Payroll Journal Entry Example in QuickBooks Online
A worked payroll journal entry for QuickBooks Online with real numbers, the debit and credit lines, the employer tax split, and how to enter it step by step.
QuickBooks Import Guides
Guides and fixes for getting bank statements and invoices into QuickBooks: bank feeds, QBO and IIF imports, reconciliation, and PDF conversion.
Retained Earnings in QuickBooks: How to Adjust and Close It
Retained earnings in QuickBooks is calculated, not posted. Here is where the number comes from, how to see what is in it, and how to adjust or close it.
Undeposited Funds in QuickBooks: How to Clear the Account
Undeposited Funds piling up in QuickBooks? Clear the account with a bank deposit, fix an old balance that will not move, and stop it building up again.
How to Delete a Deposit in QuickBooks Online and Desktop
Delete a deposit in QuickBooks Online or Desktop, what happens to the payments inside it, how to remove one payment instead, and when to void or edit it.
Adjust Payroll Liabilities in QuickBooks Online and Desktop
Adjust payroll liabilities in QuickBooks Desktop step by step, why QuickBooks Online has no equivalent screen, and the three routes that work there instead.
QuickBooks Desktop to Online After 60 Days: How to Migrate
Intuit only lets a QuickBooks Desktop file import into a QuickBooks Online company under 60 days old. The four options left once that window closes.
QuickBooks Desktop Bank Feeds: Setup, Fixes, and the Sunset Dates
How bank feeds work in QuickBooks Desktop, the three connection methods and which one survives, why feeds stop permanently at each version's discontinuation date, and what still gets transactions in afterwards.
How to Undo a Bank Reconciliation in QuickBooks Online
Undo a bank reconciliation in QuickBooks Online, why the Undo button is missing without accountant access, the register method that works instead, and Desktop.
Opening Balance Equity in QuickBooks Online: How to Clear It
Opening Balance Equity is a holding account QuickBooks fills automatically, and it is supposed to end at zero. Here is what puts money in it, how to clear it to the right equity account, and why deleting it never works.
How to Add Another Company to QuickBooks Online: Steps, Cost, and the Login Mistake
Adding a second business to QuickBooks Online means buying a second subscription, not extending your current one. Here is how to set it up under your existing Intuit ID, what carries over from the first company (less than you think), and how to fix it when the new company ends up on the wrong login.
S Corp Health Insurance in QuickBooks: How to Record 2% Shareholder Premiums on the W-2
Health insurance the S corporation pays for a more-than-2% shareholder has to land in Box 1 of the W-2, and stay out of Boxes 3 and 5. Here is the QuickBooks Online and Desktop setup, how to code the premium drafts on the bank statement, and what to do when December has already passed.
Void a Check in QuickBooks: Online, Desktop, and Prior Year
Voiding a check keeps the record and zeroes the amount. Deleting it wipes the trail. Here is how to void a check in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, what to do when the check is from a closed year or an already reconciled month, and when an old uncashed check is not yours to void at all.
Record the Sale of a Fixed Asset in QuickBooks
Sell a truck, a machine, or a computer? Here is the journal entry that removes the asset and its accumulated depreciation and books the gain or loss correctly.
AIA Billing in QuickBooks: Schedule of Values, G702, G703
QuickBooks does not print a G702 or G703 on its own. Here is how to build a schedule of values in QuickBooks, bill progress against it, and handle retainage.
Record Accrued Vacation and PTO Liability in QuickBooks
QuickBooks Payroll tracks PTO balances in hours but never posts the liability to your books. Here is the journal entry, the GAAP rule behind it, and how to reconcile it.
Record Franchise Fees and Royalties in QuickBooks
The initial franchise fee is a 15-year Section 197 intangible; the royalty is a deductible expense. Here is how to set up and reconcile both in QuickBooks.
How to Record Insurance and Third-Party Payer Payments in QuickBooks
An insurance, Medicaid, or VA payment is not new income you post to a revenue line. It settles an invoice you already billed. Here is how to record third-party payer payments in QuickBooks so accounts receivable by patient clears and the remaining balance is still collectible.
Bank Sweep and Zero Balance Account Transfers in QuickBooks
Record a nightly bank sweep or zero balance account transfer in QuickBooks without double counting cash, and know when to skip the sub-account entirely.
Progress Invoicing in QuickBooks: Bill a Job in Stages
Progress invoicing splits one estimate into several invoices as work gets done. How to turn it on in QuickBooks Online and Desktop and bill by percentage.
Invoice Factoring in QuickBooks: How to Record It
Factoring an invoice puts cash in your account days after you bill, but the deposit never matches the invoice. Here is how to record the advance, the factoring fee, the reserve, and the reserve release in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, plus what to do when a customer does not pay.
Payroll Advance in QuickBooks: Record an Employee Loan
An employee asked for money before payday. Here is how to record a payroll advance or an employee loan in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, how to set up the payroll deduction that repays it, what the IRS cares about, and what to do if the employee leaves owing you money.
Customer Overpayment in QuickBooks: Credit or Refund
A customer paid more than the invoice. Here is how to record a customer overpayment in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, how to hold it as a credit, apply it to the next invoice, or refund it, and what to do about a credit balance nobody ever claims.
How to Record Retainage in QuickBooks (Receivable and Payable)
Retainage is earned revenue you have billed but cannot collect yet, so it does not belong in regular accounts receivable. Here is how to set up retainage receivable and retainage payable in QuickBooks, bill it on progress invoices, and release it at closeout.
How to Record Stripe, Square, and PayPal Payouts in QuickBooks
The deposit that hits your bank is net of processing fees, so booking it as income understates both your sales and your expenses. Here is how to split Stripe, Square, and PayPal payouts in QuickBooks, when to use a merchant clearing account, and how to reconcile without double-counting.
How to Record Accrued Expenses in QuickBooks (and Reverse Them)
An accrued expense is a cost you incurred but have not been billed for. Here is how to book the month-end journal entry in QuickBooks, reverse it correctly, and keep the same expense from being counted twice.
How to Record a Foreign Currency Payment or Wire in QuickBooks
Paying an overseas supplier or receiving a wire in a foreign currency means converting to US dollars at the spot rate on the transaction date. Here is how to record a foreign currency payment or wire in QuickBooks, with or without Multicurrency, and how to handle the exchange gain or loss.
How to Record a Bad Debt Recovery in QuickBooks
When a customer pays an invoice you already wrote off as bad debt, you cannot just deposit the check. Here is how to record a bad debt recovery in QuickBooks so the income comes back on the books, the payment matches your bank, and prior periods stay intact.
How to Close the Books for the Year in QuickBooks
Closing the books is more than running a report: it means finishing every entry, setting a closing date, and locking the year so nobody changes it. Here is how to close the books for the year in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, and what the software does with your income and expenses.
How to Record Prepaid Insurance and Business Insurance Premiums in QuickBooks
A premium paid up front for months of coverage is prepaid insurance, an asset, not an immediate expense. Here is how to book it in QuickBooks, amortize it monthly, and handle financed premiums correctly.
How to Record an Equipment Trade-In in QuickBooks
A trade-in is a disposal of the old asset plus a purchase of the new one, not an expense. Here is how to record an equipment trade-in in QuickBooks with a worked journal entry that handles the gain, the new asset, and the loan.
How to Record Credit Card Rewards and Cash Back in QuickBooks
Cash back you earn on business spending is a rebate, not income. Here is how to record credit card rewards and cash back in QuickBooks, whether you take a statement credit or a deposit, plus when a sign-up bonus is actually taxable.
How to Record a Forgiven Loan or Debt Cancellation in QuickBooks
When a loan is forgiven you remove the liability and book the amount as income. Here is the exact journal entry, why PPP forgiveness is tax-exempt, and why most other cancelled debt is taxable.
How to Record a Business Insurance Claim or Payout in QuickBooks
An insurance payout is not sales revenue. Here is how to record a business insurance claim in QuickBooks so the money follows the loss it reimburses, plus how to handle a destroyed asset, the deductible, and stolen inventory.
How to Record a Business Vehicle Purchase or Loan in QuickBooks
Buying a business vehicle is not an expense you write off in one shot. Here is how to record the purchase, the loan, the down payment, and each monthly payment in QuickBooks so your asset, your loan balance, and your deductions are all correct.
How to Record a Security Deposit in QuickBooks (Paid and Received)
A security deposit is not an expense when you pay one and not income when you receive one. Here is how to record both sides in QuickBooks so the money sits on your balance sheet until it is returned, applied, or forfeited.
How to Record a Gift Card Sale in QuickBooks (Liability, Not Income)
Selling a gift card is not a sale yet. Here is how to record gift card sales as a liability in QuickBooks, recognize revenue only when the card is redeemed, handle sales tax and breakage, and keep your books and your bank deposits in agreement.
How to Write Off Inventory in QuickBooks (Damaged, Obsolete, or Stolen)
Inventory that is broken, expired, obsolete, or stolen is no longer an asset and should not sit on your balance sheet. Here is how to write it off in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, when to use an inventory adjustment versus a journal entry, and how to document it for taxes.
How to Record an Expense Reimbursement in QuickBooks (Owner or Employee)
When you or an employee pay for something with a personal card, the business still gets the deduction, but only if you record it correctly. Here is how to book the expense, reimburse the person, and keep it out of payroll income.
How to Record a Shareholder or Owner Loan to the Business in QuickBooks
When an owner puts personal money into the company and expects it back, that is a loan, not income and not equity. Here is how to set up the liability account, record the deposit and the repayments, and keep the loan defensible if the IRS ever asks.
How to Record Interest Income in QuickBooks
Interest earned on a business checking, savings, money market, or sweep account is income, but it belongs in its own Other Income account, not in your sales. Here is how to record interest income in QuickBooks, reconcile it to the bank statement, and make it agree with your 1099-INT.
How to Record a Vendor Refund in QuickBooks
A supplier refund should reduce the right expense, not show up as income. How to record a vendor refund in QuickBooks so it reconciles cleanly.
How to Record a Barter or Trade Transaction in QuickBooks
When you trade goods or services instead of paying cash, the IRS still counts it as income and an expense at fair market value. Here is how to record a barter transaction in QuickBooks so both sides land on your books.
How to Record Mileage and Vehicle Expenses in QuickBooks
You can deduct a business vehicle two ways: the standard mileage rate or actual expenses, and you have to pick one. Here is how each method works in QuickBooks, what the 2026 rate is, and how the charges on your bank statement fit in.
Record a Customer Prepayment or Retainer in QuickBooks
A prepayment, deposit, or retainer is a liability until you do the work, not income. Here is how to record and apply one correctly in QuickBooks.
Record a Bank Fee or Overdraft Charge in QuickBooks
Record monthly maintenance charges, wire fees, NSF and overdraft fees, and merchant processing costs in QuickBooks so your reconciliation balances.
How to Record Tips and Tip-Outs in QuickBooks
Tips are the customer's money passing through, not your income. How to record cash tips, credit card tips, tip pooling, and tip-outs in QuickBooks.
How to Record Payroll From a Bank Statement in QuickBooks
When payroll runs through an outside service, it lands on your bank statement as net pay, tax drafts, and a fee. Here is how to split those withdrawals into wages, withholdings, and employer taxes and reconcile them in QuickBooks.
How to Record Inventory Purchases and COGS in QuickBooks
Buying stock is an asset, not an expense, until it sells. Here is how to record inventory purchases, when they become cost of goods sold, cash-basis inventory rules, and how to reconcile it all against your bank statement in QuickBooks.
How to Record Cash Sales and Petty Cash in QuickBooks
Cash never touches a bank feed, so it is the easiest money to lose track of. Here is how to record cash sales, cash you spend straight from the till, and a petty cash account in QuickBooks so your revenue and deductions are complete.
How to Record a Credit Card Payment in QuickBooks
A credit card payment is a transfer between accounts, not an expense. How to record it in QuickBooks and avoid double-counting your expenses.
How to Record a Chargeback in QuickBooks
A customer disputed a card payment and the processor pulled the money back. Here is how to record the chargeback, the dispute fee, and the money if you win it back, in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, so your sales and your bank both stay correct.
How to Record Depreciation in QuickBooks
A plain-English guide to recording depreciation in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: how to set up fixed asset and accumulated depreciation accounts, post the monthly or yearly entry, and write off an asset you dispose of.
How to Record a Sales Tax Payment in QuickBooks
A step-by-step guide to recording a sales tax payment in QuickBooks Online and Desktop so your sales tax liability clears correctly and the payment matches your bank statement.
Record a Partial Payment on an Invoice in QuickBooks
Record a partial payment or an upfront deposit against an invoice in QuickBooks, keep the balance open, and match the payment to your bank statement.
How to Set Up Recurring Transactions in QuickBooks
A step-by-step guide to recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: how to schedule recurring invoices, bills, and expenses, the difference between scheduled, reminder, and unscheduled templates, how memorized transactions work in Desktop, and how recurring entries reconcile against your bank statement.
How to Record a Loan or Line of Credit in QuickBooks
A step-by-step guide to recording a business loan or line of credit in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: how to set up the liability account, book the loan proceeds, split each payment between principal and interest, handle a revolving line of credit, and reconcile it all to your bank statement.
How to Handle a Customer Refund in QuickBooks
Record a customer refund in QuickBooks Online or Desktop: refund receipt vs credit memo, refunding an overpayment, and matching it to your bank.
How to Write Off Bad Debt in QuickBooks
A step-by-step guide to writing off bad debt in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: how to set up a bad debt item and expense account, why a credit memo beats a journal entry, whether bad debt is tax deductible, and how to handle an uncollectible invoice on cash versus accrual basis.
Record an Owner's Draw and Contributions in QuickBooks
How to record an owner's draw and an owner's contribution in QuickBooks, why both are equity rather than income or expense, and how draws affect tax.
How to Track Restricted Funds and Grants in QuickBooks
A practical guide for nonprofit treasurers and bookkeepers: how to track restricted funds and grants in QuickBooks using classes, how to record a grant deposit and its spending, how to release funds from restriction, and how to report by fund for the board and Form 990.
Enter and Pay a Bill in QuickBooks: Online and Desktop
Enter a bill and pay it in QuickBooks Online or Desktop: when to use a bill instead of a check, paying several at once, and why a paid bill shows unpaid.
How to Set Up Sales Tax in QuickBooks Online and Desktop
Set up sales tax in QuickBooks Online or Desktop: turn on the sales tax center, add agencies and rates, apply tax to invoices, and reconcile what you owe.
How to Handle Vendor and Customer Credits in QuickBooks
A practical guide to recording vendor credits and customer credit memos in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: when to use each, how to apply a credit to a bill or invoice, how to record a refund, and how to keep credits from leaving negative balances on your books.
How to Record a Bounced Check (NSF) in QuickBooks
A step-by-step guide to recording a bounced customer check in QuickBooks Online and Desktop: reverse the payment, reopen the invoice, book the bank NSF fee, bill the customer back, and reconcile so your bank balance matches.
Negative Accounts Payable in QuickBooks: Causes and Fixes
Negative accounts payable or receivable in QuickBooks usually means an unapplied payment, a missing bill, or a duplicate. Here is the fix for each cause.
How to Enter a Beginning Balance for a New Account in QuickBooks
Enter the right opening balance when you add a bank or credit card account in QuickBooks: use your last reconciled statement, date it correctly, avoid double counting when you import transactions, and clear Opening Balance Equity afterward.
Chart of Accounts Setup for a New Business in QuickBooks
Set up a clean chart of accounts in QuickBooks for a new business: the five account types, how many accounts you actually need, naming and numbering, mapping bank transactions to categories, and mistakes that make reports useless.
How to Prepare 1099s From Bank Statements in QuickBooks
Prepare accurate 1099-NEC forms straight from your bank statements: reconcile every check and ACH payment in QuickBooks, exclude card and third-party payments, apply the 2025 $600 and 2026 $2,000 thresholds, and file by January 31.
How to Fix Uncategorized Transactions in QuickBooks
Fix Uncategorized Income, Uncategorized Expense, and Uncategorized Asset in QuickBooks: reassign each transaction to the right account, categorize in bulk, build bank rules so vendors code themselves, and get all three accounts to zero.
QuickBooks Year End Close Checklist: 10 Steps to Close the Books
A year-end close checklist for QuickBooks Online and Desktop: reconcile all twelve months, clear the review queue, review the financials, file 1099s, set a closing date, and hand clean books to your accountant.
QuickBooks Cleanup Checklist: Fix Messy Books in 8 Steps
A practical QuickBooks cleanup checklist: reconcile against the real statements, fix uncategorized transactions, empty Ask My Accountant, delete duplicates, clear undeposited funds, and balance the balance sheet.
QuickBooks Month End Close Checklist: 9 Steps to Clean Books
A working month-end close checklist for QuickBooks Online and Desktop: reconcile every account, clear the suspense items, post accruals and depreciation, review the statements, then lock the period so nothing moves.
Bank Not Listed in QuickBooks? How to Import Your Transactions
If your bank does not appear in the QuickBooks bank feed list, or the connection keeps failing, you can still import every transaction. Here is how the manual upload works, which file formats QuickBooks takes, and how to get a year of history in.
QuickBooks Opening Balance vs Beginning Balance: The Difference
Opening balance and beginning balance mean different things in QuickBooks. Here is what each one is, how they connect, and how to fix them when they are wrong.
How to Fix a QuickBooks Reconciliation That Won't Balance
Why a QuickBooks reconciliation shows a difference that will not go to zero, and the exact steps to find and fix it: the discrepancy report, duplicates, a wrong beginning balance, and when it is safe to force it.
When to Move Your Bookkeeping From Spreadsheets to QuickBooks
The signs it is time to move from an Excel or Google Sheets bookkeeping spreadsheet to QuickBooks, what changes, and how to bring your bank history in without retyping it.
Record a Transfer Between Bank Accounts in QuickBooks
How to record a transfer between bank accounts in QuickBooks, and how to kill the duplicate that appears when both accounts import the same transfer.
How to Reconcile a Business Credit Card in QuickBooks
How to reconcile a business credit card in QuickBooks Online: enter the statement ending balance and date, check off every charge and payment, and resolve the difference to zero.
PDF Bank Statement to QuickBooks Self-Employed
Import a PDF bank statement into QuickBooks Self-Employed and Solopreneur the right way: convert the PDF to a correctly formatted CSV, then import it in one pass.
Review Imported Bank Transactions in QuickBooks: Checklist
Imported bank transactions land in For Review, not your books. Here is how to check category, payee, matches, and duplicates before you add them in QuickBooks.
QuickBooks Web Connect Import Error QBWC1039: How to Fix It
QBWC1039 blocks a QuickBooks Web Connect import when an app is not authorized. Here is how to fix it, and how to skip the Web Connector with a .qbo file.
How to Import Multiple Bank Accounts into QuickBooks
Import several bank and credit card accounts into QuickBooks the right way: one file per account, feed vs upload, and how to load historical statements.
How to Send Bank Statements to Your Accountant for QuickBooks
How to send bank statements to your accountant for QuickBooks: the formats accountants want, converting PDFs to QBO files, and the fastest, most secure handoff.
How to Import a QBO File Into QuickBooks (Desktop and Online)
Step-by-step guide to importing a QBO file into QuickBooks Desktop and Online, where the transactions go, and how to fix a QBO file that will not import.
QuickBooks Bank Feed Missing Transactions: How to Fix
Transactions missing from your QuickBooks bank feed? Here is why the feed skips them and the reliable way to add the gap from your PDF bank statement.
Why Your Chase Business Credit Card Won't Update in QuickBooks
Chase business credit card not updating in QuickBooks? Here is why the feed breaks, the fixes that clear it, and how to import the statement when it will not.
QuickBooks Online PDF Upload Not Working: Fix
QuickBooks Online PDF upload not working? Why the native upload fails (350 KB, 1,000-line, English caps) and the reliable QBO-file fix that imports without limits.
How to Import Corporate Card Transactions into QuickBooks
Import corporate card transactions into QuickBooks from Brex, Ramp, Amex and more: handle older periods, multiple entities, and Desktop that the live sync misses.
After-the-Fact Bookkeeping in QuickBooks: A Firm Guide
After-the-fact bookkeeping in QuickBooks explained: what write-up work is, why bank feeds fall short, and how to rebuild client books from PDF statements step by step.
How to Fix QuickBooks After Switching Banks
Switching banks breaks the QuickBooks bank feed. Here is how to disconnect the old account, connect the new one, fill the gap from PDF statements, and avoid duplicates.
How to Categorize Bank Transactions in QuickBooks
Categorize bank transactions in QuickBooks Online: the For Review tab, bank rules, bulk and split categorizing, and the mistakes that cost you at tax time.
How to Record Prior Year Transactions in QuickBooks
QuickBooks bank feeds only reach back about 90 days. Here is how to record prior year transactions from your bank statements and reconcile an old year cleanly.
Amex Not Syncing With QuickBooks? How to Fix It
Amex not syncing with QuickBooks, or missing supplemental cards? Here is why the American Express bank feed breaks and how to import the statement instead.
Can QuickBooks Read a PDF Bank Statement?
QuickBooks Online can read a PDF bank statement with a capped AI upload, but QuickBooks Desktop cannot. Here is what works and when to convert the PDF first.
Fix a Wrong Opening Balance After a QBO Import
A wrong opening balance after a QBO import in QuickBooks usually means a duplicate, an overlapping date range, or a bad opening entry. Here is how to fix it.
Property Management Bookkeeping in QuickBooks
Property management bookkeeping in QuickBooks starts with clean bank data. Here is how to import each property's PDF statements, reconcile rent, and track deposits.
Convert a Scanned Bank Statement to QuickBooks
QuickBooks can't import a scanned or photographed bank statement as a PDF. Here is how to convert it to a QBO file with OCR so the transactions import cleanly.
How Far Back Do QuickBooks Bank Feeds Go? Limits by Bank
Most QuickBooks bank feeds reach back about 90 days, but the real limit varies by bank. See the limits bank by bank and how to import older transactions.
QuickBooks Online vs Desktop for Bank Imports
QuickBooks Online and Desktop import bank statements very differently. Here is how PDF uploads, bank feeds, and the QBO vs IIF file formats compare, and which to use.
QBO File Won't Import Into QuickBooks? How to Fix It
A QBO file that won't import into QuickBooks usually fails for a few fixable reasons. Here is how to diagnose the error and import your transactions cleanly.
QBO vs IIF: Which QuickBooks Import File Do You Need?
QBO and IIF both import into QuickBooks, but they behave very differently. Here is which file to use for QuickBooks Online vs Desktop, and how to create each one.
Import a PDF Bank Statement Into QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online won't import a raw PDF without limits. Here are three reliable ways to get a PDF bank statement into QuickBooks Online, with the exact steps.
Catch Up Bookkeeping From PDF Bank Statements
Months behind on the books? Here is how to catch up bookkeeping fast by converting PDF bank statements into QuickBooks, categorizing, and reconciling.
Convert PDF Bank Statement to QBO: Import into QuickBooks in One Step
How to turn a PDF bank statement into a QBO file QuickBooks imports directly, so reconciliation starts in minutes instead of after hours of manual entry.