QuickBooks Invoice Operations ยท Desktop & Online
How to Void an Invoice in QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online
Voiding versus deleting is one of the most misunderstood distinctions in QuickBooks. Deleting an invoice removes all trace of it from your books. Voiding zeroes out the dollar amount but preserves the transaction in your audit trail. For tax, audit, and CPA purposes, voiding is almost always the correct action. This guide covers the exact steps for both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, plus the situations where you should delete instead.
Void an Invoice in QuickBooks Online
This method works on any QBO plan (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced). The voided invoice stays visible in your transaction list with a $0.00 amount.
Go to Sales in the left navigation, then select Invoices.
Find the invoice you want to void. Click to open it.
Click the More button at the bottom of the invoice (or the three-dot menu in newer QBO versions).
Select Void from the dropdown menu.
QBO will ask you to confirm. Click Yes. The invoice amount changes to $0.00 and the status shows as Voided.
Important
If the invoice has a payment applied, you must remove or void the payment first. QBO will not let you void an invoice with an attached payment.
Void an Invoice in QuickBooks Desktop
Works in QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Enterprise. QBDT records the void in the audit trail with the original user and timestamp preserved.
Go to Customers menu, then Create Invoices. Or open the invoice directly from the Customer Center.
Use the Previous / Next arrows or Find button to locate the specific invoice.
With the invoice open, go to Edit menu at the top, then select Void Invoice.
QBDT will zero out all line items. Click Save & Close to confirm.
Void vs Delete in Desktop
In QBDT, Edit > Void Invoice keeps the record. Edit > Delete Invoice removes it entirely. If your closing date password is set and the invoice is in a closed period, you will be prompted for the password before either action.
When to Delete Instead of Void
Deletion is appropriate only in a narrow set of circumstances. For most businesses, voiding is the safer default.
Delete when: The invoice was a test entry, a duplicate, or was created in the wrong company file entirely. No payment was ever applied. No customer saw it.
Void when: The invoice was sent to a customer, represents a real business event that was subsequently cancelled, or needs to be visible in the audit trail for tax or accounting purposes.
Never delete when: The period has been closed, sales tax was calculated, the invoice number was referenced in correspondence, or your CPA has already reviewed the period.
Void an Invoice That Has a Payment Applied
This is the step that catches most users. QuickBooks will not void an invoice with an existing payment. You must handle the payment first.
Open the invoice. Note the payment(s) linked at the bottom. Click the payment link to open the payment transaction.
QBO: Click More > Delete or More > Void on the payment. QBDT: Edit > Void Payment.
If the payment was deposited to a bank account, you may also need to void the deposit. Check the bank register for the deposit transaction containing this payment.
Return to the invoice. It should now show as Open. Now void the invoice using Method 1 or Method 2 above.
Reconciliation Warning
If the payment or deposit was in a reconciled period, voiding it will throw off your bank reconciliation. You may need to re-reconcile that period or issue a correcting journal entry on the current date instead. Consult your bookkeeper before voiding reconciled transactions.
Related QuickBooks Invoice Guides
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