How to delete old accounts from the balance sheet

TUSSU · ‎April 24, 2023

Hi,

my balance sheet is still showing some old accounts how do I remove them?

Thanks,

Noel

JaeAnnC · ‎April 24, 2023

Hello there, TUSSU.

QuickBooks Online (QBO) is currently unable to delete accounts from your Chart of Accounts. However, I'd be glad to show you how to make them inactive, which is similar to deleting them.

Before inactivating a balance sheet account, you'll have to correct the balance to zero. Otherwise, QBO automatically makes an adjustment entry to zero out the non-zero balance of the inactive account. This entry posts to the Opening Balance Equity account, which is the equivalent of posting to previous years. The input could result in an inaccurate filing of tax information.

Here's how to make an account inactive:

Go to Settings and select Chart of Accounts.
Locate the account you want to delete.
Select the Action dropdown and click Make inactive.

Once done, you can remove the deleted accounts from your Balance Sheet report.

Additionally, you can import a spreadsheet of custom or existing accounts from another company file to your QBO account. This way, you may avoid having to enter them manually.

Fill me in if you have additional concerns about your accounts in QBO. I'll be with you to answer your questions. Stay safe!

View solution in original post

jenop2 · ‎April 25, 2023

Glad to join you here and answer your inquiries about old accounts and how they impact your financial reports, TUSSU.

I'll share the steps on how you can remove the inactive accounts from your Balance Sheet and other financial report. Here's how:

Go back to your Balance Sheet report.
Click Customize at the top left.
Scroll down to Rows/Columns, then set Show non-zero or active only to Non-zero.
Select Run report.

Additional details about this function are discussed here: Remove Deleted Accounts from Reports in QuickBooks Online.

Aside from that, you can also make the old accounts inactive. QBO will automatically creates an adjustment to zero out the balance. The automatic entry posts to the Opening Balance Equity account. This way the account will no longer impact your Balance Sheet.

Here's an article that talks about this option for more details: Make an Account Inactive on Your Chart of Accounts in QuickBooks Online.

Lastly, allow me to share these articles for additional information and guidance when running reports in QBO:

Feel free to reply to me and ask follow-up questions if you still need more guidance with this. I'll jump right back and offer my help again.

View solution in original post

JaeAnnC · ‎April 24, 2023

Hello there, TUSSU.

QuickBooks Online (QBO) is currently unable to delete accounts from your Chart of Accounts. However, I'd be glad to show you how to make them inactive, which is similar to deleting them.

Before inactivating a balance sheet account, you'll have to correct the balance to zero. Otherwise, QBO automatically makes an adjustment entry to zero out the non-zero balance of the inactive account. This entry posts to the Opening Balance Equity account, which is the equivalent of posting to previous years. The input could result in an inaccurate filing of tax information.

Here's how to make an account inactive:

Go to Settings and select Chart of Accounts.
Locate the account you want to delete.
Select the Action dropdown and click Make inactive.

Once done, you can remove the deleted accounts from your Balance Sheet report.

Additionally, you can import a spreadsheet of custom or existing accounts from another company file to your QBO account. This way, you may avoid having to enter them manually.

Fill me in if you have additional concerns about your accounts in QBO. I'll be with you to answer your questions. Stay safe!

TUSSU · ‎April 25, 2023

Thank you very much for your quick reply, I notice that some of the accounts contain an opening balance, how do I remove these accounts from the balance sheet?

Regards,

Noel

jenop2 · ‎April 25, 2023

Glad to join you here and answer your inquiries about old accounts and how they impact your financial reports, TUSSU.

I'll share the steps on how you can remove the inactive accounts from your Balance Sheet and other financial report. Here's how:

Go back to your Balance Sheet report.
Click Customize at the top left.
Scroll down to Rows/Columns, then set Show non-zero or active only to Non-zero.
Select Run report.

Additional details about this function are discussed here: Remove Deleted Accounts from Reports in QuickBooks Online.

Aside from that, you can also make the old accounts inactive. QBO will automatically creates an adjustment to zero out the balance. The automatic entry posts to the Opening Balance Equity account. This way the account will no longer impact your Balance Sheet.

Here's an article that talks about this option for more details: Make an Account Inactive on Your Chart of Accounts in QuickBooks Online.

Lastly, allow me to share these articles for additional information and guidance when running reports in QBO:

Feel free to reply to me and ask follow-up questions if you still need more guidance with this. I'll jump right back and offer my help again.

Flor Isola

This is BS. I selected the zero option but the accounts are still showing. Also I added these accounts by mistake on a latter day than the reports I’m pulling… however they still show up!

MsNorthPND18

We're joining the thread to share further insights on how to remove the Balance Sheet Reports that are still showing in your QuickBooks Online (QBO) account, Flor Isola. By merging the data into the desired account and making the duplicate inactive, you can keep your lists clean, speed up bookkeeping, and simplify the process. I'll be delighted to assist you with merging the Balance Sheet to zero it out and permanently remove it from your account. Here's How:

Go to Settings and then select Chart of Accounts.
Find the account you want to keep. Then, select the dropdown ▼ in the Action column and then Edit.
Select the Account Name, Account Type, and Detail Type of the account. These must be the same between the accounts you want to merge.

For more details, you may explore this article to learn how to keep your accounts, customers, and vendors organized: Merge duplicate accounts, customers, and vendors in QuickBooks Online.

Also, we're adding this article to help you learn more about running financial reports in QBO: Run reports in QuickBooks Online. It includes steps on how to print, email, and export reports, as well as links to related articles on running reports in QuickBooks.

Additionally, we recommend using QBO Live Bookkeeping, whether you prefer guidance from bookkeeping experts as you do your books or want a dedicated bookkeeper to handle everything for you. Live Bookkeeping has you covered.

You're always welcome to post a reply on this thread if you need more help with deleting Balance Sheet Reports or other features in your QBO account, Flor Isola. Have a great day ahead.

Flor Isola

I’m not wanting to merge any accounts. I don’t want the 2 inactive accounts to show on my balance report. I selected all options on the customize report (active, zero, all), but they are still showing there

ClaireSamanthaS

Hello,@Flor. Welcome to the Community. I appreciate the attempt to customize the report to get the details you need with QuickBooks Online (QBO). I have some troubleshooting steps to get the customization option working when running your report.

As you've completed all customization options for your report, it may be helpful to troubleshoot the issue by accessing your account in a private browser window. This step can resolve unexpected behaviors caused by cached data accumulation.

To streamline your tasks, you can utilize any of the following shortcut keys:

Mozilla Firefox: CTRL + Shift + P
Microsoft Edge: CTRL + Shift + N
Google Chrome: CTRL + Shift + N
Safari: Command + Shift + N

Once everything is in place, you can proceed to apply filters to your balance sheet report again. If the system is running smoothly, it would be beneficial to clear your cache to ensure a refreshed operating system.

Should you require information on how to save a customized report in QBO, please refer to this resourceful article.

Additionally, you might consider leveraging QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping to enhance your accounting operations. By ensuring precise financial records and offering professional guidance, QuickBooks Live can help you concentrate on expanding your business, ultimately promoting efficiency and growth.

I appreciate your patience as you work through your reports. The Community is here to support you with any further questions regarding QuickBooks Online. Feel free to circle back and I'll be ready to assist you.

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How to delete old accounts from the balance sheet