incorrect cash results for zero bill/expense (used to allocate internal expenses across classes) qb desktop 2020

Hi there, lea019.

The Accrual and Cash accounting method doesn't always give the same result. Their difference lies in the timing of when income and expenses are recognized. You can learn more about this by checking out our cash vs. accrual accounting: What’s best for your business?

I understand that you've called us about this already. But I'd like to ensure that your case# gets reviewed, so I suggest you call in again. One of our phone representatives can do this for us.

Here's how:

1. Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Enter a short description of your issue, select Let's talk and then choose a way to connect.

Also, you can check our support hours to reach them during your convenient time: Contact QuickBooks products and services Support.

Don't hesitate to drop a comment below if you have other questions about the accounting method. I'm happy to support you. Take care.

“doesn't always give the same result. Their difference lies in the timing of when income and expenses are recognized.”

My comment applies to only the zero bill situation. And for this yes there is NO timing difference as the payment date is equal to the date on the expense bill. Accrual and Cash will always be exactly the same

On calling support, i poured more than 10 hours (lots of hold time), more than 5 separate calls and i have all the case numbers documenting these calls recorded in my notes.

I have a quickbook pro advisor, that i have been working with for the past 15 years (well known within the quickbooks side), that assisted me with this problem and engaging qb support. But at the end of the day I had to stay infront of the qb phone support and it turned into an abusive waste of time. That is why i am posting in the community forum.

If you want to PM me i will give you case numbers and you can track it down. The story from my side has been consistent from the first call. 

This problem is very easy to reproduce and basically will affect any user

I appreciate your time in getting back here, lea019.

It's important we're able to resolve this issue as soon as possible. You mentioned that you've already called and I know it's not something you're looking to do again. However, we don't have the necessary tools to review your account and investigate the issue further in the Community.

You can try the troubleshooting steps shared in this article: Fix data damage on your QuickBooks Desktop company file. Otherwise, follow these steps to contact Customer Care Team. Please take note that our support hours for QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Plus is available from M-F 6 AM to 6 PM PT. For the Enterprise version, we're available any time, any day.

Here are the steps:

1. In your QuickBooks Desktop program, go to Help > QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. In the Have a Question window, click the Contact Us link at the bottom.
3. From the Contact Us page, select any topics.
4. Under Here's how to connect with a QuickBooks expert section, click the Start a Message or Get Phone Number button.

You can also get our direct phone number in this article: Contact QuickBooks Desktop support.

You're always welcome to reply on this thread if you have more questions or other concerns. We're available to help. Take care and stay safe.

On each of the 5+ phone support encounters (each time QB generates new case# despite my request that for continuity to use the original case#) , they had me do the same verify/rebuild steps. So this has been repeated on each of these calls. Repeating these same steps over an over does not make any sense to me. Further as I demonstrated to the QB support agent the issue can be easily replicated with simple example.  Using the same version fully updated, desktop 2020 just input a zero bill

Date can be today or any day you choose with the transaction date and the due date equal.

2+ rows each with same account, different class, and amounts that sum to zero.

Eg for a 3 class allocation date = today

-200  class1

+100 class2

+100 class3

Sum to zero. The UI on the bill will show “Paid”.

Run report isolate to ONLY this transaction. Toggle between cash and accrual. The results should be equal but they are not.

Prior to the introduction of this bug per my prior summary, this was always the case.  If you look at a transaction captured prior to the bug and has NOT been resaved then this is still the case. Obviousl,y any new transactions will present with the incorrect information. If you alter / resave a transaction last saved PRIOR to the bug and before saved the cash and accrual were equal after the save the results will no longer be equal.

Again easy to replicate even if you create a new company file using an existing QB provided same company. Take only a couple minutes. I explained this to each QB support agent. I even prepared an example using this approach and forwarded to QB via my QB pro advisor. Seemed to be pushing on the common sense string.  Why this seems important is it eliminate any damage as the root cause. Separately the QB pro advisor replicated on their own installs (completely separate environment). An on the very first QB support (yes I have the case #) they also indicated on the case they were able to replicate on the QB systems.

So all things considered, I think this should be sufficient for QB/Intuit to take the ball from here. If QB came back and 1) acknowledge the bug and gave a timeline for a fix to be rolled out I would have a favorable view of that outcome. 

Did you try to reproduce the issue on your system using the simple example i provided?