How to Restore Lost/Deleted Transactions in QuickBooks Desktop?

Losing or accidentally deleting transactions in QuickBooks Desktop can be a frustrating experience, but the good news is that you can restore them.

In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of restoring lost or deleted transactions in QuickBooks Desktop.

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Method 1: Restore Transactions from a Backup

Step 1: Locate a Recent Backup

The first step in restoring lost or deleted transactions in QuickBooks Desktop is to locate a recent backup. If you regularly back up your QuickBooks data, you should be able to restore your transactions from a backup file.

Step 2: Restore the Backup File

To restore the backup file, follow these steps:

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Click the File menu and select Open or Restore Company.
3. Select Restore a backup copy and click Next.
4. Select Local Backup and click Next.
5. Browse to the location where your backup file is saved and select the file.
6. Click Open and then Next.
7. Choose the location where you want to restore the file and click Save.
8. Follow the prompts to complete the restoration process.

Step 3: Verify the Restored Transactions

After you have restored the backup file, verify that the lost or deleted transactions have been restored. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Click the Reports menu and select Accountant & Taxes.
3. Select the Transaction Detail by Account report.
4. Set the date range to include the time period when the transactions were lost or deleted.
5. Review the report to ensure that the transactions have been restored.

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Method 2: Restore Transactions from the Audit Trail

If you do not have a recent backup or if the transactions were deleted some time ago, you can restore them from the Audit Trail.

Step 1: Open the Audit Trail Report

To open the Audit Trail report, follow these steps:

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Click the Reports menu and select Accountant & Taxes.
3. Select the Audit Trail report.

Step 2: Find the Deleted Transactions

Use the Audit Trail report to find the deleted transactions. Look for transactions with the “Deleted” status and make a note of the transaction type and date.

Step 3: Restore the Deleted Transactions

To restore the deleted transactions, follow these steps:

1. Click the Company menu and select Make General Journal Entries.
2. Enter the date of the deleted transaction and the appropriate account information.
3. Enter the transaction amount as a negative number if it was a sale or an expense and a positive number if it was a payment or a deposit.
4. Enter a memo that indicates the original transaction that was deleted.
5. Repeat this process for each deleted transaction that you want to restore.

Step 4: Verify the Restored Transactions

After you have restored the deleted transactions, verify that they have been restored correctly. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click the Reports menu and select Accountant & Taxes.
2. Select the Transaction Detail by Account report.
3. Set the date range to include the time period when the transactions were deleted.
4. Review the report to ensure that the transactions have been restored.

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Method 3: Use a Third-Party Tool

If the above methods do not work, you can use a third-party tool to restore lost or deleted transactions in QuickBooks Desktop. There are several tools available that can recover deleted data from QuickBooks files.

To use a third-party tool, follow the instructions provided by the tool. Make sure to carefully read the instructions and follow them exactly to avoid causing further damage to your QuickBooks file.

In conclusion, restoring lost or deleted transactions in QuickBooks Desktop can be done using a recent backup, the Audit Trail report, or a third-party tool.