What is the difference between deleting and voiding an invoice?? (2024)

‎March 12, 201912:41 PM

What is the difference between deleting and voiding an invoice

• QuickBooks Online

MarninaM

Great question, David!

I'd be glad toclear this up for you.

The difference between void and delete is something that QuickBooksusers need to consider. Both these actions will make a difference in the wayyour books are organised and rendered inside QuickBooks. Open invoices shouldbe directly deleted unless they are needed for a later date. By deleting the invoice, users will bepermanently removing it from their company file. On the other hand, voiding an invoice cancels a particularpayment or invoice. Voiding an invoice will keep the invoice number and list itin reports but changes the amounts to zero.

Hence, if you want to stop a particular payment from beingrealized by QuickBooks, select void. For removing the receipt from QuickBooks,select delete. If you want to perform both of these actions then first void thetransaction and then hit delete. This will stop the payment process as well asremove the receipt from your records.

I'd be glad to hear back from you if you haveother questions. Have a great day.

Hello, linajanehayden, trish26.

Voiding an invoice will always affect your AR account and Balance Sheet. As a workaround, you can void it then create a journal entry to offset the amount.
The journal entry should have the same date with the voided invoice and should use the same accounts as the invoice did. Once done, create another journal entry with the current date using the same accounts to offset the first journal entry created.

It’d be best to consult your accountant before doing these steps for proper recording.

Drop by again if you have other concerns with QuickBooks.

HiTBC21,

I've got information to enter bad debtin QuickBooks Online.

There are a few methods to record a bad debt dependingon the accounting method you use or if you're using the allowance method. We've listedthe steps in the article about writingoff bad debt, and you can select the method that is best for your scenario. Please check this out:Write off bad debt.

If you have other questions, you can always visit us back here and we'll be happy to answer them.

The answer to this question also depends on "what exactly happened" so you are doing everything correctly with respect to GAAP and proper documentation, when it comes to accounting information systems.

Personally, I would never delete if it went out to any party outside the organization. Even if it was a fraudulent sale. Someone could later present that document to the organization and claim for it to be valid. You would want a record of the voided invoice in QB, in cases like "the actual exchange of goods never actually happened"

If it's a bad debt, you also need to keep the original invoice and record the write-off separately.

Hi Sandra-eid,

If you'd like to contact our QuickBooks support team, you can by either:

- Clicking the 'Help' button in your QuickBooks

- By visiting the contact us webpage

Thank you,

Georgia

If you delete the invoice will the job costing time & parts be available to invoice again under that same invoice/job#? Will all items go back to unbilled and allow us to recreate a corrected invoice? Or should we void the invoice to do that?

Thanks

Yes, the job costing time and other line items are still available if you create again in the invoice after deleting it,gf21.

Deleting a transaction removes the entry entirely in QuickBooks. And, paid bills will return to unpaid status.

Also, deleting the bill causes the Transaction Journal Detail report to display a bill payment without the corresponding bill. There's alsono bill associated with the payment check when you go to its transaction history.

You can use the Audit log to get the details of the deleted invoice.Let me show you how to use the feature:

1. Go toSettings⚙and selectAudit Log.
2. SelectFilter.
3. From the Filter ▼ drop-down menu, select the appropriate user, date, and event(s).
   
4. SelectApply.
5. Locate the deleted transaction.
6. To easily find deleted transactions, use the browser search Ctrl + F and type "deleted".
7. Under the Historycolumn, selectView.
8. All the information needed for the transaction can be found under the Eventcolumn.
   

Using the information from the Audit log, you can re-enter the transaction with its original transaction date.

Additional tips for your transactions:

• Audit Log only works for transactions that were saved.
• There is no available report for deleted transactions.
• Considervoiding a transactioninstead of deleting or completely removing it from your records.

To get more help with the Audit log feature, check out this link:Learn what the audit log can do and how to use it to keep an audit trail.

Stay in touch with me if there's anything else you need with your transactions in QuickBooks. I'm always right here to help you.

Hi LNS Books13,

If the voided invoice has payment linked to them, the payment will not be deleted and will be left as an unapplied payment on the customer's account. Voiding the invoice will still keep the transaction on your books but will not affect your balances. If you'll completely delete the invoice this fully removes the invoice from your books and accounts.

You can check this link to learn more about Void or delete transactions in QuickBooks Online.

After you've voided or deleted an invoice, here is how to view the unapplied payment:

1. Click on the Sales tab.
2. Click on Customers.
3. Locate the customer name and click on them.
4. You'll see an unapplied amount under Open balances.

You have the option to apply the unapplied to future invoices or apply them as credits.

Post again in the Community if you have more questions about QuickBooks Online!

My question is maybe more specific to my reason to void or delete the invoice.

I selected all availalbe time and printed a draft, however, QB made an invoice-the reason I had to print it was to line-by-line select billable time so that I could provide the customer with 2 separate invoices for two separate jobs. Since QB made an invoice, I have to either Void or Delete it, but I don't want to lose any of the time.

I had a similar problem in the past, I deleted the invoice, and none of the time was available to recreate an invoice, so I had to go timesheet by timesheet to re-activate the time to be billed, which took hours.

Hi jimmyjamm8376,

In QuickBooks Online any deleted or voided invoice that has an unbilled charge, billable time, expense and credits remains in the customer's accounts and can apply to future invoices. I'd recommend checking the customer's profile and checking the billable time created.

You can also run a report called Transaction List by Customer to see the list of billable times and other transactions for the said customer. Here's how:

1. Click on the Reports tab.
2. On the search box enter Transaction List by Customer.
3. Click on Customise and select a specific customer name to view under Filter.
4. Enter a specific date or period.
5. Click on Run report.

You can check this link to learn more about voiding and deleting invoices in QuickBooks Online:

• How to delete an invoice [Video]
• Void an invoice

If the issue remains, I'd also recommend contacting the Customer Support Team via chat or phone. That way, one of the support agents can further help you check your transactions on file.

Post again in the Community if you have more questions about QuickBooks Online!

I'm here to resend the article that you're referring to, @AK2022.

Check out this updated article:Write off bad debt in QuickBooks Online. That'll guide you on writing off the bad debt on either anAccrualorCashbasis.

In case you've added a transaction by accident, here's how tovoid or delete transactions in QuickBooks Onlineso it doesn't affect your account balances or reports.

Let me know if you need further help with your account. I'm here to help!

If I void an invoice, will the inventory be added back ?

Thanks for joining the thread, Sue Murphy.

Yes, the inventory will be added back if you void an invoice. The quantity and amount of the voided invoice will be zeroed out.

If you need to check the details of the voided invoice, you can run an Audit log report.

Here's how:

1. Go to Gear icon and select Audit log.
2. On Events dropdown select Deleted or Voided transactions.
3. Select View.

Let me know if you have any other questions on voiding an invoice. I'll be around to help you.

I appreciate you for joining in on this discussion, @Juzer. I'll be glad to share information on what will happen to your inventory after voiding an invoice in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

Yes, you're right. When you void an invoice in QBO, the associated item is added back to your inventory count. Additionally, it retains the transaction record, but won't impact your account balances or reports.

Here's how to void an invoice:

1. Go toSalesand selectInvoices.
2. Locate the specific invoice and click thedropdownicon under theActioncolumn.
3. SelectVoid, thenYesto confirm.
   

For more in-depth information about voiding invoices, please check out this reference:Void or delete transactions in QuickBooks Online.

Furthermore, you may refer to this article as your guide in recording customer payments in QBO:Record invoice payments in QuickBooks Online. Doing so marks the invoice as paid and ensures it doesn't appear as open in your reports.

Please don't hesitate to post in the Community whenever you have additional questions about voiding an invoice. We're always available in this forum to assist you further. Stay safe and have a great day ahead.

Hi Juzer,

Yes, voiding an invoice will not affect your reports and accounts receivable balance as the amount of the voided invoice will be changed to zero. You may try to click on More and select Transaction journal of the voided invoice to see the posting of accounts.

For more detailed information, you can check this article: Void or delete transactions in QuickBooks Online.

Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any other questions, we're here to help you.