PSA L&P - Bills: Can I delete a bill after voiding a check

Can I delete a bill after voiding a check?

No, once a check has been written against a bill, it is connected to that bill forever. Even when the check is voided, the bill is still connected to the voided check. Therefore, the bill cannot be deleted.

Overview: A Bill is created; then a check is printed. You void the check which creates a journal entry reversing the check. When you run certain reports, you still see the original bill in the system.

You may want to create a Journal Entry to ensure expenses are not inflated after voiding a check:

When you use an Accrual Based Accounting System, creating the bill, check, and voiding the transaction creates the following entries in the Ledger:

Bill Date: Credit Accounts Payable and Debit Expense

Check Date: Debit Accounts Payable and Credit Cash

Void Date: Debit Cash and Credit Expenses

Depending on the gap of time between the Bill Date where Expenses are first Debited and the Void Date, where Expenses are Credited, the expenses may seem inflated.

 

If you would like to close that gap, you may create two journal entries: 

Entry 1: Bill Date: Debit Expense Credit Accounts Payable* 

Entry 2: Void Date: Debit Accounts Payable* Credit Expense

*or the pass-through account of your choice

An article that may help you work through this or visualize it better is, How voiding a check affects the books when the bill and check are months apart (Accrual)


Related Articles

How to void or delete a check

How to correct having voided the wrong check or to unvoid a check?

How voided checks are recorded

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