Trying to make a customer inactive, but I get an error message saying: "This customer cannot be deleted because it is used on a recurring template." Please help.

Hey anna54,

I'll be delighted to help you remove that recurring template and make the customer inactive. The first is to remove the template, here's how:

1. Go to the Settings ⚙and select Recurring Transactions.
2. Look and choose the template associated with the customer to remove it.
3. Under the Action column, click Edit and use the drop-down and choose Delete.

Once the template is deleted, the second phase would be to make the customer inactive by:

1. Going to the Sales tab and choosing Customers.
2. Locate the customer name, and in the Action column, select Make inactive.
3. Click Yes to confirm.

In the event you may need to make a customer active again, this link provided the steps to do so. Reach out to us if you have further questions. Have a great day!

Thank you very much!

I have the same issue but the customer is not referenced in any of the recurring transactions.

I'll help you make your customer inactive in QuickBooks Online (QBO), @Gaine19.

Since your customer doesn't have any recurring transactions made in QuickBooks, therefore we can simply make him inactive. Let me show you how:

1. Go to Sales, then select Customers.
2. Choose the customer you want to make inactive, then click the drop-down arrow below the ACTION column.
3. Select Make inactive and click Yes to confirm.

Please take that note once you make a customer inactive, he/she will be removed from the Customer area, reporting options, and any other place where customers are listed.

Although this is not a complete removal of their information, as you will still see their previous activity with your company in reports and their transactions will still be available for access.

In case you want to make this customer active again, you can follow these steps:

1. Click Sales, then select Customers.
2. Above the Action column, select the small Gear icon, then check Include inactive.
3. Find the customer and select Make Active in the Action column.

The Community always has your back, so please let me know if you have other questions.

Thank you!

I'm here to help ensure you can make your client inactive in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), @Italian Law.

There are some possible reasons why the Customer is inactive checkbox isn't showing in your QBDT. Here are some of them:

• Your new laptop doesn't meet the system requirements for QBDT 2021.
• Your QuickBooks isn't up to date.
• Your company file may have data issues.

To get this fixed, you'll want to make sure your new laptop meets the system requirements for QBDT 2021. If it meets the requirements and still experiencing the same, I suggest updating your QBDT to the latest release.

If the issue persists, you can run the Verify and Rebuild Utility Tools. This way, we can check if your company file has data damage. For the detailed steps and information, feel free to read this article: Verify and Rebuild Data in QuickBooks Desktop.

Once everything is up and running, you may want to run and customize sales reports in your QBDT. This helps you review your sales transactions entered in your company file.

Should you need any assistance getting your company file up and running, I'm available here to help any time!

Thank you. This issue was resolved and my computer and QB is up to date. Thank you.

I have tried everything, including the actions indicated here and I cannot get the Customer to be inactive. They do not have a recurring transaction. I have tried making the Customer inactive from the Customer list and the drop down Action list and I have tried opening the Customer and clicking the Make Inactive button. Neither of these work. It still tells me there is a recurring transaction...Help! Thanks

Let's resolve the error you're having to make your customer inactive seamlessly, @LWPFL.

Since you're still having an error after trying those troubleshooting steps, I suggest clearing your browser's cache. 

It's possible that the piled-up cache in your regular browser caused this unusual behavior. 

Go to your account by using a private browser or an incognito window, then try to make this customer inactive. If it works fine, clear the cache in the one that you're currently using.

Here are the following keyboard shortcuts: 

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

If it works, here's how to clear cache and cookies to fix issues when using QuickBooks Online. Restart your browser right after. 

You can also proceed by using other browsers if the steps above don’t work.

Refer to this article for more information about removing a customer: Add and manage customers in QuickBooks Online. It will also guide you with adding, editing, deleting, or merging customers. 

Let me know if there's anything else that I can help with your customers. I'm always here to help. Have a wonderful day!

I was hopeful...but it did not work. I still get the same message telling me there is a recurring transaction. It is very strange because I did the same steps with 3 customers in a row and this is the only one that I cannot put as inactive. I will try restarting my computer and see if that works. Any other suggestions, just in case? Thanks

Let me get you to best assistance that you need, LWPFL.

If you've already followed the steps given by colleagues above and you still received an error. I recommend getting in touch with our Technical Support team. They can securely remote into your computer to investigate further about this error.

Here's how:

1. Go to Help (?).
2. Select the Search tab. then Contact Us.
3. Enter a brief description of your issue, then hit Let's Talk.
4. Choose a way to connect:

• Start a chat - initiate a chat with them.
• Get a callback - from the next available support.

Just a heads up, our support hours for QuickBooks Online Plus, Essentials, Simple Start Mondays to Fridays  6 AM to 6 PM PT and Saturday 6 AM to 3 PM PT. For QuickBooks Online Advanced, any time and any day of the week.

We'll be here if you still have other concerns about it. Have a wonderful day!

I have tried this, but when I click on "Recurring Transactions" it takes me to a page to upgrade my version on QBO. Apparently the lowest tier doesn't have "Recurring Transactions"? I migrated to QBO from Desktop Pro and I had used memorized transactions in the desktop. I don't plan to anymore. If my version doesn't support it, why is it keeping me from making the customer inactive?

Thank you for joining in on the thread, Napes.

I hope you're doing well! I will share insights about inactivating a customer in QuickBooks Online, so you will be guided moving forward.

It is right that you can't inactivate a customer profile if it is used on a recurring transaction template. However, the Simple Start plan doesn't offer that option. Therefore, you should be able to inactivate them.

The other thing you want to look at is the customer's balance. It should be zero, so you can inactivate its profile. Otherwise, you will receive a prompt message saying QuickBooks will create an adjusting entry to zero out its balance.

Can you tell us what's keeping you from inactivating a customer? What's the error message when you do this? You can also check about managing a customer for your additional reference.

The Community Team is always available to assist you. You can always reach out at any time. Take care!

The error message says that I can not make customer inactive  because they are in an recurring transaction template. I just migrated from QB Pro desktop where I did have memorized transaction lists in use. I understand the Simple Start plan does not use these.  And I believe I actually had these customers inactive there anyway. Can't figure out why they show as active now. If I can't access recurring transactions to remove them, and they have 0 balance, I'm starting to feel like I might have to go back to Desktop and clean up the old memorized transactions and double check their active/inactive status and start Online migration all over again