Available for Basic Payroll, Full Service Payroll
Posting W-2s to the Employee Portal gives employees a convenient way to view and print their W-2s online. However, posting W-2s electronically is optional. You can still print and distribute paper W-2s.
Important: Employees must consent to electronic W-2 delivery before you can provide their W-2 electronically instead of on paper. If an employee has not consented, you must still provide a paper W-2, even if the W-2 is also available in the Employee Portal.
For IRS rules on electronic W-2 delivery, see IRS Publication 1141.
Before you post W-2s to the Employee Portal
Before posting electronic W-2s, complete these steps.
1. Add employee email addresses
Each employee needs a valid email address in their Personal Info record to register for the Employee Portal.
When an employee has an email address on file, Patriot can send email notifications when:
The employee consents to receive an electronic W-2
The employee revokes consent for electronic W-2 delivery
You post the employee’s W-2 to the Employee Portal
2. Invite employees to register for the Employee Portal
Employees must register for the Employee Portal before they can access their W-2 online.
To invite employees, go to the Employee Portal tab on the employee’s record.
You can also send portal invitations to terminated employees, if needed.
For more information, see Employee Portal Registration Access.
3. Ask employees to consent to electronic W-2 delivery
Employees must consent before you can provide their W-2 electronically instead of giving them a paper copy.
Ask employees to log in to their Employee Portal and choose whether they consent to electronic W-2 delivery.
For more information, see Electronic W-2 Consent from Employees.
4. Preview employee W-2s
Preview W-2s before posting or downloading them. This helps you find issues before employees receive their forms.
If you need to make changes, you may need to:
Run an additional payroll
Void a payroll
Update a payroll setting
Contact Patriot Support for help with payroll edits
5. Create and download W-2s
Create and download W-2s for all employees before posting them to the Employee Portal.
For more information, see How to Create, Download and Print W-2 Forms
How do I post W-2s to the Employee Portal?
To post W-2s to the Employee Portal:
Go to Reports > Payroll Tax Reports > W-2 Forms.
In the middle section of the page, click Post W-2s to Employee Portal.
Click Yes to confirm.
After you post W-2s, employee W-2s are available in the Employee Portal. Employees can log in to view and print their W-2s. This includes active and terminated employees who have portal access.
What happens after I post W-2s?
After you post W-2s to the Employee Portal:
Employees with an email address on file receive an email notification that their W-2 is available.
Employees can log in to the Employee Portal to view and print their W-2.
Employees who have not consented to electronic W-2 delivery can still view the W-2 in the portal, but you must also provide them with a paper copy.
Do I still need to give paper W-2s to employees?
You need to provide a paper W-2 to any employee who has not consented to electronic W-2 delivery.
Posting a W-2 to the Employee Portal does not replace the paper W-2 requirement for employees who have not consented.
You may also choose to print and distribute paper W-2s to any employee, including terminated employees who may not have Employee Portal access.
Can I post W-2s again after making a correction?
Yes. You can post W-2s again after correcting them.
To post an updated W-2:
Correct the employee’s W-2.
Recreate the W-2 with the updated information.
Click Post to Employee Portal again.
The employee will receive another email notification letting them know an updated W-2 is available.
For correction steps, see How Do I Correct an Employee’s W-2?.
Do electronic corrected W-2s need to say “CORRECTED”?
No. Electronic corrected W-2s do not need to say “CORRECTED," per the IRS.
If you give an employee a corrected paper W-2, write “CORRECTED” on the paper copies, as described in the W-2 correction instructions.