Recreating a deleted transaction doesn't automatically clear the discrepancy it caused
When you delete a transaction that was already reconciled, QuickBooks Online treats the deletion and the recreation as two separate events. Recreating a transaction and marking it R in the register is part of the fix, but there are usually a couple more places to check before the discrepancy clears completely. Here's how to track down and clear any amount that's still showing up.
Step 1: confirm all your bank feed transactions are settled
- Go to All apps, then Accounting, then Bank transactions.
- Make sure everything from the period in question is matched, categorized, posted, or excluded.
Step 2: open the Reconcile Discrepancy Report
- Go to All apps, then Accounting, then Reconcile.
- Choose the account you're working on. If you have more than one account of the same type, double check you picked the right one.
- You'll see an alert that your beginning balance is off. Select We can help you fix it to open the report.
Step 3: work through each item in the report
- For each line, check the What happened column to see what changed and when.
- Select Review in tray for details, or use the dropdown next to it and choose View History for the transaction's full history.
- Follow the suggested fix, or make your own correction based on your records, but only if the change was genuinely made in error. Some changes are intentional.
If a fix calls for reconciling a single transaction, you can either mark it R in the register or run a full reconciliation using the same ending date and balance as your last one. Both correct the balance, but only the second option shows up on a reconciliation report.
Step 4: check for what the report won't catch
Two situations don't show up in the discrepancy report itself:
- Deleted or voided transactions: go to Settings, then Audit log. Filter to the account and the time since your last completed reconciliation, and look for anything deleted or voided.
- Transactions reconciled outside a normal reconciliation: go to All apps, then Accounting, then Chart of accounts, and select View register for the account. Filter by reconcile status and look for anything marked R that's dated after your last completed reconciliation. Since both the original deleted transactions and the ones you recreated can leave a trace here, this is usually where a leftover amount like yours turns up.
To move a transaction back to uncleared, select the checkmark box next to it in the register repeatedly until it's blank, then save. You'll need to reconcile the account again afterward.
When you're done
Your total discrepancy difference should read $0.00, and the changes you found should add up to the amount you started with. At that point your beginning balance matches your bank statement and you're ready to reconcile as usual.
If you've gone through all of this and a specific amount still won't clear, it's worth getting a second set of eyes on it, since corrections that touch a prior reconciled period can be tricky to untangle alone. An accountant, bookkeeper, or QuickBooks support can help you track down what's left.
Resources:
Fix beginning balance issues when reconciling in QuickBooks Online
Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online
Let us know if you run into anything else while working through this.
