Solved

How do I fix my beginning balance after re-entering a check that was previously deleted and reconciled in QuickBooks Desktop?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
March 18, 2025
3 replies
83 views

I have a non-matching beginning balance on my bank reconciliation, I ran the discrepancy report and apparently I deleted a 2 year old check causing the discrepancy. I recreated the check using the same date that it was, that did not change the beginning balance. Then I proceeded to 'clear' the transaction in the check register and save and that also did not change the beginning balance. How can I reinstate this once 'deleted' check? Do I have to delete over a years worth of statement reconciliations to get back to that statement and have to reconcile all of them again? Thanks for your help.

QuickBooks Desktop

Best answer by katelynner

The first thing you will need to do is recreate that deleted check, which you will do by heading to Banking and selecting Write Checks. Once that check is accounted for, the beginning balance won't correct itself until you run what's called a mini reconciliation (also called a special or off-cycle reconciliation). This fixes the specific transaction without disturbing any of your other reconciled periods, so you won't need to redo a year's worth of statements.

Run a mini reconciliation to fix the beginning balance

Before you start, note the ending balance from your last successful reconciliation.
Go to the Banking menu and select Reconcile.
Select the bank account with the transaction you need to reconcile.
In the Date of Statement field, enter an off-cycle date, any date between your last reconciliation and your next scheduled one.
In the Ending Balance field, enter the balance from your last successful reconciliation, then select Continue.
In the Reconcile window, check off the transaction you recreated (and any others you're fixing at the same time).
Confirm the Difference field shows $0.00.
Select Reconcile Now.

This off-cycle reconciliation date is what tells QuickBooks to treat the recreated check as reconciled again, without changing anything about the reconciliations you already completed for later statement periods.

Additional resources:

Have a question about a specific step in this process? Let us know how we can help.

FishingForAnswers

Level 4

@DEMCO If the only difference is that check you recreated and you recreated it properly, it should be simple.

As far as I know, the only way to shift the beginning balance in QB is to do a reconciliation.

So, just do a mini-reconciliation dated for the end of the last period you successfully reconciled and reconcile that one entry.

L

LouiseG12

QuickBooks Team

@FishingForAnswers is right, DEMCO. Performing a mini-reconciliation, also known as a special reconciliation, involves using an off-cycle date to make necessary corrections. This is to rectify discrepancies in your account without disrupting previously reconciled transactions. Let me provide the outlined steps below.

First off, re-create the deleted check. This step is critical as it restores the transaction in your records and provides a foundation for fixing the reconciliation issue.

Next, let's do the mini-reconciliation. This approach focuses on the specific period involving the re-entered check. This ensures your QuickBooks bank balance aligns seamlessly with your actual bank statement without affecting ongoing or prior reconciliation cycles. Here's how:

Click the Banking menu and select Reconcile.
Choose the bank account that contains the transactions needing reconciliation.
In the Statement Date, enter an off-cycle date between your last reconciliation and the next scheduled one.
In the Ending Balance field, input the balance from your previous successful reconciliation, then click Continue.
From the Reconcile window, check off the transactions you are fixing and re-reconciling.
Make sure the Difference field shows $0.00.
When everything looks good, select Reconcile Now.

For an in-depth information about mini-reconciliation, refer to this article: Reconcile previously deleted and re-entered checking or credit card transactions.

Additionally, you may visit this article to learn what to do if your accounts don't match your bank statements at the end of reconciliation: Fix issues when reconciling in QuickBooks Desktop.

If you encounter any difficulties or have specific queries during this process, feel free to respond here. I’m committed to ensuring your financial records are precise and comprehensive. Have a wonderful day!

katelynner

Answer

Community Manager

The first thing you will need to do is recreate that deleted check, which you will do by heading to Banking and selecting Write Checks. Once that check is accounted for, the beginning balance won't correct itself until you run what's called a mini reconciliation (also called a special or off-cycle reconciliation). This fixes the specific transaction without disturbing any of your other reconciled periods, so you won't need to redo a year's worth of statements.

Run a mini reconciliation to fix the beginning balance

Before you start, note the ending balance from your last successful reconciliation.
Go to the Banking menu and select Reconcile.
Select the bank account with the transaction you need to reconcile.
In the Date of Statement field, enter an off-cycle date, any date between your last reconciliation and your next scheduled one.
In the Ending Balance field, enter the balance from your last successful reconciliation, then select Continue.
In the Reconcile window, check off the transaction you recreated (and any others you're fixing at the same time).
Confirm the Difference field shows $0.00.
Select Reconcile Now.

This off-cycle reconciliation date is what tells QuickBooks to treat the recreated check as reconciled again, without changing anything about the reconciliations you already completed for later statement periods.

Additional resources:

Have a question about a specific step in this process? Let us know how we can help.

Run a mini reconciliation to fix the beginning balance

Run a mini reconciliation to fix the beginning balance

Sign up

Login with SSO

Let's get you signed in

Login with SSO