Now that you’re logged into your QuickBooks Online account, you need to navigate to the payroll section to begin the activation process. Click on the “Payroll” Tab: On the left-hand side of your QuickBooks dashboard, locate and click on the Payroll tab. Go to Payroll Setup: If you haven’t yet activated payroll, QuickBooks will prompt you to get started. Look for a button or link that says Set Up Payroll or Activate Payroll.