Connect with and learn from others in the QuickBooks Community.
Join nowThis is a variation of similar question that was posted a few years ago.
Our small business pays sales tax on an annual basis. We also made the mistake of not using the “Pay Sales Tax” feature to record payments. Unlike the original question, we did use the “Sales Tax Payable” account in creating the payment, so the P&L for those years is correct.
The problem is that “Sales Tax Liability” summary is not correct in its detail. The bottom line is correct, but it shows the payments (credits) as separate lines labeld “- Other” instead of zeroing out the proper line. I know it is my fault for not using the “Pay Sales Tax” feature to record payments, and am looking for the cleanest way to straighten it out.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Solved! Go to Solution.
"We also made the mistake of not using the “Pay Sales Tax” feature to record payments. Unlike the original question, we did use the “Sales Tax Payable” account in creating the payment, so the P&L for those years is correct."
Meaning your entry is not seen at all, but you bypassed the Function.
"The problem is that “Sales Tax Liability” summary is not correct in its detail."
Fix it any time you are ready to fix it, then.
"and am looking for the cleanest way to straighten it out."
Pay Sales Taxes properly, now, for each and every payment you made the Wrong way. Use that same date and check # and match the amount. Delete the Wrong Entries.
Now Banking has not changed; you replaced the wrong transaction Type with the right one, paralleling the exact info. You affected Cleared Status, so it is time to do a Mini-Rec or Interim Reconciliation.
Use the same Statement as just previously used and the ending date and balance. Ignore the beginning balance. It is the Net of all cleared transactions and you know why it is wrong. Ignore it. Clear only your Recreated transactions that you know were previously process by the bank and cleared previously. Bottom right, you see a difference of 0 and you are back on track.
"We also made the mistake of not using the “Pay Sales Tax” feature to record payments. Unlike the original question, we did use the “Sales Tax Payable” account in creating the payment, so the P&L for those years is correct."
Meaning your entry is not seen at all, but you bypassed the Function.
"The problem is that “Sales Tax Liability” summary is not correct in its detail."
Fix it any time you are ready to fix it, then.
"and am looking for the cleanest way to straighten it out."
Pay Sales Taxes properly, now, for each and every payment you made the Wrong way. Use that same date and check # and match the amount. Delete the Wrong Entries.
Now Banking has not changed; you replaced the wrong transaction Type with the right one, paralleling the exact info. You affected Cleared Status, so it is time to do a Mini-Rec or Interim Reconciliation.
Use the same Statement as just previously used and the ending date and balance. Ignore the beginning balance. It is the Net of all cleared transactions and you know why it is wrong. Ignore it. Clear only your Recreated transactions that you know were previously process by the bank and cleared previously. Bottom right, you see a difference of 0 and you are back on track.
This makes sense at first however, you can't just put in a new entry..you have to put that new entry in through the Vendor--> Pay Sales Tax menu. And you can't just make a new entry this way....
So, I don't see how this solved your problem?
Thank you for posting here in the Community, @lesliemc.
It's my pleasure to give you an insight into the process of how to correct the Sales tax Liability in QuickBooks. The step by step instructions provided by @qbteachmt above is the exact way to fix your account.
QuickBooks Desktop is unable to convert the wrong transaction to the right ones all at once. That's why we suggest to create new entries to correct the transactions and to reconcile your bank perfectly.
For additional information on how to collect, process sales tax adjustment, and other related topics, please check this article: Pay sales tax.
Keep me posted if there's anything else you need. I'm just a post away. Have a good one.