Why can't I delete old customers that were inactive on my desktop, but are now showing up on my online? I don't have the opt to enable billable exp either.

Hi there, Elizabeth.

I'm glad you reached out. Deleting inactive customers from QuickBooks Desktop is unavailable, as the system retains these records to preserve transaction history and ensure accurate reporting. This means you can always reference past customers or reactivate them if needed. You can keep them marked as inactive so they don’t appear in most lists or interfere with your daily workflow.

Here's how:

Select the customer's name to open their profile.
 

1. Select the dropdown ▼ next to Edit.
2. Select Make inactive, then
3. Select Yes, make inactive to confirm.

For more details, see this article: Delete customers in QuickBooks Online.

As for the billable expense option, please know that this feature is only available in QuickBooks Online Plus and QuickBooks Online Advanced. For more information, you can check this page: Enter billable expenses.

Your satisfaction means so much to me. Please let me know your feedback and leave a comment below if there’s anything else I can assist you with.