Tracking the balance in your bank account is made simple with QuickBooks Online, especially if you've synced your account to the bank feed. I know how important it is to start your balance off properly, and I'd be happy to explain how you can change the beginning balance.
A beginning/opening balance is the starting point for the account in QuickBooks. It summarizes all past transactions in your real-life account up to the opening balance date. QuickBooks tracks all of your opening balances for all of your accounts in an Opening Balance Equity account.
To reconcile an account accurately, the beginning balance in QuickBooks Online has to match the beginning balance on your bank statement.
The opening balance on your statement is the total amount your bank has recorded for all the transactions in your account at the beginning of the statement period.
The way QuickBooks Online calculates the beginning balance for an account depends on whether the account has ever been reconciled before:
Previously-reconciled accounts: The total amount of all reconciled transactions, regardless of date
New or previously-unreconciled accounts: The account's initial balance
When your QuickBooks Online beginning balance doesn't match the bank statement's, it's called a beginning balance discrepancy.
I hope this helps get you back on track. If you have any further questions or need a hand with this process, please don't hesitate to reach out to our tech support team. An agent will be happy to walk you through it.
Thanks for joining us here. Welcome! In addition to the valuable information above, I suggest reviewing this helpful guide, to enter an opening balance in QuickBooks Online. If you should require additional assistance, I encourage you to contact our Customer Care team. With your consent, they'll be able to connect with you live, and ensure you're able to enter an opening balance successfully!
Schedule a Callback or start a Chat: click (?) Help in the upper right in QuickBooks Online > enter "Contact support" > hit Contact Us > provide a brief summary of your situation > hit Let's Talk > choose Get a callback or Start a Chat. Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Support hours are from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach back out. We're always happy to help!
Need QuickBooks guidance?
Log in to access expert advice and community support instantly.