Why does DeskOps ask what I paid employees?

Above a certain income, the QBI deduction on a business is limited by the wages it pays employees, so a crew can raise it by thousands of dollars. Your books show payroll, but that category can also hold payroll taxes, which don't count, so DeskOps asks rather than assumes. Answer "yes, that's what I paid employees" and it keeps using your books' payroll as the year goes on, or enter your own figure. It only asks when the answer would change your estimate, and the Taxes page, the tax PDF, the emailed report and Des all use the same answer.