Addressing critical diagnostic messages for W-2 forms

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For payroll compliance (annually licensed)

You may receive a critical or informational diagnostic message for a number of reasons.  The types of critical diagnostic messages you may receive are as follows:

  • Critical: You cannot process paper type payroll tax forms until you resolve the issues.
  • E-file critical: You cannot process payroll tax forms using the internet or electronic methods until you resolve the issues.
  • E-file payment critical: You cannot process internet with payment or electronic with payment files until you resolve the issues.

Here are some examples of the types of messages you may see and ways to resolve the issues.

Examples of informational diagnostic messages

  • SSN for employee’109 – Smith, George’ is missing.
    Choose Setup > Employees, selected the affected employees, and click the Edit button. Add the employee's SSN and click Enter.
  • SSN for employee’109 – Smith, George’ is Applied For.
    Choose Setup > Employees, select the affected employees, and click the Edit button to update the SSN if appropriate. For more information about SSNs that show Applied For, see "Applied For" appears in Box A of Form W-2.
  • ZIP code for employee ‘109 – Smith, George’ is missing.
    Choose Setup > Employees, select the affected employees, and click the Edit button. Re-enter the employee's address using the address verification feature and then press Enter.
  • Balance of $61.00; Open liabilities of $0.00; Final balance of $61.00 [Transmittal forms]
    If you are paying liabilities for this tax within Accounting CS, you can generate liabilities for handwritten payroll checks (see Entering historical payroll data). As an alternative, you can create the liabilities manually using the Actions > Manage Payroll Liabilities screen (see Adding or deleting unpaid payroll liabilities).

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