Learn to Remove Accountant’s Copy Restriction in QuickBooks

In QuickBooks Desktop, you can easily remove the accountant’s copy restriction in QuickBooks to regain full control over your company file. It allows you to create a QuickBooks accountant’s copy so your accountant can work on certain accounting tasks while you continue running your business. However, if you no longer need their access or need urgent changes, you may want to remove the restriction. 

Keep in mind that once you do this, any changes made by your accountant in the existing copy cannot be imported back. To avoid data loss, it’s best to back up your QuickBooks file before proceeding. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to edit a QuickBooks file after the accountant’s copy restriction, understand its impact, and troubleshoot common issues. By following these steps, you can remove editing restrictions in QuickBooks accountant’s copy. In this way, you can continue your financial reporting without restrictions.

Steps to Remove the Accountant Lock in QuickBooks

When you need to remove the accountant lock in QuickBooks, you can easily do it using a few simple steps. This restriction allows the accountant to work solely without conflict. Once you no longer need it, removing the lock will free up the company file for your use. This is irreversible, so any changes from your accountant will not be imported back. Before running any such action, it is crucial to maintain a backup of your QuickBooks file to save your critical data.

Here is the way to unlock the accountant file in QuickBooks Desktop:

Step 1: Open the File Menu

You can open the File menu by following these steps:

• Open QuickBooks Desktop on your computer first. 
• After entering, you will see a File menu, which is at the top left corner of your screen. It provides you with several different options concerning the company’s file.

Step 2: Head to the Client Activities

From the File, do the following: 

• Select Send Company File from the dropdown list.
• Click on the Accountant’s Copy to open its settings.
• Choose Client Activities from the list of options.

This has tools that you can use to manage the accountant’s copy, including the removal of the accountant lock in QuickBooks.

Step 3: Remove Accountant’s Copy Restriction

Now you are ready to unlock your company file:

• Click on Remove Restrictions to start the process.
  
  
• A prompt will appear confirming. Next, click on the option “Yes, I want to remove the Accountant’s Copy restrictions” to continue.
• Click OK to confirm the changes.

Note: This completes the steps to disable accountant lock in QuickBooks. Now you will have full access to every section of your QuickBooks file. But remember, if your accountant makes any changes in his copy, you will have to enter them manually here. These changes will not be synced into your file.

In this way, you can remove the accountant lock in QuickBooks quickly and continue tax planning and preparation without restriction.

Conclusion

Taking away the accountant’s copy restriction in QuickBooks brings back full authority over your company file so you can make adjustments accordingly. The process is, however, irreversible, so be sure to back up your data first. If necessary, talk to your accountant beforehand. You can remove the accountant’s copy restrictions in QuickBooks and easily manage your finances.

FAQs

Why is my QuickBooks file locked after receiving it back from my accountant?

The QuickBooks file remains restricted when it returns from the accountant because the limits of the accountant copy continue to hold. This would ensure that prior transactions up to the dividing date are not edited. You should import the modifications of the accountant or delete the limitation because of the accountant’s copy, which reminds you that in doing this, pending edits of the accountant would be made invalid.

Do I need my accountant’s help to unlock my QuickBooks file?

No, you don’t necessarily have to ask your accountant to access your QuickBooks file. You can lift the Accountant’s Copy restriction yourself by going to the File menu, clicking on Send Company File > Accountant’s Copy > Client Activities, and then removing the restrictions. But first, it is advisable to run the suggestions past your accountant so that you do not lose any significant changes.

What is the dividing date, and how does it relate to the accountant’s copy restrictions?

The dividing date in QuickBooks serves as the point of cutoff when preparing an Accountant’s Copy. Once the dividing date is set, you can change only transactions that are after the dividing date, whereas your accountant can work with transactions before the dividing date. This restriction helps maintain data integrity as your accountant makes adjustments. When you remove the restriction, you sacrifice any changes within the accountant’s copy.

What happens to my audit trail when I remove the accountant’s copy restrictions?

If you remove the Accountant’s Copy restriction, the audit trail is still there, but any alterations that your accountant makes in the Accountant’s Copy won’t be imported into your company file. The system records your removal of the restriction, but you’ll have to manually implement any necessary adjustments that were pending in the Accountant’s Copy.

What if I no longer need my accountant’s access to my QuickBooks file?

If you no longer require your accountant’s access, you can turn off the accountant’s copy restriction. This will let you have full control of your QuickBooks file without restriction. But once taken off, the accountant’s changes won’t be implemented, and you’ll need to send an accountant’s copy again if help is needed in the future. Always create a backup before doing this.