QuickBooks HelpQuickBooksHelpIntuit

Reverse or delete a journal entry in QuickBooks Online

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•132•Updated January 31, 2024

You should only create journal entries for transactions as a last resort or with the help of your accountant. However, should the need arise for you to reverse or delete a journal entry, we’ve got you covered.

Before you start

It's important that you understand the difference between the two actions.

  • Reverse a journal entry if you need to allocate a transaction between two accounting periods or fix a debit/credit error.
  • Delete a journal entry if you created it by mistake and need to get rid of it permanently.

This simply reverses the debits and credits - it doesn't delete the original journal entry.

  1. Select Settings ⚙️ and then Chart of accounts.
  2. Find the account you created the journal entry for. Then select Account history.
  3. Find the journal entry in the account register. The word "Journal" should be in the Ref No. or Type column.
  4. Select the journal entry to expand the view. Then select Edit.
  5. Select Reverse.
  6. Select Save.

When you reverse a journal entry, QuickBooks creates a new journal entry to balance it. This is a record of the change you made.

  • The new journal entry keeps the original journal no. and adds the letter "R". This means it's reconciled.
  • The new journal entry is dated the first day of the month following the original journal entry date.
  • The new journal entry keeps the same info, such as the Account, Name, and Description, as the original journal entry.

You must be absolutely sure you need to delete the journal entry. This can quickly unbalance your accounts.

Important to note: If you invited your accountant to review your books, they can also make an adjusting journal entry instead of deleting the original entry.

  1. Select Settings ⚙️ and then Chart of accounts.
  2. Find the account you created the journal entry for. Then select Account history.
  3. Find the journal entry in the account register. The word "Journal" should be in the Ref No. or Type column.
  4. Select the journal entry to expand the view.
  5. Select Delete.
  6. Select Yes to confirm.
Have any other questions for our team?

If any of your questions were left unanswered, we'd love to hear them!
Pop over to our QuickBooks Community's discussion on bookkeeping processes where you can ask your questions, have them answered by qualified QuickBooks Online experts, and hopefully help others with the same questions out in the process.

Was this helpful?

You must sign in to vote, reply, or post
QuickBooks Online EssentialsQuickBooks Online PlusQuickBooks Online Simple Start

Sign in for the best experience

Ask questions, get answers, and join our large community of QuickBooks users.

More like this