How to Delete a Vendor in QuickBooks Desktop & Online

Learn how to delete a vendor in QuickBooks Desktop & Online.

When you are running an organization, it is important to have contacts with vendors who would supply the raw materials and other parts to ensure your manufacturing is done properly. However, there are times when you decide to end your contract or agreement with a vendor for some reason. In such a scenario, you require deleting a vendor from the accounting software you use.

What is it?

There are instances where you might find that the quality of supplies you are receiving from your vendors is not up to the mark. Still, you might give chances but that will only hamper your market reputation because the quality of your product will be affected adversely. Thus, it is always better to discontinue working with them. There might be other reasons for doing so as well, which include increased prices or professional disputes, etc.

Today, the most common software that is used to record transactions and inventory is QuickBooks. When you decide to cut your cords with one of your vendors, the first thing is to delete the details of him/her from your database. It is recommended to not keep the information that will no more be required in the future for your business.

Why Would You Need to Delete a Vendor in QuickBooks?

You may be required to Delete a Vendor from the database of QuickBooks for several reasons. Here are the reasons for the deletion: 

• Company account management
• Unnecessary record removal
• Making corrections in the financial transactions

It is highly advisable for QB users to remove the records of the vendors that are no longer providing services or goods to your business. By following this, you are not just streamlining your accounts’ data and keeping it up-to-date, but also making sure that accurate financial data has been submitted into the software. Many errors related to financial reporting can be avoided by deleting a redundant vendor’s record. You will find it easier to access important data when useless data are regularly removed from QuickBooks.

How Do I Delete a Vendor in QuickBooks Online and Desktop?

If unnecessary information would be there, it will stuff your database and make your system slow gradually. As a result, filtering and retrieving data when they are instantly required would become difficult. To keep your system fast and efficient, you must make sure there is no unnecessary thing stored in the QuickBooks.

With QuickBooks, you get a chance to delete the vendor information that you no longer require.

When you have vendor details to be deleted from QuickBooks, there are varied ways of doing so. This is especially, when QuickBooks is available in two different forms – QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.

How to Delete a Vendor in QuickBooks Desktop

In QuickBooks Desktop, the vendor details can only be deleted when you are ready to remove all associated transactions at once. However, you can also delete a vendor if you have not yet started dealing with it. There are two options in which you can get rid of the vendor details – delete the vendor details or make the details inactive to hide them.

Method 1: Deleting a Vendor

1. Select Vendors from the menu
2. Click on Vendor Center
3. Choose the vendor you want to delete
4. Select Delete Vendor
5. Click OK to confirm

Note: This method will remove all associated transactions. Use it only if you’re certain you want to erase all vendor-related data.

Method 2: Making a Vendor Inactive

The steps to hide the vendor details, which you no longer need, are as follows:

1. Choose Vendors.
2. Click on Vendors Center.
3. Select the vendor you want to delete from the QuickBooks database.
4. Choose Make Vendor Inactive.
5. Click OK and save changes.

Method 3: Alternative Way to Make a Vendor Inactive

1. Navigate to Vendor
2. Search for the vendor to be deleted
3. Click on the Vendor Name
4. Select Edit
5. Choose Make Inactive
6. Click Save

How to Delete a Vendor in QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online doesn’t allow direct deletion of vendor details. Instead, you can make them inactive:

1. Navigate to Expenses
2. Select Vendors
3. Find the vendor’s name you want to remove
4. Click the drop-down menu behind “Create Bill”
5. Choose Make Inactive
6. Confirm by clicking OK

The vendor details will be deleted.

How to Delete a Vendor Payment in QuickBooks?

There may be situations when you mistakenly make the payment and now want to delete it. Or perhaps you wish to cancel the vendor payment because the vendor hasn’t paid you yet.

But you can also cancel the transactions using QuickBooks. The account balances and reports won’t be impacted by this. On the other side, deleting the transactions will also delete the entire balance and can have some unexpected effects on the reports. Below you will see two simple methods for either voiding or deleting the vendor payment.

Method 1: Delete or Void the Vendor Payment

First, You have to open the transaction, make any necessary changes to the information, and then click Delete to remove the vendor payment. You can get further information at the following points:

• Select Expenses or Sales from the menu.
• Afterward, You have to search for the transaction.
• Then you have to go to the Action column.
• You can select View/Edit by pressing the drop-down menu here. The transaction will then be opened.
• If necessary, You can also give the specific reason why you are deleting or voiding the transaction, along with the date. Please remember to include this information in the Message or Memo field.
• Click the Save button when you are finished.
• At this point, Select the More buttons that is at the bottom.
• Next, You have to select Delete or Void from the menu.
• To confirm, Click the Yes button.

Method 2: Void or Delete the Vendor Bill Payment Check

You just need to open your transaction and edit the bills, to delete the vendor bill or bill payment check. You can also delete bill payment checks and multiple bills. Follow the below steps to understand it better.

Void or Delete the Bill or Bill Payment Check

• Begin by opening your transaction.
• Then you have to click the Edit button.
• To remove the bill or bill payment check you have to press the Void or Delete button.

Void or Delete Bill Payment Checks or Multiple Bill

• First, You have to go to the Lists option.
• After that, You have to select the Chart of Accounts option.
• On the relevant Accounts Payable Account, you have to click twice. Doing this it will open the register.
• Click on the specific bill, When you see the Accounts Payable register.
• Now you have to choose the Edit option.
• To remove the bill or bill payment check you have to click on the Void or Delete button.
• Then you have to click the Record option.
• To save changes you have to press the Yes button.

You can remove the bills or bill payment check one at a time or in bulk by following these instructions. Keep in mind that cancelling a check cancels the transaction, but keep the transaction record. The entire transaction record will be deleted if the bill is deleted, and it may also have an impact on the bills and transaction journal detail.

How to Delete a Vendor Credit in QuickBooks?

By unlinking the vendor credit, you can delete the credit that you had previously applied. Simply open your bill payment and remove the credit that is associated with it. Below are some more details to help you:

• Firstly, You have to click on the Expenses menu.
• Then you have to select the Vendors option.
• Now by doing this, Here you can choose the name of the vendor and then you can open your bill payment.
• From the Credits section, You have to switch to the Bill Payments screen and for the vendor credit remove the check.
• Now click on the Save and Close buttons.
• Then you have to move to the Transaction List option.
• After that, You have to choose the Vendor Credit option.
• At the bottom, You have to click on the More buttons.
• Now you have to select the Delete button.
• To confirm the action you have to hit the Yes button.

Best Practices for Vendor Management in QuickBooks

1. Regularly review your vendor list
2. Use the ‘Make Inactive’ feature instead of deletion when possible
3. Double-check all associated transactions before deleting a vendor
4. Keep detailed notes on why a vendor was deleted or made inactive
5. Ensure all team members are informed about vendor changes

Impact of Deleting Vendors on Financial Reports

Removing vendors can affect various financial reports:

• Accounts Payable: May show changes in outstanding balances
• Vendor Reports: Will no longer include deleted vendor information
• Transaction History: May have gaps if vendor-related transactions are removed

Always review your financial reports after making significant changes to vendor data.

The above-mentioned steps are quite easy to follow. The instructions are provided in very simple language. However, there are still chances of you being stuck in the process of deleting a vendor in QuickBooks Desktop or Online.

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