inactive bank account still used during payroll

Thank you for providing me with so much detail, bbatton. 

This helps me know what has already been tried and how we should approach your situation. First, let me share how changing the bank account works in QuickBooks Online Payroll.

Since the incorrect bank account shows every time you run payroll, it's possible that it was set up as default in the Payroll Settings screen. You can update this to the correct account and delete it since there are no transactions under it.

Let me show you how:

To update the bank account for payroll:

1. Select the Gear icon and choose Payroll Settings.
2. Under Preferences, click the Accounting link.
3. Click the drop-down arrow, and select the correct bank account.
4. Click OK twice.

To delete the bank account:

1. Click the Gear icon and choose Chart of Accounts.
2. Locate the bank account and click the drop-down arrow beside it.
3. Select Delete.
4. Click Yes to confirm.

As for your other question, once a paycheck has been created, we no longer have an option to change the bank account used. You'd have to delete and recreate the paycheck selecting the correct account instead.

Also, QuickBooks Online Payroll does not have an "Unlock Net Pay" option. If the taxes are a bit off, you'll have to recreate the paycheck with the exact same information. If the taxes are still off, give us a call so our Customer Care team can assist you with a payroll correction.

You can get the QuickBooks Payroll contact information through this link:​

1. Go to: http://payroll.intuit.com/support/contact/
2. Select your Payroll Subscription type (Online Payroll).
3. Select a topic.
4. Click on the View Contact Info button.​

Once you've updated the bank account in the Payroll Settings screen and deleted it, it will no longer show when running payroll.

The steps above can help you make sure that you're using the correct bank account for payroll. Keep in touch with me if you still need more help with this. I'll be here. Have a great weekend.

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Final question- is there a way to edit the paying bank account once the check was already created (but not cashed) or do I need to delete it and start over??

---

If you forget to change the bank account, no need to delete and start over.  You can create a transfer transaction, from the account where the money was actually drawn from to the account where QBO posted the paycheck.  That zeroes out the latter account, and creates a debit in the account where the money was actually drawn, which you can match in the bank feed

Hi Malcolm,

This same thing happened to me.  I created payroll using my operating acct when I meant to use the payroll acct.  I corrected it going forward but how do I correct the 8 payroll checks that were issued today? Would I create a transfer transaction you describe?  If so, how would I do this?

Thank you in advance.

Hello there, Newuser1.

It would be my pleasure to answer any questions you may have concerning the payroll issued today in QuickBooks Online.

If you still can delete the paycheck issued today within the system, you can go back and create them all over. However, if it won't allow you to do so, what you can do is follow the workaround provided by our peer user @Malcolm Ziman.

I want to ensure that you're able to correct the account for these paychecks, so please let me know how it goes. If you should need further assistance, I'm just one click away.

---

@Newuser1 wrote:

Hi Malcolm,

This same thing happened to me.  I created payroll using my operating acct when I meant to use the payroll acct.  I corrected it going forward but how do I correct the 8 payroll checks that were issued today? Would I create a transfer transaction you describe?  If so, how would I do this?

Thank you in advance.

---

Gear>Transfer, one for each check, from the account where the money was actually drawn from to the account where QBO posted the paycheck.  It's not clear which is which in your case. 
Or in the bank feed for the account where the money was actually drawn from, select the other account as the "category"

This is been happening to me on numerous occasions.

I had a duplicate acct, thats been made inactive, but QB still grabs it for payroll (but matches in bank feed to the correct acct)

Previously I have made a transfer : from correct acct to 'wrong' acct... each payroll transaction.. to bring the wrong acct to 0 balance (was in negative from all the payroll)

then in previously categorized bank trans, unmatch them and rematch them as the transfer post