How to Find and Recover Deleted Invoices in QBO and QBD
Accidentally removed an invoice? You’re not alone. Whether you’re a QuickBooks expert or or a writer juggling client accounts, losing an invoice can throw your workflow into chaos. The good news: QuickBooks maintains a hidden audit trail. In this article, we’ll walk through recovering deleted invoices in both QBO and QBD, and share tips on avoiding this headache in the future.
In this guide, we will help you find and restore those deleted invoices, both in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, so that you can keep your books error‑free going forward.
Why Deleted Invoices Matter
Missing invoices can create a mess in your financial records, affect tax filing and even result in missed payments. Recovering deleted invoices is an essential skill for any QuickBooks user, whether it’s a simple mistake or an effort to find a missing payment.
The Reason Why QuickBooks don’t Let you Undelete Invoices
QuickBooks does not have a “recycle bin” for invoices. If you delete one, it disappears from your active records, but not permanently. Here’s why:
Cleansing books: QuickBooks cares about data accuracy. Because deleting clears residual traces to avoid duplicate entries.
Audit trails: Rather than restore, you can recreate invoices from logs (more on that below).
What to do: Search for invoice information using built-in reports, and reconstruct invoices manually.
How to Restore Deleted Invoices in QuickBooks Online
While QuickBooks Online does not feature a special magic “undelete” button, it does boast an incredibly useful and powerful tool — the Audit Log. This useful feature keeps track of every change made in your account, including deleted invoices. Here’s how you can use it:
Step-by-Step Instructions to Recover Deleted Invoice in QBO
- Click the Gear in the top-right corner and choose Audit Log.
- Filter the list using the Events options. Choose Transactions and Deleted/Voided transactions to concentrate on the significant transactions.
- Scroll the list or use Ctrl + F to search for “deleted.” If you want to get all the details, just click View under the History column.
- Go to the Audit log and see the account activity. Click the + New button, choose Invoice and enter the necessary information.
Pro Tip: Enable custom transaction numbers (Gear > Account and Settings > Sales > Sales form content) which allows you to use the same invoice number after creating it again.
How To Restore Deleted Invoices in QuickBooks Desktop
If you are a QuickBooks Desktop user, the method is a bit different but still easy. Here’s what you need to do:
Step-by-Step Instructions to Recover Deleted Invoice in QBD
- Go to Reports > Accountant & Taxes > Voided/Deleted Transactions Summary. This report will show all deleted transactions.
- Find the invoice you are looking for and note down the information. You can provide more details by adding columns to the report.
- Based on the details in the report, re-enter the invoice manually. Click Customers > Create Invoices and enter the details.
Additional Features: If you keep daily backups of your data, you can restore the company file to a time period just before the file was deleted. But be careful because this will overwrite anything you’ve done since the backup.
Online Recovery Methods vs. Desktop Recovery Methods
| Feature | QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Desktop |
| Undo delete | No | No |
| Recovery method | Audit Log | Voided/Deleted Report |
| Recreate invoice manually | Yes | Yes |
| Restore from backup | N/A | Yes |
Best Practices to Prevent Losing Invoices
Everyone makes mistakes, but you can reduce them when following these tips:
- Void Instead of Delete: Voiding leaves the record intact with a zero balance.
- Turn on Audit Trail: For desktop users, make sure an Audit Trail is always turned on (Edit > Preferences > Accounting).
- Regular Backups: Daily backup of Desktop.
- User Permissions: Only senior staff should have delete permissions.
- Train your team: Teach them how to use voids and the audit log.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is it possible to restore an invoice number in QuickBooks?
You cannot restore invoice numbers in QuickBooks directly, but rather you can reuse them manually after creating a new invoice yourself.
I cannot find the deleted invoice in the Audit Log
Check the date range and any filters. If not still missing, you may need to reconstruct it from outside records such as bank statements or communications with clients.
Are there any measures to stop accidental deletions from happening?
Restrict access, turn on confirmation dialogs, and check reports periodically to prevent these accidents.
Final Thoughts
There is no stress involved in restoring deleted invoices in QuickBooks. The solution can usually be pretty easy with the right tools and a little bit of knowledge, and you can have your books back in order in no time. Whether you’re using QuickBooks Online or Desktop, the Audit Log and Voided/Deleted Transactions Report are your best friends! Of course: prevention is the best way to go—avoid deleting files by accident in the first place.
Need more help? We’re here to help you with our expert team! Contact us any time for personalized assistance and keep your data safe and secure with our services. No stress, just solutions.
