QBO posts subcontractor pay runs to Wages & Salary and Payroll Clearing. How can I map them to Subcontractor Expense, GST, Super Liability & a separate clearing account?

You can change the expense, super liability, and clearing account mappings in QuickBooks Online Australia’s payroll settings. However, GST needs separate treatment because payroll account mapping does not calculate GST. Record it against the subcontractor’s bill or expense using the appropriate GST tax code.

Before making these changes, I recommend checking with your accountant to confirm the appropriate accounts and GST treatment for your subcontractors and avoid recording the same expense twice.

Steps to access the mappings:

1. Go to All apps → Payroll → Employees.
2. Select the Payroll Settings tab.
3. Under Business Settings, select Chart of Accounts. This is the payroll-specific page, not the standard QuickBooks Online Chart of Accounts.
4. On that page, configure the relevant mappings.

If you also process employee wages, note that changing the default payment account is not limited to subcontractors. Review the mapping options with your accountant before making changes.

For more information, check out this article: Set up and configure payroll chart of accounts.

I’ll keep this thread open should you have any follow-up questions or need further assistance.