How to Batch Delete/Void in QuickBooks Desktop

Are you bothered by duplicate or incorrect transactions in the financial records? QuickBooks Desktop Accountant lets you delete/void them all at once, rather than managing them individually. 

Handling transactions effectively is essential for ensuring accurate and reliable financial records for your clients. If you ever come across the need to delete multiple transactions from the client’s records, whether due to errors or any modifications, QuickBooks Desktop Accountant can help you do so within seconds.

This blog provides valuable insights into Batch delete or void transactions in QuickBooks Desktop Accountant. With this utility, you can select a set of transactions and delete them all together, instead of doing it one by one. Continue reading the blog to know the correct procedure for batch delete or void transactions in QuickBooks, the factors to keep in mind, and how to delete entries individually that are excluded when using the Batch Delete/Void Transactions utility in QuickBooks Accountant.

Key Points to Consider before QuickBooks Desktop Batch Delete Transactions

We thought of enlightening you with some of the factors that play a major role while deleting multiple transactions from QuickBooks Desktop. This’ll help you avoid problems that may arise if you aren’t familiar with the entire batch deletion process. Read them carefully:

1. QuickBooks Accountant Batch Delete/Void Transactions utility (BDT) is only available in QuickBooks Desktop Accountant 2018, Enterprise, or Enterprise Accountant 18.0 and newer versions.
2. You must be signed in as an admin user or an external accountant user while deleting multiple transactions using the BDT utility.
3. Batch Delete/Void Transactions won’t work if your transactions are in multiple currencies.
4. The Batch Delete/Void Transactions utility in QuickBooks can’t erase the following transactions:

• • Invoices containing billable time & costs
  • Invoices having compensated expenses, items, mileage or times
  • Paychecks 
  • Payroll liability checks
  • Sales Tax payments
  • Bill payments done online
  • Closed period transactions
  • Credit card transactions.

Tip: You can individually delete all the abovementioned transactions. Just open the transaction, go to the Edit menu, and tap Delete.

1. If you use QuickBooks Accountant version 2017 or earlier, you can delete bulk transactions using a third-party application. Checkout all the QuickBooks supported apps to find a third-party app as per the business needs and read the instructions provided by the app carefully before using it.
2. Create a backup of your QuickBooks data before proceeding. Having an option to recover your data in case of any issues is always preferable. Here’s a dedicated article for you to learn how to create QuickBooks Backup.
3. Review all the transactions you want to remove and make sure there are no invoices or other dependencies that can be affected when you use the QuickBooks Accountant Batch Void Transactions utility. This is extremely necessary, as the transactions can’t be brought back once deleted from your QB Desktop.
4. Ensure you have admin rights (both OS and QuickBooks Desktop) to avoid restrictions while accessing the company file or making modifications.

These are all the necessary conditions that you must be aware of before batch deleting transactions in QuickBooks Desktop. Now, let us move forward to the next section of our blog, which defines the method by which you can Batch Delete/Void Transactions in QuickBooks Desktop.

Steps to Batch Delete/Void in QuickBooks Desktop

Just follow the stepwise procedure mentioned below for QuickBooks Accountant Batch Void transactions:

1. Launch your QuickBooks Desktop (admin mode is preferable) and go to the File menu.
   
   
2. Tap Switch to single-user mode. (Ignore this step if your QuickBooks is already running in single-user mode.)
   
   
3. Go to the Accountant menu and click the Batch Delete/Void Transactions… option.
4. Find all the transactions you want to delete and mark () the checkboxes alongside them.
5. Tap Review & Delete if you want to permanently remove the transactions, or Review & Void if you want to void them.
6. You can either select Back Up & Delete or Back Up & Void. In case you don’t need a backup, just tap Delete Only or Void Only in the drop-down▼ menu.
7. Tap Yes when ready to confirm you want to Delete or Void the transactions.
8. Click View Delete/Voided Transaction Report to print a copy once the transaction is deleted or voided.

Tip: Deleting a transaction means permanently removing it from your system. Whereas, voiding a transaction means you cancel a transaction, but it’ll show up in the financial records.

Voiding or Deleting Transactions Based on their Type

You can also delete or void a specific type of transaction if you need to. Just select the preferred option from the TRANSACTION TYPE▼ drop-down menu. The Bills option you see in the drop-down contains:

• Bill Refunds & Credits
• Bill Payment & Refund Checks
• Finance Charges

Show/Hide the Linked or Voided Transactions

You can also show linked or voided transactions by marking the checkbox beside Show linked transactions or Show voided transactions.

• Mark (✔) the checkbox besides Show linked transactions to see all the linked transactions in the LINKED TRNS column.
• Mark (✔) the checkbox besides Show voided transactions to see all the voided transactions in the Available Transactions list.

Using the Transactions Filter

You can also filter the transactions based on the date. Click the SHOW TRANSACTIONS BY▼ and choose between Entered, Last Modified, or Transaction Date.

Also, if you want transactions between specific dates, click the FOR▼ and fill in the From as well as To fields.

Sorting the Transactions List Columns for Easy Viewing

You can also sort out the columns in the Available Transactions List for a better display and avoid confusion. Here’s how:

• Select & drag them to arrange them according to your preference.
• Select a header to sort the transactions list alphabetically, by date or by numbers.

This is how to batch delete transactions in QuickBooks Desktop. Next, we’ll tell you how to remove duplicate transactions directly from your bank feed.

Conclusion 

This blog justifies why the Batch delete or void transactions in QuickBooks Desktop Accountant is an invaluable utility to maintain the integrity of the financial records. The Batch Delete/Void Transactions (BDT) utility allows you to delete multiple transactions at once, which saves you a lot of time and effort. The blog showcases a proper method to use the BDT utility and the things to keep in mind before using it. We hope you got all the information you wanted on QuickBooks Desktop batch delete transactions, and you are now capable of using the utility efficiently on your system.

FAQs

Void or Delete, which is a better option in QuickBooks?

We’ll advise you to void the transactions instead of deleting them if you have any confusion regarding them. This will ensure that you have a record of the transaction that might be useful in the future. However, if you are sure you want to remove a transaction without keeping its record, you can straightaway delete the transactions to remove them permanently from the financial records.

Will using the QuickBooks Batch Delete or Void Transactions utility impact my financial reports?

Obviously, deleting a transaction may induce discrepancies in your financial reports. That is why you must be extra careful while choosing the transactions you want to delete. Make sure they aren’t linked to additional payments or invoices, which can be problematic. Your A/R (Accounts Receivable) and A/P (Accounts Payable) will be affected when you delete a transaction, and it can also distort the Profit & Loss reports. Also, the tax calculations will be incorrect if you remove a transaction linked to sales tax payments or vendor/customer bills.

Can I void an unpaid invoice in QuickBooks Desktop?

Sure, you can void an old or unpaid invoice in QB Desktop. Access the Customers menu in QB Desktop and select Customer Center. Look out for the invoice in the customer’s records and double-click the transaction to open it. Click the Delete▼ dropdown besides Save and select Void. Tap OK to void the unpaid invoice.

Can I void all transactions in QuickBooks?

No, there are some types of transactions that can’t be voided in QuickBooks. The list includes Estimates, Deposits, Bills, Delayed Charges, Purchase Orders and Vendor Credits.

How do I void or delete a transaction in QuickBooks Online?

Sign in to your QBO, access the Sales menu, and click the All Sales option. Look out for the invoice you want to void or delete, and select the Dropdown▼ in the Actions column. You can now select Void or Delete according to your requirement.