paying credit cards

Hello there, reba01. 

Thanks for joining us here in the Community. I'm here to provide an overview about processing payments through writing checks.

Can you verify which account field are you referring to? There are two main fields which requires an account when writing a check. 

At the upper left-hand corner, you'll see a Bank account drop-down. You need to select the bank account where the money to pay the transaction will be taken out. 

Meanwhile, under the Expenses tab, you'll have to choose what account to use when paying the expense incurred by the company. For example; if this is a payment for the rent, telephone, or electricity, you can use the Utility Expense. 

However, if you're unsure on which one to pick, I'd recommend consulting with an accountant. They are the best experts with posting transactions and ensure your books is accurate come tax time. 

Here's an article for additional reference:

Create, modify, and print checks

This should give you an overview about writing checks in QuickBooks Desktop. Let me know if you have additional questions. I'll get back here to help! 

Did you ever get an answer for this?  I use a credit card to pay vendor bills and I pay that credit card using my checking account.  I can't figure out how to avoid the double expense.

I have the same question.  When I pay vendor bills with a credit card I have a balance due on that credit card.  I use my checking account to pay off the balance on the credit card.  How do I pay the credit card balance and not have it show up as an expense twice?

Thanks for joining this conversation @nhuskerfan,

Processing payments using a credit card and settling credit balance requires double entries. One to account for the liability and the other for the expense itself. The process of writing a check is correct, however, you will need to first create a credit card charge for the purchase made. Here's how:

Enter credit card charges to put the amount you owe in the credit card account (Other Current Liability).

1. Go to the Banking menu then use Enter Credit Card Charges.
2. Pick the credit card account from the Credit Card ▼ dropdown.
3. Purchase/Charge is the default. If you want to record a credit or refund you received through the credit card, select the Refund/Credit instead.
4. Choose the vendor from the Purchased From ▼ dropdown.
5. Add the date of transaction, then enter a memo explaining the charge.
6. Choose the Expenses or Items tab and enter the expenses/items you want to track.
7. Lastly, hit Save & Close.

To make the payment, the steps will differ on when you pay the balance before or after reconciliation. Refer to the steps provided in this article for the steps: Set up, use, and pay credit card accounts

Let me know if you have any questions along the way. I'll be right here if you need help. Have a nice day!

How to record payment to credit card

Greetings, @Trish2023. 

Welcome to the Community! Thanks for chiming in on this thread. 

All you need to do to record a payment to the credit card is the steps my colleague, @Jen_D, provided above your response. However, when using the 3rd instruction, use the default option which is Purchase/Charge. 

Review this guide for additional details: Set up, use, and pay credit cards. 

This should do the trick. If you have any other concerns, don't hesitate to ask. I'm only a post away. Bye for now!