# My payroll is showing up twice in my books — how do I find and fix payroll that was posted more than once?

- **[QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service) · US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026 · United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US) · Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees]** In QuickBooks Online, the affected paycheck is chosen in the View Paychecks list and its actions are reached from the dropdown arrow in the Action column. → [CG-MCE-065#S01](#s-CG-MCE-065-S01)
- **[United States (article is written to the US tax regime — refers to the IRS and to 401(k) plans) · Employers that run a payroll for employees]** The primary payroll journal entry is a summary-level entry compiled from the payroll register, and it is recorded in either the payroll journal or the general ledger. → [CG-MCE-065#S05](#s-CG-MCE-065-S05)
- **[QuickBooks Desktop Payroll · US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026 · United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US) · Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees]** In QuickBooks Desktop, editing or deleting the paycheck is available while the paycheck has not yet been sent to the payroll service. → [CG-MCE-065#S15](#s-CG-MCE-065-S15)
- **[QuickBooks Online · QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026 · United States · Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus)]** If the transaction is not added and is instead removed by deleting it rather than excluding it, the system recognises the transaction as not accounted for and downloads the same transaction from the bank again. → [CG-MCE-065#S21](#s-CG-MCE-065-S21)
- **[QuickBooks Online · QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger · United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us) · QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users]** Removing a cleared transaction changes the beginning balance of the next reconciliation. → [CG-MCE-065#S22](#s-CG-MCE-065-S22)

## What this page establishes

- How the payroll service posts paychecks, and where they can be changed — Not established
- What excluding a downloaded bank transaction does — Partly established
- Correcting an entry in a period already closed, reconciled or reported — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)
- Books-only duplication, or payroll actually paid or remitted twice — Not established (Required authority: primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)
- What a complete payroll posting carries in the ledger — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference.)
- What the software permits once a period has been reconciled — Partly established
- List every entry that hit the books for the pay date, and which route created it — Not established
- Tie the entries to the money that actually left the bank — Not established (Required authority: primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)
- Decide which posting you are keeping — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard, official platform documentation. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference, official platform documentation.)
- Delete, void or reverse — and what the state of the period allows — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard, official platform documentation. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)
- The bank-feed copy of the payroll debit — Not established
- Repair what the duplicate broke: liabilities, tax payments and reconciliations — Partly established (Required authority: official platform documentation, primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)
- Prove it is fixed by tying back to the payroll register — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference.)
- Close the route so it does not happen again next pay date — Not established
- Document the removal — Not established (Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: official platform documentation.)

## List every entry that hit the books for the pay date, and which route created it
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P1"></a>

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S01"></a>In QuickBooks Online, the affected paycheck is chosen in the View Paychecks list and its actions are reached from the dropdown arrow in the Action column. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S01`
  > “Choose the affected paycheck(s), then select the dropdown arrow ▼ in the Action column.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'Intuit QuickBooks Workforce' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Online' > 'Attempt to edit, delete, or void the paycheck', step 3. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S02"></a>Editing a paycheck in QuickBooks Desktop is done through the bank account register, opened from the Banking menu via Use Register. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S02`
  > “Select the Banking menu, then select Use Register .” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'Attempt to edit or delete the paycheck' > 'Edit a paycheck', step 1. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S03"></a>Once the check is open in the register, the payroll detail of the paycheck is reached by selecting Paycheck Detail. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S03`
  > “Select Paycheck Detail .” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'Attempt to edit or delete the paycheck' > 'Edit a paycheck', step 4. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

## Tie the entries to the money that actually left the bank
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P2"></a>

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## Decide which posting you are keeping
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P3"></a>

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S04"></a>The initial payroll recordation entry records three things: the gross wages earned by employees, all withholdings from employee pay, and any additional taxes the company itself owes to the government. _(jurisdiction: United States (article is written to the US tax regime — refers to the IRS and to 401(k) plans), entity_scope: Employers that run a payroll for employees)_ `CG-MCE-065#S04`
  > “This entry records the gross wages earned by employees, as well as all withholdings from their pay, and any additional taxes owed to the government by the company.” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (Steven Bragg) — Payroll journal entries](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-entries), 2026-03-04; Section "Initial Payroll Entry", second sentence. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S05"></a>The primary payroll journal entry is a summary-level entry compiled from the payroll register, and it is recorded in either the payroll journal or the general ledger. _(jurisdiction: United States (article is written to the US tax regime — refers to the IRS and to 401(k) plans), entity_scope: Employers that run a payroll for employees)_ `CG-MCE-065#S05`
  > “The primary journal entry for payroll is the summary-level entry that is compiled from the payroll register , and which is recorded in either the payroll journal or the general ledger.” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (Steven Bragg) — Payroll journal entries](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-entries), 2026-03-04; Section "Primary Payroll Journal Entry", first sentence. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S06"></a>The primary payroll journal entry usually includes debits for direct labor expense, for salaries, and for the company's own portion of payroll taxes; the sentence says "usually includes" and does not close the list. _(jurisdiction: United States (article is written to the US tax regime — refers to the IRS and to 401(k) plans), entity_scope: Employers that run a payroll for employees)_ `CG-MCE-065#S06`
  > “This entry usually includes debits for the direct labor expense, salaries, and the company's portion of payroll taxes” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (Steven Bragg) — Payroll journal entries](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-entries), 2026-03-04; Section "Primary Payroll Journal Entry", second sentence. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S07"></a>The same entry also carries credits to a number of accounts: accounts detailing the liability for payroll taxes not yet paid, and the amount of cash already paid to employees as net pay. _(jurisdiction: United States (article is written to the US tax regime — refers to the IRS and to 401(k) plans), entity_scope: Employers that run a payroll for employees)_ `CG-MCE-065#S07`
  > “There will also be credits to a number of accounts, each one detailing the liability for payroll taxes that have not been paid, as well as for the amount of cash already paid to employees for their net pay.” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (Steven Bragg) — Payroll journal entries](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-entries), 2026-03-04; Section "Primary Payroll Journal Entry", third sentence. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S08"></a>In the account register, reconciled transactions are marked with an "R" in the checkmark column. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S08`
  > “Note : Reconciled transactions have an " R " in the checkmark column (✔).” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Unreconcile a transaction" — note to step 3. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard, official platform documentation. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference, official platform documentation._

## Delete, void or reverse — and what the state of the period allows
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P4"></a>

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S09"></a>QuickBooks describes editing a paycheck as updating the paycheck information directly for the payroll. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks payroll (article covers Intuit QuickBooks Workforce and QuickBooks Desktop Payroll), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S09`
  > “Edit a paycheck : This updates your paycheck info directly for the payroll.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; Lead section under the title 'Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks' (definition list, first item). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S10"></a>QuickBooks describes deleting a paycheck as removing the paycheck from the payroll. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks payroll (article covers Intuit QuickBooks Workforce and QuickBooks Desktop Payroll), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S10`
  > “Delete a paycheck : This removes the paycheck from your payroll.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; Lead section under the title 'Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks' (definition list, second item). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S11"></a>QuickBooks describes voiding a paycheck as changing the paycheck dollar amount to $0, and states that voiding does not cancel a direct deposit or return funds. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks payroll (article covers Intuit QuickBooks Workforce and QuickBooks Desktop Payroll), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S11`
  > “Void a paycheck : This changes your paycheck dollar amount to $0 but doesn’t cancel a direct deposit or return funds.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; Lead section under the title 'Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks' (definition list, third item). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S12"></a>In QuickBooks Online, voiding a paycheck creates a negative adjustment that offsets the original amount. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S12`
  > “This creates a negative adjustment that offsets the original amount.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'Intuit QuickBooks Workforce' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Online', opening paragraph. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S13"></a>In QuickBooks Online, voiding paychecks remains available after the payroll has already been sent to Intuit. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: payroll already sent to Intuit)_ `CG-MCE-065#S13`
  > “You can void your paychecks if you have already sent your payroll to us.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'Intuit QuickBooks Workforce' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Online', opening paragraph (final sentence). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S14"></a>Where the change cannot be made in QuickBooks Online, the user is directed to contact QuickBooks support about the paycheck. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: change blocked by the platform)_ `CG-MCE-065#S14`
  > “Contact us for help with the paycheck.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'Intuit QuickBooks Workforce' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Online' > 'Attempt to edit, delete, or void the paycheck', note following step 5. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S15"></a>In QuickBooks Desktop, editing or deleting the paycheck is available while the paycheck has not yet been sent to the payroll service. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: paycheck not yet sent to the payroll service)_ `CG-MCE-065#S15`
  > “If you haven’t sent the paycheck to the payroll service, you can edit or delete the paycheck.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Desktop', opening paragraph (second sentence). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S16"></a>In QuickBooks Desktop, once payroll has been sent to QuickBooks, voiding the paycheck is the available action. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: payroll already sent to QuickBooks)_ `CG-MCE-065#S16`
  > “If you have sent payroll to QuickBooks, you can void the paycheck.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'If you can't edit or delete the paycheck'. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S17"></a>Voiding a paycheck from a prior quarter or year will require amendments. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: paycheck from a prior quarter or year)_ `CG-MCE-065#S17`
  > “Important : If you void a paycheck from a prior quarter or year, amendments will be required.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'If you can't edit or delete the paycheck', 'Important' note. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard, official platform documentation. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## The bank-feed copy of the payroll debit
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P5"></a>

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S18"></a>An excluded transaction does not appear in any account register or financial report in QuickBooks Online. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus), platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S18`
  > “When you exclude a transaction, it doesn’t appear in any account registers or financial reports.” — [Intuit Inc. — Exclude a bank transaction you downloaded into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/exclude-bank-transaction-downloaded-quickbooks/L8icSVVJ6_US_en_US), 2026-08-10; Step 1: Check if you should exclude the transaction. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S19"></a>Where duplicate transactions exist in the books, the user may need to fix those transactions first, before excluding. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus), platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026, conditions: duplicate transactions are present in the books)_ `CG-MCE-065#S19`
  > “If you have duplicate transactions in your books, you may need to fix the transactions first. Otherwise, go to step 2.” — [Intuit Inc. — Exclude a bank transaction you downloaded into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/exclude-bank-transaction-downloaded-quickbooks/L8icSVVJ6_US_en_US), 2026-08-10; Step 1: Check if you should exclude the transaction — "If it's a duplicate transaction". Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S20"></a>Once a downloaded transaction has been either accepted or excluded, QuickBooks stops the bank from bringing that transaction into the bank feed again. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus), platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026, conditions: the downloaded transaction has been accepted or excluded)_ `CG-MCE-065#S20`
  > “Once a downloaded transaction is either accepted or excluded, QuickBooks will stop the bank from bringing the transaction into the bank feed again.” — [Intuit Inc. — Exclude a bank transaction you downloaded into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/exclude-bank-transaction-downloaded-quickbooks/L8icSVVJ6_US_en_US), 2026-08-10; Excluding vs. deleting. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S21"></a>If the transaction is not added and is instead removed by deleting it rather than excluding it, the system recognises the transaction as not accounted for and downloads the same transaction from the bank again. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus), platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026, conditions: the downloaded transaction is deleted rather than added or excluded)_ `CG-MCE-065#S21`
  > “If you do not add the transaction and remove it by deleting it, rather than excluding it, the system will recognize the transaction is not accounted for and will download the same transaction again from the bank.” — [Intuit Inc. — Exclude a bank transaction you downloaded into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/exclude-bank-transaction-downloaded-quickbooks/L8icSVVJ6_US_en_US), 2026-08-10; Excluding vs. deleting. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

## Repair what the duplicate broke: liabilities, tax payments and reconciliations
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P6"></a>

- See above: Voiding a paycheck from a prior quarter or year will require amendments. ([CG-MCE-065#S17](#s-CG-MCE-065-S17))

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S22"></a>Removing a cleared transaction changes the beginning balance of the next reconciliation. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S22`
  > “Account balances : Removing a cleared transaction changes the beginning balance for your next reconciliation.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Important considerations" — bullet "Account balances". Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S23"></a>After a transaction has been removed from a reconciliation, the article directs the user to reconcile the account again correctly. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S23`
  > “Note : Now that you’ve removed the transaction, reconcile the account again correctly.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Unreconcile a transaction" — note following step 6 ("Select Save"). Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S24"></a>Depending on processing time, the bank account debit for payroll taxes and direct deposit may not be stopped by voiding the paycheck. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: payroll already sent to QuickBooks; depends on processing time)_ `CG-MCE-065#S24`
  > “However, depending on your processing time, the debit from your bank account for payroll taxes and direct deposit may not be stopped.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'If you can't edit or delete the paycheck'. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Partly established. Established: the reconciliation status of every affected period (S23). Missing: the repair extending past wage expense to the payroll liability accounts; any duplicated tax payment; establishing whether the duplication was books-only or reflected a genuinely duplicated payment or filing._

_Required authority: official platform documentation, primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## Prove it is fixed by tying back to the payroll register
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P7"></a>

- See above: The primary payroll journal entry is a summary-level entry compiled from the payroll register, and it is recorded in either the payroll journal or the general ledger. ([CG-MCE-065#S05](#s-CG-MCE-065-S05))

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S25"></a>The payroll register also includes grand totals for gross pay, deductions, and net pay. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Payroll register as a report for a pay period, conditions: the document names grand totals for gross pay, deductions and net pay; it does not state these are the only totals)_ `CG-MCE-065#S25`
  > “The report also includes the grand totals for gross pay, deductions, and net pay.” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (author Steven Bragg) — Payroll register definition](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-register), 2026-09-06; Article "Payroll register definition", section "Contents of a Payroll Register". Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S26"></a>The totals on the final (approved) payroll register can be used as the basis for a payroll journal entry. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Bookkeeper/accountant preparing the payroll journal entry for a pay period, conditions: stated of the final payroll register described in this section; permissive: 'can be used', not required)_ `CG-MCE-065#S26`
  > “In addition, the totals on this register can be used as the basis for a payroll journal entry .” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (author Steven Bragg) — Payroll register definition](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-register), 2026-09-06; Article "Payroll register definition", section "How to Use a Payroll Register", final sentence. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S27"></a>The payroll register supports payroll calculation and review, while the payroll journal supports the accounting entry. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Payroll register and payroll journal)_ `CG-MCE-065#S27`
  > “The register supports calculation and review, while the journal supports accounting entry.” — [AccountingTools, Inc. (author Steven Bragg) — Payroll register definition](https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/payroll-register), 2026-09-06; Article "Payroll register definition", section "Payroll Register FAQs", question "How does a payroll register differ from a payroll journal?". Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference._

## Close the route so it does not happen again next pay date
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P8"></a>

_Not established from an authoritative source._

## Document the removal
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-P9"></a>

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S28"></a>Undoing a reconciliation cannot be reversed and permanently deletes the reports and attachments associated with it. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S28`
  > “Undoing a reconciliation is irreversible. It also permanently deletes associated reports and attachments.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Undo an entire reconciliation", warning above the numbered steps. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S29"></a>The article directs the user to download anything they need before undoing a reconciliation. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S29`
  > “Download anything you need first.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Undo an entire reconciliation", warning above the numbered steps. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## How the payroll service posts paychecks, and where they can be changed
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C1"></a>

- See above: In QuickBooks Online, the affected paycheck is chosen in the View Paychecks list and its actions are reached from the dropdown arrow in the Action column. ([CG-MCE-065#S01](#s-CG-MCE-065-S01))

- See above: Editing a paycheck in QuickBooks Desktop is done through the bank account register, opened from the Banking menu via Use Register. ([CG-MCE-065#S02](#s-CG-MCE-065-S02))

- See above: Once the check is open in the register, the payroll detail of the paycheck is reached by selecting Paycheck Detail. ([CG-MCE-065#S03](#s-CG-MCE-065-S03))

- See above: In QuickBooks Online, voiding paychecks remains available after the payroll has already been sent to Intuit. ([CG-MCE-065#S13](#s-CG-MCE-065-S13))

- See above: In QuickBooks Desktop, editing or deleting the paycheck is available while the paycheck has not yet been sent to the payroll service. ([CG-MCE-065#S15](#s-CG-MCE-065-S15))

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S31"></a>The requested edit, deletion or void may not be possible in QuickBooks Online, in which case a message explaining why is displayed. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Online payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce payroll service), platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S31`
  > “If you are unable to make the change, you'll see a message explaining why.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'Intuit QuickBooks Workforce' > 'Void a paycheck in QuickBooks Online' > 'Attempt to edit, delete, or void the paycheck', note following step 5. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S32"></a>The user selects Send even though no direct deposit checks appear to send, because this send is what lets the Intuit payroll system know to cancel the paychecks. _(jurisdiction: United States (US edition of the QuickBooks help centre, en-us article ID L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), entity_scope: Employers using an Intuit QuickBooks payroll service to pay employees, platform: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, platform_edition: US QuickBooks help centre article, updated 8/2/2026, conditions: direct deposit paychecks voided in Step 1)_ `CG-MCE-065#S32`
  > “Select Send . You won't see any direct deposit checks to send, but this lets our system know to cancel the paychecks.” — [Intuit Inc. (QuickBooks help centre) — Edit, delete, or void employee paychecks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/correct-payroll/delete-void-employee-paychecks/L0MFtsOun_US_en_US), 2026-08-02; 'QuickBooks Desktop Payroll' > 'If you can't edit or delete the paycheck' > 'Step 2: Send the voided paychecks', step 2. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Not established from an authoritative source._

## What excluding a downloaded bank transaction does
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C2"></a>

- See above: An excluded transaction does not appear in any account register or financial report in QuickBooks Online. ([CG-MCE-065#S18](#s-CG-MCE-065-S18))

- See above: Once a downloaded transaction has been either accepted or excluded, QuickBooks stops the bank from bringing that transaction into the bank feed again. ([CG-MCE-065#S20](#s-CG-MCE-065-S20))

- See above: If the transaction is not added and is instead removed by deleting it rather than excluding it, the system recognises the transaction as not accounted for and downloads the same transaction from the bank again. ([CG-MCE-065#S21](#s-CG-MCE-065-S21))

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S33"></a>Excluding a transaction may make reconciling an account either easier or harder, depending on the type of transaction; the article does not state a single reconciliation outcome. _(jurisdiction: United States, entity_scope: Businesses using QuickBooks Online (products listed on the article: QuickBooks Ledger, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Essentials, Plus, Simple Start, QuickBooks Solopreneur, Solopreneur Plus), platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online, US (en-US) help article; article updated 8/10/2026)_ `CG-MCE-065#S33`
  > “Depending on the type of transaction, this may make it easier or harder for you to reconcile an account” — [Intuit Inc. — Exclude a bank transaction you downloaded into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/exclude-bank-transaction-downloaded-quickbooks/L8icSVVJ6_US_en_US), 2026-08-10; Step 1: Check if you should exclude the transaction. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Partly established. Established: what excluding a payroll debit does (S18, S20); what instead happens when the downloaded transaction is deleted (S21). Missing: what matching a payroll debit to an existing entry does; how matching and excluding each affect reconciliation; what instead happens when the debit is accepted as a new transaction; how bank rules that create or categorise a payroll debit automatically behave and are restricted._

## Correcting an entry in a period already closed, reconciled or reported
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C3"></a>

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## Books-only duplication, or payroll actually paid or remitted twice
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C4"></a>

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: primary regulator or government. Highest achieved: official platform documentation._

## What a complete payroll posting carries in the ledger
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C5"></a>

- See above: The initial payroll recordation entry records three things: the gross wages earned by employees, all withholdings from employee pay, and any additional taxes the company itself owes to the government. ([CG-MCE-065#S04](#s-CG-MCE-065-S04))

- See above: The primary payroll journal entry is a summary-level entry compiled from the payroll register, and it is recorded in either the payroll journal or the general ledger. ([CG-MCE-065#S05](#s-CG-MCE-065-S05))

- See above: The primary payroll journal entry usually includes debits for direct labor expense, for salaries, and for the company's own portion of payroll taxes; the sentence says "usually includes" and does not close the list. ([CG-MCE-065#S06](#s-CG-MCE-065-S06))

- See above: The same entry also carries credits to a number of accounts: accounts detailing the liability for payroll taxes not yet paid, and the amount of cash already paid to employees as net pay. ([CG-MCE-065#S07](#s-CG-MCE-065-S07))

_Not established from an authoritative source._

_Required authority: authoritative professional or accounting standard. Highest achieved: high quality professional secondary reference._

## What the software permits once a period has been reconciled
<a id="need-CG-MCE-065-C6"></a>

- See above: Removing a cleared transaction changes the beginning balance of the next reconciliation. ([CG-MCE-065#S22](#s-CG-MCE-065-S22))

- See above: Undoing a reconciliation cannot be reversed and permanently deletes the reports and attachments associated with it. ([CG-MCE-065#S28](#s-CG-MCE-065-S28))

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S34"></a>Removing a transaction this way (often called "unreconciling") changes that transaction's status in the register and does not undo the whole reconciliation for the period. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online company accounts and their users, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger)_ `CG-MCE-065#S34`
  > “This process, often called "unreconciling," changes the transaction status in your register but doesn't undo the entire reconciliation for the period.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Article introduction, first paragraph after the Intuit Experts note. Verified 2026-09-09.

- <a id="s-CG-MCE-065-S35"></a>The documented procedure for undoing an entire reconciliation begins with signing in to QuickBooks Online as the Primary Admin. _(jurisdiction: United States (en-US QuickBooks Online help article on quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us), entity_scope: QuickBooks Online users signed in as the Primary Admin, platform: QuickBooks Online, platform_edition: QuickBooks Online (US); article lists QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, Simple Start, Essentials and QuickBooks Ledger, conditions: undoing an entire reconciliation)_ `CG-MCE-065#S35`
  > “Sign in to QuickBooks Online as the Primary Admin.” — [Intuit Inc. — Undo or remove transactions from reconciliations in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/accounting-bookkeeping/undo-remove-transactions-reconciliations-online/L6ERlEXxn_US_en_US), 2026-08-24; Heading "Undo an entire reconciliation" — step 1. Verified 2026-09-09.

_Partly established. Established: what the action does to a completed reconciliation (S22, S34). Missing: whether deleting, voiding or editing an entry sitting in a period that has been reconciled, or closed and locked, or already reported is available at all; what the platform requires before such a period can be changed._

## Not yet fully established from an authoritative source

- Establish how accounting software payroll integrations post to the ledger: how an automatically created payroll entry is identified, whether it can be deleted in the accounting file or must be undone in the payroll service, and what re-posts on the next synchronisation. Establish also the origin, source, transaction type and creator the platform records on an entry, by which an integration posting is told apart from a manual journal or expense entry, and the integration settings that determine whether and how the payroll service posts. _(not established)_
- Establish how bank-feed matching and exclusion behave for a payroll debit - what matching to an existing entry does, what excluding does, and how each affects reconciliation - what instead happens when the debit is accepted as a new transaction or the downloaded transaction is deleted, and how bank rules that create or categorise a payroll debit automatically behave and are restricted. _(partly established)_
- Establish the accounting control expectation for correcting an erroneous entry in a period that has been closed, reconciled or reported - when reversal is required rather than deletion, and what audit trail must remain - including where voiding sits beside deletion and reversal and what each of the three leaves in the record. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Establish the criterion that determines whether a duplicated payroll posting is a books-only duplication or reflects a genuinely duplicated payment or a duplicated remittance to a payroll authority, and what each implies for filings and recovery. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Establish what a complete payroll posting carries in the ledger - gross wage expense, employee withholding, employer tax and net pay mapped to the accounts each belongs in - and how the totals of a payroll register correspond to those ledger balances, so that one posting can be judged complete and correctly mapped against another and so that agreement between register and ledger can be demonstrated for a period. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Establish what an accounting platform permits and does when an entry sitting in a period that has been reconciled, or closed and locked, or already reported is deleted, voided or edited - whether the action is available at all, what it does to a completed reconciliation, and what the platform requires before such a period can be changed. _(partly established)_
- Establish the three independent routes by which one payroll can reach the ledger and how the reader identifies which route produced each entry, using the entry origin, source document, transaction type and creator rather than the amount. _(not established)_
- Show the diagnostic: tying every entry for one pay date to the net pay debit and the tax payments that actually cleared the bank, and reading the resulting symptoms in wage expense, payroll liabilities and the bank balance. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Establish the criteria that decide which posting is authoritative - completeness across gross, withholding, employer tax and net, correct account mapping, whether it is matched to the bank, and whether it lies in a closed or reconciled period - rather than defaulting to any one route. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Distinguish deleting, voiding and reversing the redundant entry, and establish how the state of the period - open, reconciled, closed and locked, or already reported - constrains which is available and which is appropriate. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Explain the bank-feed leg specifically: matching the payroll debit to the authoritative entry, and when a feed transaction should be excluded rather than deleted or added. _(not established)_
- Require the repair to extend past wage expense to the payroll liability accounts, any duplicated tax payment, and the reconciliation status of every affected period, and to establish whether the duplication was books-only or reflected a genuinely duplicated payment or filing. _(partly established; below the required authority class)_
- Specify the verification step: tying wage expense and payroll liability balances for each affected period back to the payroll registers so the reader can prove the books now agree with payroll. _(not established; below the required authority class)_
- Establish the prevention measures - a single agreed posting route, the payroll integration configured to match it, manual payroll journals restricted, and bank rules prevented from creating payroll expense automatically. _(not established)_
- Require the removal to be documented, with particular care where the entries touched a period that has been closed, reconciled or reported. _(not established; below the required authority class)_

## Related

- [Should I edit, void, delete or reverse a transaction that was recorded wrong?](https://uppago.com/resources/should-i-edit-void-delete-or-reverse-a-transaction-that-was-recorded-wrong)
- [Why is the balance in my payroll liability accounts wrong, and how do I reconcile payroll liabilities to what I actually filed and paid?](https://uppago.com/resources/why-is-the-balance-in-my-payroll-liability-accounts-wrong-and-how-do-i-reconcile)

_Reference date 2026-09-07. Statements are quoted verbatim from their sources; scope and verification dates are shown on each._