lizhayley
Level 1

Linked an account in error - how do I remove duplicate transactions?

Hi! I am a new user and I am trying to figure out how to fix duplicate bank accounts/transactions. This is a rather lengthy post with the detailed info of how I got here, but if you scroll to the bottom you will see a summary. Thanks! 

 

Here's what happened: I was having issues linking my bank when I first created my account, so instead I downloaded the transactions and manually loaded them. Fast forward a week and I was able to link the account, but I selected the same start date as the file that I loaded, resulting in overlapping transactions for 4 months (I guess I thought it would know it was the same account, or give me that option, but that was my mistake).

 

I was able to speak to QB support person, who told me to unlink the account. When I did that it is no longer showing in the Bank Transactions section, she told me since it hadn't been reconciled it was no longer there. Great! I figured I could just go back and link the account to the existing bank account that was created from the manual load. However, l didn't realize I not offered that option. (I guess once you manually load something, it cannot be converted to automatic linked account.)

 

So, because I have a brand new account and want to start clean, and also because I have not reconciled anything yet - I I thought the solution would be to download the categorized transactions from the manual load bank account (to save the category info) and then remove/delete those transactions, and go back and link the bank account again from the start, categorize those transactions based on the work I had done already and be on my merry way. BUT, again my mistake, because since it's not "linked" there is no way to "unlink" it, and while I do see the option to disconnect, but judging by what happened when I did that with the linked version of the account, it just removes it from your current bank accounts, but the transactions still live in the register.

 

Furthermore the next time I logged in I saw "Bank Accounts" on the home screen and I see the now unlinked bank account showing as a 4th account, when I click on it it takes me to the bank register and has all the transactions.

 

From what I can tell, the only way to delete these transactions is to go to the bank register and do it one by one. Is that correct? Or is there a way to "undo" something you essentially did in error and if you have literally not done anything with it yet (ie, no categorization etc).

 

I realize that usually it's not a best practice to delete things, but also, this is a brand new account, and I have barely done anything in it yet, so my thought is that if I can undo some of this and start from a blank slate that would be the least confusing thing for account organization going forward.

 

BUT, I've been wrong a few times already so I'm sure I'm likely wrong again...!

Can someone please confirm/advise on what I should do? THANK YOU!!!

In summary:

  • QBO account is less than 2 weeks old and barely used.
  • One bank account was accidentally loaded twice with 3 months of overlapping data (manual load and link).
  • The linked account was unlinked but the transactions still live in the register.
  • Neither account has been reconciled.
  • I would like to clean this up, remove duplicate accounts and transactions entirely and essentially "start over".
  • I prefer to not have a disconnected experience with 3 months in one "bank account" and then starting the new month with the linked account (though I'm sure I'll be told THIS is the way to fix it). And I don't mind re-doing the categorization as there weren't actually a lot of transactions and I also feel like this is perhaps a really good way to learn.