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louis-du-plooy
Level 1

How do you delete a client

I've added a client which was linked to a subscription on Quickbooks Online Plus.  We then cancel the subscription in order to downgrade the plan to Essentials and re-subscribe.  We want to delete the original client from Quickbooks Online Accountant. How do we do it?

15 Comments 15
KristyS
QuickBooks Team

How do you delete a client

Hello there, Louis.

You can permanently delete a client in QuickBooks Online. Here's how you can do it:

  1. From the Client's list's Name column open the client's name link.
  2. From the Edit client drop-down menu, select Delete permanently.
  3. Select Yes, when the confirmation prompt appears.

Also, you can visit this article to know more on how to change a client’s status in QuickBooks Online Accountant: https://community.intuit.com/articles/1771875.

I'll be around if you have any questions about QuickBooks. Have a good one!

bobkardell
Level 2

How do you delete a client

My dropdown menu does not have an option to delete...

 

 

MaryLurleenM
Moderator

How do you delete a client

Good day, bobkardell,

 

Based on the screenshot you've provided, it seems that you're still on the Client menu. Follow these steps to successfully delete the client.

 

  1. On the Client menu page, click the client's name to open their information.
  2. Click the Edit client drop-down, and then select Delete Permanently.
  3. Select Yes to confirm.

If this client was a part of wholesale billing, the option to delete is unavailable. You can inactivate this client instead. Also, deleting a client requires a Master Admin access. 

 

Let me know how it goes. I'll be around if you need more help.

bobkardell
Level 2

How do you delete a client

Thanks - but actually I was on the correct page...

I clicked on the name...

Was directed to the client page...

But the drop-down menu does not offer a delete option...

 

Thanks for the help, but for some reason the screen shot shows the only two options I am offered.

 

What does "wholesale billing" mean?  I only have a couple of clients who have invited me to connect, but I have no idea if they are set up as "wholesale billing". 

 

Thanks!

AlcaeusF
Moderator

How do you delete a client

Thanks for getting back and elaborating, bobkardell.

 

There are things you should know before deleting a client in QuickBooks Online Accountant. Here's the complete list: 

 

  • Clients who are part of Wholesale Billing subscription can't be deleted, but can be inactive.
  • You can't delete clients if you're the Master Admin for their company file.
  • If you delete a client who's connected to you through ProConnect Tax Online, this only deletes their QuickBooks profile.

You call it Wholesale Billing when you pay for the cost of your client's subscription. For more insights on how this works, I recommend checking out this article:

 

What is Wholesale Billing?.

 

Since you've mentioned you're only invited, you can reach out to your client and request to remove you as the accountant. In case they need the steps, here's how:

 

  1. Click the Gear ⚙ icon.
  2. Select Manage users.
  3. Select Accounting firms, and find the accountant you want to remove.
  4. From the Action column, select Delete.
  5. Select Delete to confirm.

As always, I want to make sure everything is taken care of, so let me know if you need any more help. I'll keep an eye out for your response.

bobkardell
Level 2

How do you delete a client

I appreciate the suggestion, but here is what happened - I set up a new client expecting to have the invitation, but once the invitation came in a second client was set up.  I now have two clients with same or similar names but I cannot delete one.

 

I don't want to ask the client to remove me; it wouldn't help with the client I set up by mistake anyway.  I just want to delete the duplicate.

 

Thanks again,

 

Bob

RaymondJayO
Moderator

How do you delete a client

Hello there, @bobkardell

 

As AlcaeusF mentioned above, it seems that your client is part of your Wholesale Billing subscription. That's why you have no delete option on your end. 

 

As an alternative, you can make the duplicate client inactive. This ensures it won't appear on your client list. Let me guide you how. 

  1. Go to Clients from the left menu.
  2. Locate the duplicate client on the list. 
  3. Select the Edit client drop-down menu from the Actions column. 
  4. Click Make inactive.
  5. Choose Yes to confirm.

 

The screenshot below shows you the first four steps. For more information, go through this article: Remove or Delete Clients. You'll also find steps on how to view your inactive clients and make them active. 

MakeClientInactive.PNG

 

I'd suggest visiting this website: Manage Clients with Wholesale and Direct Billing. In this link, you'll learn more about adding, removing, and transferring clients in and out of wholesale billing. 

 

I'll be right here to help if there's anything else you need. Have a great day, @bobkardell

 

Take care always, 

 

Raymond

DreamBig
Level 2

How do you delete a client

All of this advice is 100% wrong.

 

I also am a QBO accountant and have the same problem. First, there is NO option to delete a client. And setting them to inactive does NOT hide them. They're still in the list showing as "inactive." I have contacted support about this for TWO YEARS. They keep promising to fix it, then don't. Every time I contact support it's like starting over because the next Intuit rep has NO idea what's going on. They say they have to "research it," then I never hear from them again. The online support is a joke and horrible.

Charies_M
Moderator

How do you delete a client

Thanks for joining us, DreamBig.

 

The steps shared by my colleagues above are the available workarounds. Since it doesn't work for you, I suggest contacting our QuickBooks Care Team. I know that you've already contacted us. However, cases like this requires a thorough investigation. 

 

If you have a reference number, I'd also suggest keeping it handy so there isn't a need to re-explain the situation.

 

Here's how you can contact us:

  1. Go to the Help menu at the upper right.
  2. Select Contact Us.
  3. Enter your concern.
  4. Click Let’s talk.
  5. Choose Get a callback
  6. Type in your contact info.
  7. Select Confirm my call

 

Let me know how the call goes. I want to make sure this is taken care of. Wishing you all the best!

Rafeeq Erasmus
Level 1

How do you delete a client

Hi. Will deleting the client permanently also delete the subscription? I have a profile that is USA but I am in SA and had to create a new SA profile. Now I want to delete all clients and subscription form the USA profile.

 

Regards  

IamjuViel
QuickBooks Team

How do you delete a client

I can share some information about managing your client's subscription, @Rafeeq Erasmus.

 

When you remove a client from your wholesale billing, they will have read-only access to their account. They'll have to subscribe so it will become active again. 

 

Here's how:

  1. Go to the Gear icon ⚙.
  2. Choose Subscriptions & Billing.
  3. Select any clients you want to remove.
  4. From the Batch Actions ▼dropdown, select Transfer billing to the client.
  5. Click Remove.

Just a heads-up, putting your client's status inactive will not cancel their subscription. You'd want to follow the steps above to completely cancel their subscription. You can read through these articles for more insights about managing your clients' account:

On the other hand, you can follow the steps below in creating your QuickBooks Online for Accountant South Africa profile.

  1. Go to: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/za/accountants/.
  2. Select the Free Sign-Up button.
    • Click the Sign In link if you wish to put the new QBOA SA under the same username and password with your QBOA US account.
    • However, if you wish to start a new slate, you can enter your new set of login credentials.

You can browse the QuickBooks Online for Account hub to learn more about how Wholesale Billing.

 

Always feel free to leave a post below if you have other questions about managing your QuickBooks account. I'm always here to help.

Angie3124
Level 2

How do you delete a client

I had another user add a client's customer to my client list by mistake.  No subscription was added, no details added, no transactions.  Just a name.  I want it gone because it doesn't belong there.  It was a mistake!  But, even though I am the master admin and the client has no subscription, I can only make it inactive.  There really needs to be a way to delete a mistake.  

JamesDuanT
Moderator

How do you delete a client

I know how important this is, Angie3124.

 

Currently, we can only make client or customer profiles inactive. An option to delete them completely is not yet available. QuickBooks doesn't want to delete any data that might be a help in the future when managing your business.

 

For now, you can leave the wrong client profile inactive. By the time you want to add a new one, you can go can go back to the inactive profile and make it active. From there, you can edit the profile and enter the new client information. With that said, you can use this link for reference in the future: Make a customer inactive and then active.

 

We'll be right here if you have more questions when managing your clients list. Have a great day!

BlueMist
Level 1

How do you delete a client

This is the 2nd software I am testing and what a disappointment. I added a customer and wanted to change his default billing currency - that is not possible Once you set the currency for the new customer and save, it is not possible to change it. And guess what it is also not possible to delete the customer which was never used / invoiced... Guys, that's a bug. I completely understand your concerns from the IT perspective to safeguard businesses and preventing them accidentally deleting customers. However it should not be possible to delete the customer if he had any invoices issued. If there are no invoices tied or the customer is brand new, it should be possible to delete it. Same with the currency adjustment.

louis-du-plooy
Level 1

How do you delete a client

Hi @BlueMist,

I have the same issue.  I totally agree with you that you should be able to delete a client if no transactions is linked to that client. I can understand if a client leave's, even when only one transaction is linked to that client, that you should not be able to delete the client but make it inactive for future reference. However, it is absolutely senseless to have a client as part of your client list (whether active or inactive), when added by mistake or no transactions is link to that client. One of the previous comments suggest to edit such a client with the new clients details. That totally defeats the object. I guess Quickbooks should address this issue urgently.