data utility again to make sure that all issues have been resolved.
- Try updating or sending payroll data again.
If you still get the error PS038, you may need to contact QuickBooks Payroll Support for further assistance. You can reach them by phone at 1-800-xxx-xxxx or by chat at https://quickbooks.intuit.com/support/payroll
