A simple step to quickly resolve QuickBooks payroll update error ps038
                     Termination methods for QuickBooks 
payroll update error ps038
QuickBooks payroll service helps users manage employee data and send 
their wages on the assigned day. However, issues like 
QuickBooks payroll update error ps038 can emerge while performing 
payroll tasks like downloading updates or sending paychecks. If you also 
come across this error in your QBDT, read this blog to discover its causes 
and the methods you can use to eliminate the issue from your QuickBooks 
Desktop.
Speak to a QB professional at 1.855.856.0042 for troubleshooting 
guidance to counter the error effectively.

Reasons
Once this error influences QuickBooks, you cannot send employee payroll 
using the paychecks or direct deposit in their bank account. The possible 
triggers for this payroll issue in QBDT are mentioned below-
• There are undelivered paychecks piled up in your QBDT creating issues 
in sending further paychecks.
• An employee's details have discrepancies, or the entry has turned 
inactive in QBDT.
• Payroll tasks in QuickBooks also terminate due to incorrect service key 
or EIN.
Solutions
The software can crash or freeze when you try executing payroll functions 
under the influence of this error. A quick way to get rid of the payroll 
problem is discussed in detail below-
Method- Remove undelivered 
paychecks from your QBDT or 
configure their details
This error generally arises when you try sending employee salaries using 
paychecks. This happens when the software is already loaded with unsent 
paychecks in the ‘online to send.’ You’ll encounter this error code when you 
send additional paychecks and sometimes while downloading the payroll. 
You must proceed by finding the stuck paychecks that might be a reason 
for the development of this error-
Step 1- Find out the paychecks stuck in 
your QBDT
Use these steps to reveal the paychecks that aren’t delivered by QuickBooks-
• Go to the Edit menu and click the Find option.
• Hover over the Advanced tab and click the Choose filter option.
• Choose the Detail level filter in the list and click the Summary Only option.
• Go to the filter list again and select Online status.
• Click Online to send and hit Find.
A list of the stuck paychecks in ‘Online to send’ will appear on the screen. 
Then you need to apply the second step to remove them from the software.
Step 2- Configure paychecks details to 
ensure they don’t cause problems in future
• Move to the first paycheck in the list and click the Paycheck Detail option.
• Hover over Earnings in the Review Paycheck window and add a new 
earning item to the list, the same as the previous one.
• Click No if you see a Net Pay Locked message on the screen, and do not 
change net pay or the tax amounts.
• Tap Yes below the Past Transaction message and hit Save and Close.
• Click Yes in the Recording Transaction warning and reopen the paycheck.
• Select Paycheck Details and remove the earning item you recently added.
• Do not make any changes in the net pay & tax amounts.
• Click Ok to remove the paycheck and repeat the steps will all the other 
unsent paychecks.
Conclusion
This blog helps to figure out why QuickBooks payroll update error 
ps038 appears while sending paychecks or while downloading the 
updates. You now know the procedure to fix the issue, and we hope you’ll 
use it to send paychecks from QBDT without problems.
If you face any problem while applying the solutions, consult a QB expert 
at 1.855.856.0042.