QuickBooks Error 557 Eliminated Using Best Techniques

QuickBooks diminishes the employer’s efforts by offering a subscription-based payroll service that helps them send employee wages timely and file taxes at the end of the fiscal year. The payroll service updates must be routinely carried out to sync the software with the government’s latest tax table, but they sometimes get interrupted by QuickBooks error 557.

This error randomly appears while downloading the latest payroll service update and might also stop you from submitting the payroll. On the off chance your QBDT becomes a victim of QuickBooks error 557, you need not worry, as this blog contains all the necessary details of the error you must know. Keep reading further to explore the root causes of the payroll error and the best practices to resolve it, as shared by experts.

If you are unable to update the QB payroll service, it might lead to miscalculations of the taxes and failure in sending the employee wages precisely. Avoid any legal trouble by approaching our team of QB experts. Dial at +1.833.802.0002 and connect with us in seconds.

Triggers and Consequences of Error 557 in QuickBooks Desktop

Payroll service helps users create tax forms, send employee/contractor payments directly to their bank account, manage employee payroll data, and submit taxes along with many other monetary tasks. All things considered, payroll service is an essential feature of QuickBooks and updating this service regularly is even more essential. However, you might sometimes run into trouble while downloading the latest tax tables update due to internal issues in QuickBooks or some external factors.

If the payroll service fails to update, taxable amounts from the employee salaries cannot be withheld precisely, and the payroll data might get discrepancies, which causes problems while filing the business taxes or performing payroll tasks in QuickBooks. Some unforeseen circumstances under which QuickBooks fails to update the payroll or send payments via direct deposit are discussed below-

• Your QB payroll subscription is inactive due to a missed renewal date or billing issues in the payment for re-subscription.
• Intuit servers fail to authenticate the license of your QuickBooks Desktop due to damaged or missing entitlement files.
• The File Copy Service is disabled on your Windows, causing problems while updating the payroll.
• QuickBooks cannot access the server due to Windows Firewall restrictions or misconfigured internet settings on your computer.
• You have entered an incorrect service key in QuickBooks, which leads to problems when the servers try to validate your payroll subscription.
• Your outdated OS or QuickBooks versions can also hinder the payroll update due to incompatibility.
• The CPS folder containing configuration files of QuickBooks is damaged, or the software fails to access it due to a broken file path.
• Incorrect time and date or TLS settings on your system can cause a network timeout during the payroll update.

Applicable Fixes for QuickBooks Error 557 While Updating Payroll Service

QuickBooks error code 557 causes depletion in QB’s efficiency, which can adversely affect your business. After reading about the reasons for QuickBooks error 557, we hope you understand that the payroll errors are primarily a result of misconfigured settings and can be fixed easily. You just need to follow the stepwise techniques discussed in the blog and execute them on your system accurately. This will help you to update your payroll service and get back to performing the QuickBooks payroll tasks without any interruptions.

You must always download the payroll updates as soon as they’re released to ensure QuickBooks performs all the calculations according to the government’s latest criteria. But before jumping to the troubleshooting solutions, go through the following checklist of prerequisites to ensure seamless troubleshooting-

Prerequisite 1: Check that your network service provider delivers an internet speed of 3Mbps average and 1.5Mbps minimum (QB requirements). You can run an Internet Speed test to avoid connectivity issues while updating the payroll.

Prerequisite 2: Always run your QuickBooks Desktop in single-user mode (File> Utilities> Stop hosting multi-user access) during payroll updates and ensure the shared download location is correct.

Prerequisite 3: Ensure your system has appropriate storage space for the payroll update package before downloading it.

Once all the conditions mentioned above are satisfied on your system, you won’t face any problems in troubleshooting tQuickBooks error 557. Here’s how to fix QuickBooks error 557 that stops you from downloading the latest payroll updates or sending payments using direct deposit-

Solution 1- Reactivate QuickBooks Payroll Using a Correct Service Key

QuickBooks generates issues if the payroll service subscription is inactive due to an incorrect service key or billing issues during renewal. QuickBooks won’t be able to access the Intuit servers due to failed authentication, and you’ll encounter payroll error code 557 whenever you try updating the payroll service. You can rectify billing issues and re-enter the service key using the following steps-

1. Open your QuickBooks Desktop and click the Employees menu.
2. Click the My Payroll Services option and select Manage Payroll Services.
3. Ensure your Payroll service name is correct in the QuickBooks Service keys window and click Edit.
4. Check your registered email/phone number for the service key and enter it in QuickBooks accurately.

If the service key is already correct, use these steps to update your billing info in QuickBooks Desktop-

1. Enter your Intuit account details in the Customer Account Management Portal to sign in as an admin user.
2. Choose QuickBooks Desktop in the product and services column and tap Details next to your QB product.
3. Tap Edit beside the Payment method option and review/update your billing info precisely.
4. Click Save and Close before relaunching QuickBooks Desktop.
5. Navigate to the Help menu and click Manage my license.
6. Tap Sync License data online.
7. Go to Manage your QuickBooks page in CAMPs and click Payroll Subscription below Product and Services.
8. Click Resubscribe if the subscription status below the blue toolbar is highlighted as Canceled.
9. Check that the Subscription Details and Billing information in the Reactive Subscription section is correct and click Reactivate.
10. Wait until a message notifies you that the subscription is reactivated, and click Got it!

If the payroll updates still gets interrupted even after reactivating the service, move to the next solution.

Solution 2- Restore the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file

The license and product file of your QuickBooks Desktop is stored in the Entitlement Client folder on your system. This file is used to check the license number and verify that your QuickBooks product is valid. QuickBooks Desktop fails to connect with the Intuit servers if the EntitlementDataStore.ecmlfile gets damaged and fails to run. This also causes a problem during payroll updates, as the software won’t be able to sync data with the servers if it isn’t validated. You can download the Clear Entitlement Tool to restore the file automatically or use the following steps to do it manually-

1. Press Ctrl+E to launch the file explorer and click the View option in the toolbar.
2. Single-click the Hidden items checkbox and visit C:\ProgramData\Intuit\EntitlementClient.
3. Search for the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file or press Ctrl+A to mark all the folder contents.

Note: If you fail to locate the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file, open the Run window and type C:\ProgramData\Intuit\EntitlementClient\v8. Press Enter to open the folder directly, and if that doesn’t work, try again after replacing v8 with v6.

• Right-click on the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file and click Delete.
• Tap Yes to confirm the file deletion and relaunch your QB Desktop.
• Open a company file and use the on-screen instructions to register QuickBooks again.
• Reboot QuickBooks Desktop and download the latest payroll service updates.

If you still encounter errors while updating the payroll service, jump to the next solution.

Solution 3- Install the Latest QuickBooks Desktop Updates

QuickBooks can also malfunction during payroll updates if it cannot integrate with the Windows Installer or other applications due to incompatibility. This mainly happens if your QuickBooks Desktop is missing the latest updates and you still use an outdated version on your PC. We always recommend keeping QuickBooks updated to prevent compatibility issues and remove existing bugs/glitches from the software. Download and install the latest QB updates with these steps to avoid problems while downloading the latest tax table-

1. Launch your QuickBooks Desktop in single-user mode and access its Help menu.
2. Select Update QuickBooks Desktop in the drop-down and tap the Reset Update in the Update Now tab to remove all the updates you had earlier.
3. Ensure the Mark All checkbox isn’t checked and click the Get Updates option.
4. Wait until the QB update package is downloaded on your computer and reboot the software.
5. Click Install Now when the software prompts you to install the latest update.
6. Wait until QuickBooks Desktop is fully updated and try downloading its payroll updates after rebooting your system.

It might sometimes happen that you recently installed QuickBooks Desktop on your computer or installed its updates, and the software starts freezing while performing the accounting tasks. To tackle such problems, you must never forget to activate your QuickBooks Desktop using the following steps-

1. Access QB’s Help menu and tap the Activate QuickBooks Desktop option in the list.
2. Enter all the info asked by the software and wait until your QuickBooks Desktop is reactivated before downloading the payroll updates.

If the payroll update is still interrupted by payroll error code 557, check out the next solution.

Solution 4- Update Windows and Configure UAC Settings

QuickBooks works best with the latest version of Windows OS. On the other hand, it might develop compatibility issues if you have an obsolete Windows version on your system. You may come across QuickBooks error code 557 when the software fails to perform its functions due to outdated Windows. You must download and install the Windows updates using the following steps-

1. Go to the control panel (Windows+X> Settings) and click the Windows Update option on the left panel.
2. Select the Check for updates option and wait until the system itself displays the latest Windows version available.
3. Click Download and Install and wait until the latest Windows updates are downloaded and the system reboots after installing them.

The next thing you must do is configure the User Account Control settings. The settings are used to protect your system from harmful apps. However, it can also restrict all the PC applications from updating or installing if not configured correctly. QuickBooks might also develop issues when you download the payroll updates but the UAC settings do not allow their installation. This problem can be fixed by configuring the UAC settings using the following steps-

1. Open the control panel window from the taskbar and click the User Accounts option.
2. Tap Change User Account Control settings and drag the slider beside Never Notify in the following window to turn off the UAC settings.
3. Download the QuickBooks payroll updates and put the slider beside Always Notify after they are installed.

If the payroll updates fail after updating Windows and fixing the User Account Control settings, we suggest you move to the next solution.

Solution 5- Enable QuickBooks Desktop File Copy Service (FCS)

The QuickBooks File Copy Service (FCS) is an Intuit-designed service to streamline updates in the bookkeeping software. The service runs in the background and helps to move the files quickly required during updates on your system. FCS saves QuickBooks from the hassle of fetching the files in the HDD repeatedly during the update, but the failure to run the service might also trigger QuickBooks payroll error code 557 in the software. You must enable the FCS service with these steps to ensure QB payroll updates aren’t interrupted again-

1. Launch the Run window using the search panel and type ‘COMPMGMT.MSC’ as a command.
2. Click Ok to open the Computer management window and tap the Services and Applications option.
3. Select Services and double-click the Intuit QuickBooks FCS icon in the list.
4. Choose Manual as the Startup type and click Apply.
5. Tap Ok.

After enabling the FCS service, you must refresh the connection by revalidating the service key as mentioned below-

1. Click the Employees menu in QuickBooks Desktop and select My Payroll Service.
2. Tap the Activate Service key and highlight your payroll service under the Service Keys window.
3. Click Edit and keep tapping Next until Finish appears.
4. Retry the payroll update in QuickBooks Desktop.

If the payroll update fails again after enabling the QuickBooks FCS service, move to the next solution.

Solution 6- Run the Verify-Rebuild utility and fix folder permissions

QuickBooks may also develop issues if the program files fail to run during the payroll update due to damage or the software cannot access them due to insufficient folder permissions. QuickBooks might crash instantly or behave abnormally when it fails to process the files critical for the payroll update. You can easily tackle damaged QuickBooks files error 557 by running the Verify-Rebuild utility, which fetches issues in QB data and resolves them automatically. Here’s how-

1. Run the QuickBooks Desktop application and click the File menu at the top.
2. Select the Utilities option in the drop-down and tap Verify Data.
3. Your data is completely fine if a QuickBooks detected no problems with your data message appears. However, a Your data has lost integrity message signifies that the utility has diagnosed some issues.
4. Access the Utilities option in the File menu again and tap Rebuild Data.
   Note: Proceed preferably when the software asks you to create a full data backup before rebuilding, the process will start automatically afterward.
5. Use the Verify Data option again after the rebuilding is complete to ensure there aren’t any issues left.
   After the QuickBooks data is repaired, you must configure the permissions of the QB folder to ensure the software doesn’t face problems accessing its content during the payroll update. Use these steps-
6. Visit C: Users\Public\PublicDocuments\Intuit on the file explorer and right-click the QuickBooks folder to access Properties.
7. Navigate to the Security tab and select all the user accounts in the list.
8. Click the Full Control checkbox to allow the permissions (read, write, modify, etc.) and close the Properties window.
9. Reopen QuickBooks Desktop and download the latest payroll updates.

If the payroll updates fail to download or install after repairing QB data and folder permissions, jump to the next solution.

Solution 7- Repair QuickBooks Desktop using QB Tool Hub

Downloading QuickBooks Payroll updates can get hindered if internal issues like glitches or bugs interfere with the software’s background processes or stop the Windows Installer from accessing the update package. To rectify internal issues, you can use the QuickBooks Tool Hub, which contains a variety of automated tools designed specifically to counter software errors. Refer to these steps-

1. Download the latest QuickBooks Tool Hub (1.6.0.3) on your computer and double-click the QuickBooksToolHub.exe file.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the tool hub and open the program after the installation is complete.
3. Go to the Program Problems menu and single-click the Quick Fix My Program option in the list.
4. Follow the instructions shared on the tool to rectify the software issues using it.
5. Let the tool run and wait for it to stop automatically after QuickBooks is fully repaired.

After the technical snags of QuickBooks Desktop are removed using the Tool Hub, we recommend you recreate the CPS folder on your computer. The CPS folder contains critical configuration files of QB required during the payroll updates. You might also run into payroll update issues if QuickBooks fails to access the CPS folder due to a broken file path. Apply these steps-

1. Go to C:\ProgramFiles\Intuit\QuickBooks20XX\Components\Payroll\CPS on a file explorer.
2. Right-click the CPS folder and select the Rename option in the list.
3. Enter ‘OLD’ at the end of the folder name and save it on your system as CPSOLD.
4. Open QuickBooks Desktop and download the latest payroll updates.

If the payroll updates fail to download after fixing QuickBooks and recreating the CPS folder, move to the next solution.

Solution 8- Fix Network Connectivity on Your PC

Internet connectivity problems are a significant trigger for being unable to update payroll error 557 onyour computer. We recommend you disable all the security software (Antiviruses & Windows Firewall) during payroll updates, as they can block QuickBooks from accessing the Internet. The Transport Layer Security settings in your Windows must also be appropriately configured to revoke the Internet access limitations from your PC applications. The TLS settings are used to protect your system when it connects to the Internet to share or download data. Refer to these steps-

1. Launch the Run window on your PC and type ‘inetcpl.cpl’ after removing auto-filled text from the command section.
2. Go to the Advanced tab in the Internet Properties window and search for TLS settings at the bottom of the list.
3. Single-click Use TLS 1.2 among all the TLS settings and tap Apply to save the settings.

Your QuickBooks or any other PC applications won’t face problems connecting to the Internet after the TLS settings are configured. However, incorrect timings on your system clock can also cause problems connecting with the servers or develop issues when the Intuit servers fail to sync the payroll update timings correctly. You must also keep the system clock timings accurate to ensure the Internet connection does not lapse during the payroll update. Use these steps-

1. Right-click the system clock on the taskbar or open the control panel to access the Time & Date settings.
2. Click the Set Time automatically option or arrange it manually (whichever preferred).
3. Close the control panel after adjusting the timings and try downloading the payroll updates again.

All these techniques effectively deal with payroll update errors in QuickBooks Desktop. If you think you judged the accurate cause of error 557 in QuickBooks on your PC, you can select the counter-technique accordingly or perform all of them to get rid of the payroll error.

Conclusion

This blog is an effort to help users deal with QuickBooks error 557, which develops during payroll updates and terminates the process instantly. We described all the possible reasons for the payroll update error in the blog, along with the precise methods that can be used to eliminate it from the system. We hope the blog clarifies all your doubts regarding QuickBooks error 557 and that the payroll updates are successful in your QB after using the techniques. Despite this, if the solutions seem complex or you face any issues while applying them on your computer, feel free to give us a call at +1.833.802.0002 to get rid of the error with the assistance of our QB support team.

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