Customer Open Balance After Write Off

Thank you for posting here in Community @bfarming,

First, you'll need to run the open invoice reports. The reason we need to run this report is to check the current open invoices. If there's an invoice that no longer collectible, that needs to wite off. Let me walk you through the steps on how to run open invoices. 

Here's how: 

1. Go to the Reports menu.
2. Select Report Center.
3. On the upper right portion, type Open Invoices in the search box.
4. Click the Run icon in the open Invoices report.
5. Select the Customize Report button.
6. Choose the Filters menu.
7. In the Search Filter, type in Name.
8. Click the drop-down arrow in the Name box and choose the customer.
9. Hit OK.

Once the open invoices are all set, it will show you the correct open balance for your customer.

Check out QuickBooks Enterprise Suite to learn more about reporting, bank activities and more.

If you have additional questions, don't hesitate to leave a message in the comment section. I'm always here to help.

Thank you very much for the quick response.  I did run the Open Invoices report like you instructed but unfortunately it shows the same open invoices that the customer's Open Balances shortcut does (which are correct).  What I'm trying to see are the invoices that are still showing as open for this customer after I wrote off some invoices for them.  There are other current invoices that are and should be open.  But the "open balance" for this customer is showing a much larger amount that what correlates to the visible open invoices.  I don't understand why and cannot figure out a way to correct this.  Thanks.

I appreciate your time getting back here in the Community, @bfarming.

Let me share some details using write-off invoices.

Using write off, your open invoices will move from Accounts Receivable (A/R) on the balance sheet to the bad debt expense account on the profit and loss.

In this case, you'll need to apply the credit memo created by the Write Off Invoices feature. Applying for this credit to the invoice will effectively zero it out in the system. You can do this by going through the Receive payments and select Apply credit against the invoice. Also, you can do it by opening the Credit memo transaction and choosing Use credit to apply to invoice, then choose the invoice to apply it to.

If the problem persists, you can check for data damage to your company file. Here's how you can look for and then resolve any issues to your file:  Resolve data damage with your QuickBooks Desktop company file.

Please let me know if you have other questions by dropping a comment below. It'll be always my pleasure to lend you a helping hand.

I  have the same issue right now and when I go to use credit to apply to invoice it says it already is applied, although the customer balance in the customer center list still shows the amount as open. When you do a customer open balance it does not show. 

I know exactly what you mean.  After using the Write Off Invoices under Accounting Tools, customer balances in the Customer Center show balances larger than what they actually are.  Now, even if I delete the Credit Memo that tool created, the Customer Center balances get even larger than they actually are.  I too don't know what to do to get the Customer Center balances inline with actual open invoice balances.

Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

Getting the correct customer balance is essential indeed, @Reschen. We can have a specialist assist you in resolving your invoices.

I understand you've written off invoices and deleted credit memos. Since there's still an open balance, I recommend contacting our Support Team. They can help verify what happened to the transactions and provide fixes.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Help icon, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Press Contact Us.
3. Enter a description of your subscription concern, then click Continue.

See this article for our operating hours to contact us promptly: Contact QuickBooks Desktop support.

Scan this article for other ways to handle customer settlements: Record an invoice payment.

Save this guide to keep the customized report available for the future: Create, access, and modify memorized reports.

You can always reach out to us for other QuickBooks concerns you may have. We'll be around to assist you.

I too am having the same issue.
I knew, knew, knew, that I should have "tested" this Write Off Invoices tool before I used it!
Now I have MULTIPLE invoices that should be closed and have a zero balance.
After using this tool for one particular customer, their balance should be zero.
However, in the Customer Center they are still showing a balance.

All open invoices for this customer were written off using the "tool" and have had a credit memo for the full balance applied to them, so balance SHOULD be zero, right???
NOT IN QUICKBOOKS!

When I run an open balance report for this customer - it is zero!

When I quick zoom the Accounts Receivable account on the balance sheet, all of the credit memos created using the "tool" are showing as credits on the report and correctly reducing the Accounts Receivable balance.

The Bad Debt expense is correct on the Profit & Loss statement.

HOWEVER, THE CUSTOMER STILL HAS A BALANCE IN THE CUSTOMER CENTER!!

INTUIT - GET WITH IT!!!

THE ORIGINAL POST FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS MADE IN APRIL 2020!!
SOLVE THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF DIRECTING YOUR CUSTOMERS TO CONTACT THE EXTREMELY UNHELPFUL DESKTOP SUPPORT!

See attached message that states "I know this customer has open invoices. Why don't they show up in the invoice table?". This customer DOES NOT have any open invoices!

HOW DO I REMOVE THEM FROM THE CUSTOMER'S ACCOUNT SO THE BALANCE CORRECTLY REFLECTS AS ZERO?

I have tried removing the credit memo created by the "tool" from the invoice it was applied to, then deleting the original credit memo; then creating a new credit memo, used receive payment, applied the credit memo and the invoice balance still isn't removed from the customer's balance!

I appreciate you bringing this to our attention and for the detailed inputs when clearing out customer invoice balances in your account, SB719. Let's ensure the sales entries recorded in your file show the correct balances so your books stay accurate. 

In QuickBooks, applying credit memos to customer invoices will effectively zero out the balances on your customer sales transactions. This process helps ensure that your accounts receivable and net income are always correct. 

Since deleting and recreating the original credit memo and applying them to the invoice using the receive payment feature still shows the customer's balance in your account, unusual behaviors like this must have caused data damage to your company file. Let's first ensure your QuickBooks Desktop file is up-to-date to have your data on its latest product improvements. Then, let's verify and rebuild your data to identify company file errors.  To do this:

1. On the top menu, click File and select Utilities.
2. Click on Verify Data.
3. Select OK when QuickBooks doesn't detect any problem with your data.
4. If Verify finds an issue with your data, you'll be prompted to Rebuild Now or View Errors.
5. Click Close or View Errors and take note of the specific error message.

Then, here's how to rebuild data:

1. Go to File and click Utilities.
2. Click OK if you receive a prompt to back up your company file.
3. Select OK when the rebuild is complete.
4. You can run the Rebuild Data again to ensure there's no error.

However, if the issue persists after troubleshooting your file, it's best to reach out to our Customer Care Team to have your account reviewed and verify the transactions created.

You can also utilize this reference for any additional fixes to help resolve data issues in your file: Fix data damage on your QuickBooks Desktop company file.

Once everything comes in handy in the future, you can run specific reports to help review your business finances. Then, start reconciling your account so they match your bank and credit card statements

I'll leave this thread available so you can always reply below for any additional queries when managing customer sales transactions in your account. Just let me know anytime you need help. Keep safe.

I am also experiencing the same issue.  I wrote off a tons of invoices and now the customer center under the Balance Total column shows all of the amounts I wrote-off, however, when i run an open balance report that report is correct.  There seems to be a disconnect between what I see in customer center under the balance total column and the delivered A/R Open invoices reports.  How do I fix this?  My accounting department is going nuts!!!

Hi - I just did this and have the same issue that everyone is having. Did you ever figure out a solution to keep it from showing up in the customer center??

Thanks for joining this thread, Hillary Machinery.

I'm happy to point you in the right direction for more info about the customer balance in your QuickBooks Desktop account.

Since the troubleshooting methods listed above didn't do the trick, I recommend reaching out to a member of the QuickBooks Desktop Support Team. Agents have specialized tools, like the ability to share your screen, to take a more in depth look at what's causing the issue. Here's how to get in touch with the team:

1. Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Give a brief description of your issue, then select Continue.
4. Sign in to your Intuit account and select Continue and then Continue with my account.
5. We'll email you a single use code. Enter your code and select Continue. (If you have more than one account, select the account you want to use and then Continue.)
6. Select to chat with us or have us call you.

The following article provides these steps if you ever need them again in the future: Contact QuickBooks Desktop Support

Please feel free to reach back out if you have any other questions or concerns. I'll be here to help in any way that I can.

I am having the same issue!

Is there a fix to this yet? 

I see how confusing it can be to see an open balance after using the Write-Off Invoices tool, LLS-14710. 

When you utilize the Write-Off Invoices feature, the system should automatically generate a credit memo to offset any invoice balance. From the screenshot you have provided, it is clear that an open balance persists despite having a credit memo. Let’s sort this out together.

First, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your QuickBooks file to protect your data. Then, ensure your software is up to date.

Once you have updated your program, follow these steps if the open balance continues to display:

1. Verify and Rebuild Tool:
   • Go to the Utilities in the File menu and select Verify and Rebuild your data. This process can fix any data integrity problems that may be causing the display errors.
2. Download and Install QuickBooks Tool Hub:
   • Download the QuickBooks Tool Hub and save the file to your computer.
   • Open the file and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
3. Run the QuickBooks File Doctor:
   • Open the QuickBooks Tool Hub.
   • Select Company File Issues and then Quick Fix My File.
   • Follow the prompts to run the QuickBooks File Doctor.
4. Create a General Journal Entry:
   • If the balance still appears incorrectly, you need to adjust it manually. Navigate to the Company menu, select Make General Journal Entries, and create an entry to write off the remaining balance. Debit Accounts Receivable and credit the appropriate expense account, such as Bad Debt Expense.

Additionally, you may find this article helpful: Customize reports in QuickBooks Desktop. It provides detailed guidance on tailoring reports to fit your specific requirements.

It’s been a pleasure working through this with you. I am here to assist you further if you have any questions or need additional help.

Thank you, just rebuilding the data worked! 

Thank you for the update, LLS.
 

I'm thrilled to hear that rebuilding the data worked for you. It's always great to know that your efforts, including the steps suggested by my colleague, have helped resolve your issue.
 

We're always here to provide the support you need to ensure your experience with QuickBooks is smooth and efficient. Have a wonderful day!