Changing the number and description of GL accounts

Thanks very much for your response :)

You're welcome. :)

Can  you advise what happens to historical information when revisions to the chart of accounts are completed.  For example, we have some duplicate accounts that need to be combined. 

I understand how to edit and how to make an account inactive.

Hi dlou,

Welcome back to Community!  Combining old or duplicated accounts in QuickBooks Online is a great way to clean up the Chart of Accounts.  I'd be happy to go over this for you.

All transactions and historical data will be moved to the parent account that you'll be keeping when the merging process has been completed.  Please be advised that this process is not reversible and can't be undone.  Let me guide you through the steps.

1. Go to the Chart of Accounts.
2. Locate the account you're Keeping, and select Edit 
3. Take a Screen Shot or Copy the Name, Detail Type and if the sub-account is marked, make note of the parent account it is associated with.
4. Cancel to return to the Chart of Accounts.
5. Now go to the account you don't want to keep and click Edit in the Action column.
6. Enter the Name, Detail Type and any other information that matches the account with which you're merging.
7. If these are sub-accounts, make sure they're associated with the same parent. If only one is a sub-account, make it a parent account by deselecting the Is Sub-account option.
8. Save.
9. Yes to confirm that you want to merge the two accounts.

Click here to learn more about merging duplicate accounts, customers or suppliers In QuickBooks Online.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reach back out.  We're always happy to assist!

Thanks - appreciate the information.

Good morning,

I am looking for some advice on re-numbering my entire chart of accounts.

Our business has grown substantially, and based on the requirements of our senior management and how we track our revenues, I am running out of g/l codes.  I would like to move all codes from a 4-digit code to a 5-digit code.  If I change the chart of accounts in this manner, does it affect any historical data, or does it convert everything to the new codes?  Is there any risk in making this change to my chart of accounts?  

As previously commented, is the g/l code simply cosmetic and will all data/entries within the accounts remain intact?

I will be migrating the QuickBooks On-line in the very near future and would like to make this change prior that.  Any advice or information is greatly appreciated.

Hi Laurie_S,

Thanks for joining us here.  Moving your data from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online can be done seamlessly.  However, it's important to note what will and will not transfer.  When it comes to the chart of accounts, please be advised that bank account numbers and notes won't move to QuickBooks Online, for security reasons.  Here are a couple of valuable guides, for your reference;

-Our comprehensive guide to moving your data to QuickBooks Online

-Learn how features and data move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online

-Migrating from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online with Intuit's internal tool

If you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Care team at 1-855-253-1536 from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 AM and 8 PM EST.

I hope you find this to be helpful.  Have a great day!

Thank you for that information, however, I am really looking for information regarding my original question on changing my g/l codes as mentioned.  

Hi Laurie_S,

Making changes to the G/L codes will also update the associated transactions, so you don't need to make the changes manually.

Let us know if you have any other concerns.  We're here to help!

Thank you!  to confirm/clarify, I can change any/all g/l code numbers without affecting any data in my file?

Is this correct?

Hi Laurie_S,

When you have an extensive chart of accounts, you can keep your accounts organized and easy to find by assigning numbers.  Although QuickBooks automatically sets up your chart of accounts for you, you can tailor it to your business needs with the option to edit the account numbers at any time.  Rest assured, that when the account number is changed in QuickBooks, all the previous transactions will now be linked to the new number.

If you're still uncertain, I encourage you to contact our Customer Care team at 1-855-253-1536 from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 AM and 8 PM EST.  They will be able to work with you in real-time, and ensure a positive outcome on your books.

Feel free to let us know if you have any other concerns about your accounts in QuickBooks. The Community is always here to assist with your bookkeeping tasks.