"Default Sales Line" Error when trying to make an account inactive!

Hi, @RidinDirty. 

I see that this error has been a challenge for you. Allow me to help you fix this. The account you're trying to make inactive might be linked to one of your product or service items which causes the error.

With this, we'll need to review all your item info to check if the account has become a default in the income account section. If so, we'll need to edit and change it to another account so that it'll be unlinked, and we can proceed in making it inactive.

Here's how to change the income account for your items:

1. Go to Settings ⚙ and select Products and services.
2. From the Action column of the appropriate item, select Edit.
3. From the Income account▼ dropdown, choose the account you want to use. Make sure the account's detail type is Sales of Product Income.
4. Select Save and close.

Perform these steps for all your items. Once done, let's try to make the account inactive again.

And if you have several items and want to view them on one page to check for their income account, we can run the Sales by Product/Service Detail report.

Here are the steps:

1. Go to Reports, then in the search box, type in sales. The choices will show and you must select Sales by Product/Service Detail.
2. On the right side, click Customize.
3. Scroll down and click the Filter option.
4. Click the Distribution Account dropdown, tap in the box beside Sales, Sales of Product Income, Sales of Product Revenue, and or any kind of sales that are present in your account.
5. Once done, press Run report.

This will show all your sales items that are possible to be linked to the account you want to make inactive.

If you want to know what to check before making an account inactive, feel free to read this article: Make an account inactive on your chart of accounts in QuickBooks Online.

Consider reading this article if you want to learn what to do if you have duplicate accounts: Merge duplicate accounts, customers, and vendors in QuickBooks Online.

Sometimes additional questions might come up to our mind, feel free to route back yourself here in this thread. I'll be happy to help. Take care, and have a blissful week!

@Bryan_M  Thanks for the reply, much appreciated...BUT I HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERYTHING YOU OUTLINE HERE and found NOTHING! Even running the report as described shows absolutely nothing.  There has to be a way to fix this....Hoping someone can elighten me!

Hello there, @RidinDirty. I'm here to provide additional steps to help you make inactive the account. 

To clarify, may I know the specific account you're trying to make inactive? In QuickBooks Online (QBO), certain accounts can’t be deactivated. Those are default accounts that are automatically created by the program. For the detailed list, please check this article: Manage default and special accounts in your QuickBooks Online chart of accounts.

Then, you can run a QuickReport to review the transactions linked to that account. Here's how:

1. Select the Gear icon and click Chart of accounts. 
2. Then, look for the account you need to make inactive.
3. Next, click the Run report link.

Once everything is fine, you can use this article as a guide in inactivating the account: Make an account inactive on your chart of accounts in QuickBooks Online.

You can also customize some of your reports to reflect only the data you need. This is a helpful way to easily locate the important details in your business.

I'm always here ready to provide additional help if you have any other concerns managing your account in QBO. Feel free to leave a reply below. Have a good one and stay safe. 

@DivinaMercy_N @Bryan_M 

While I appreciate both of your responses, NONE of what you have offered works for my situation...I have been through all of it as well as on the phone with support!

My specific NIGHTMARE deals with my QUICKBOOKS CHECKING Account offered through QBO via Green Dot Bank.  You would think that since this is a QuickBooks product offered by QUICKBOOKS, that it would be easier to manage and get assistance with....Reality is just the opposite; this account has been a nightmare to deal with, QBO wants to punt you to Green Dot bank, Green Dot bank punts you back to QBO and neither side knows what's going on on how to resolve a problem.

My QuickBooks checking now has a balance of ZERO, I've talked to Green Dot and closed the account - I SIMPLY WANT TO MAKE IT INACTIVE IN QBO so that I'll stop jacking up my payroll by recording the transactions in that Chart of account register when they don't belong there.  My QuickBooks checking is not a default account and is linked to NOTHING but still I have QBO support telling me in CANNOT be made inactive.  

I'm typically a proponent and fan of QBO but this latest ordeal with QuickBooks checking jacking up how I'm allowed to run payroll and not allowing me to inactivate the account along with the inability to get NO meaningful feedback from support has me rethinking my loyalty and support of the product.

Thanks for getting back with the Community, RidinDirty. I appreciate your detailed information.
 

Since you're unable to make your closed QuickBooks Checking account inactive in QuickBooks, and you're experiencing issues changing which account payroll transactions are mapped to in Payroll settings, I'd recommend continuing to get in touch with our Customer Care team.
 

They'll be able to pull up the account in a secure environment, conduct further research with you (they can perform screenshares), and create an investigation ticket if necessary.
 

They can be reached while you're signed in.
 

Here's how:

1. Use the Help (?) icon.
   
   
    
2. Click Contact Us.
   
   
    
3. Enter a description of your situation in the What can we help you with? field, then hit Let's talk.
   
   
    
4. Select Start messaging or Get a call.
   
   

Be sure to review their support hours so you'll know when agents are available.
 

If there's any questions, I'm just a post away. Have a wonderful day!

@ZackE 
Thanks again for the response...I've DONE EVERYTHING you are suggesting MULTIPLE TIMES!

The root of my frustration well beyond the simple fact that things aren't working as they should is the fact that QBO has pushed down the message to support that it's working "AS DESIGNED" and offering two options, both of which are ridiculous and totally unacceptable.

The lack of a willingness to admit it's broken and no one, including the supervisor I spoke with shows any real interest in trying to push to get this fixed!

It is still broken ~ we have been using this service for over 11 years and have never had this issue.  I have been on hold with them for an hour and a half.  They referred me to this article as a fix and it isn't.  

Hi, PFFW. I appreciate for contacting us about inactivating an account.

As my colleague shared above, the account you're trying to delete may be a default one. Thus, you received an error when attempting to inactivate it. You can check this article to learn more about default accounts created by QuickBooks: Manage default and special accounts in your QuickBooks Online chart of accounts.

I've added these articles that you can use as additional references in managing your chart of accounts:

• Error: This transaction will cause a deleted account named (name of account) (deleted) to have a non....
• Merge duplicate accounts, customers, and vendors in QuickBooks Online.

Keep me posted if you have any other questions about managing accounts in QuickBooks. I'm always here to help you.