Set up, use, and pay credit card accounts

Learn how to set up, use, and pay credit card accounts in QuickBooks Desktop.

A Credit Card gives you an option to borrow funds for purchases or for paying bills. You can set up your credit card account in QuickBooks Desktop to help you keep track of the charges and payments you made.

Note: If you're using QuickBooks Online, you can also record the payments you make to your credit card.

• Positive balance - There are pending charges on your credit card.
• Negative balance - The amount you paid is more than your balance due.
• Zero balance - You did not make any charges or you already paid your balance due.
• Credit card sub accounts - You can enter the charges and payments in the sub account and it will appear on the account register. The total amount of these charges and payments should be equal to the total balance for the parent account. You only need to reconcile the parent account.

Set up credit card accounts

1. From the Company menu, select Chart of Accounts.
2. Select Account or the plus + icon, then New.
3. Select Credit Card, then select Continue.
4. On the Add New Account window, enter the credit card name.
   Note: If you are setting up a sub account, select the Sub account of checkbox, then select the parent account from the dropdown ▼.
5. Select Enter Opening Balance... then enter the account's balance and date.
6. Select Save & Close.

Enter credit card charges

Enter credit card charges to put the amount you owe in the credit card account (Other Current Liability).

1. From the Banking menu, select Enter Credit Card Charges.
2. Select the credit card account from the Credit Card ▼ dropdown.
3. Purchase/Charge is the default. If you want to record a credit or refund you received through the credit card, select the Refund/Credit instead.
4. Select the vendor from the Purchased From ▼ dropdown.
5. Select the date.
6. (Optional) Enter a memo explaining the charge or refund.
7. Select the Expenses or Items tab and enter the expenses/items you want to track.
8. Select Save & Close.

Pay credit card charges

Pay your credit card charges to reduce the amount you owe.

Enter credit card annual and finance charges

1. From the Company menu, select Chart of Accounts.
2. Select the credit card account.
3. Select the credit card company from the Payee ▼ dropdown.
4. In the Charge column, enter the amount.
5. Select the expense account you want to use for tracking annual, finance, and other bank service charges from the Account ▼ dropdown. 
6. Select the Tax Code.
7. Select Record.