Is there a way to change a customer to a vendor? Also, when I pull up my contractors, my vendors are there as well. Why is that?

Thank you!  Also, is there a way to change a customer to a vendor?

Hi there, @Kim208. Please allow me to share what I know about your concern.

As of the moment, the feature that you want is unavailable in QuickBooks Online. However, there’s a workaround that we can perform to achieve this.

To begin with, here’s how:

1. Locate and then edit the name of the customer that you want to create as vendor.
2. Once done, make it Inactive.
3. Create a Vendor with the correct name.

We are doing this because QBO does not allow you to use duplicate names in creating different Vendor/Customer profiles.

By this time, you’ve already set up your vendor. You might want to give this article a visit, it’s about how to pay a vendor in QuickBooks Online.

When working in QBO, you can always rely on us if you require assistance. Let us know by leaving a comment down below. Keep safe and enjoy your weekend.

Hello QBO/Intuit,

Whenever I search to see if a problem can be solved or whether there is a solution, I find myself reading through years of nonsense about how you cannot or will not make logical or reasonable changes and have instead created a strange work around to your own system. We pay WAY too much money for this, between transaction fees and subscription fees for there to be absolutely no development. I understand that I am likely shouting into the ether here, but all I want to do is CHANGE THE POST OFFICE TO A VENDOR FOR TWO TRANSACTIONS! Should be simple, but QuickBooks.

Love,

The Kraken

If I inactivate the customer record what happens to the transaction history, does it move to the vendor record?

That's a great question, @Kim208. When it comes to inactivating a customer record in QuickBooks Online, it's essential to understand what happens to the transaction history. Let me share insights about it.
 

Inactivating a customer does not automatically move the transaction history to the vendor record even if you create a vendor with that same name. Instead, the transaction history remains within the customer's record for easy reference and reporting purposes. If you see a transaction for an inactive customer, it displays as 'Name (deleted)'. It's always good to clarify these details to ensure a smooth transition and accurate record-keeping
 

I've added this article to learn how to manage your customers and vendors:

• Add and manage customers in QuickBooks Online
• View vendor transactions

You're always free to drop a comment below if you have additional questions about your customer's data. I'm glad to assist you. Keep safe.

Do I have to re-record the transaction associated to the inactive customer to Vendor?

Hello, BB Santosa. I can help you record the transactions from your inactive customer to your vendor.

We will have to manually record your customer's transactions into your vendor's register. Before doing so, let's go ahead and create a Customer list so it will be convenient to enter the transactions you need to create. Refer to the steps below:

1. Go to Reports.
2. In the search bar, enter Transaction detail. Then choose Transaction Detail by Account.
3. Select Customize in the upper right.
4. ClickGeneral, then choose your preferred date from the Report period dropdown.
5. Select Rows/Columns, then choose Customer or Vendor.
6. Choose Filter.
7. Select customer or vendor, then from the dropdown choose the person that you want to have the report.
8. Select Run Report on the bottom right.

After generating the report, we can now enter them manually under your vendor's register. Here are the steps to do that:

1. From the left menu bar, select Expenses.
2. Go to the Vendor bar.
3. Select the vendor.
4. Click New Transaction.

I'll also share an article to help you distinguish between bills, checks, and expenses: Learn the difference between bills, checks, and expenses in QuickBooks Online.

Additionally, if you need to keep track of your bills and record payments in the future, you can refer to this article: Enter and manage bills and bill payments in QuickBooks Online.

We always have your back if you have more queries in recording transactions. Just comment on this thread and I'll be glad to assist you further. Take care.

My client, for which I do QBO accidentally set up a subcontractor as a customer.  After many payments to that person, thinking they were reimbursements, I realized they were subcontractor payments.  To have to move all of these transactions over to a vendor or subcontractor account from a customer account seems ridiculous.  I've been using QB since it began nearly 30 years ago.  QBO continually frustrates me with these nonsensical features.  Please consider changing the ability to alter the status of a person's name/company from customer to vendor, or vice versa.  Thank you for your time and response in advance.

We want you to have a convenient way of changing a customer into a vendor and vice versa in QuickBooks Online (QBO), Linda. Let me delve into this topic further.

Currently, there isn't a direct way to accomplish this task in QBO due to the distinct roles and data structures associated with customers and vendors. They have different fields, transactions, and reporting requirements, which helps maintain data integrity.

Your feedback is valuable and plays a crucial role in helping us improve your QBO experience. In the meantime, we encourage you to submit your suggestion. This way, our dedicated team of software engineers will consider your idea as they work on our future product enhancements.

To do that:

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Under Profile, select Feedback.
3. Provide a brief description of your feature request and click Next.

Moreover, check out this article if you need guidance creating and printing a report to view all customer or vendor transactions: Print a customer or vendor register in QuickBooks Online.

Feel free to join this thread if you have additional concerns about managing your customers or subcontractors in QBO. We'll be available anytime in this forum whenever you need it. Stay safe.