QuickBooks Payroll Tutorial -Payroll Settings in QuickBooks Online. Consider adding QuickBooks Payroll to your plan if you’re already using QuickBooks Online and need to pay staff. It can be accessed through the same system that you use to manage your company’s finances, allowing for a smooth transfer of payroll expenses to the appropriate general ledger accounts. You can set up payroll with QuickBooks Online and perform your first pay run in just a few simple steps.