If you have accidentally deleted a transaction in QuickBooks, you can restore it again. The method for doing this depends on how the transactions were deleted. Transactions that were intentionally deleted or altered appear in the QuickBooks Audit Trail and can be restored by re-entering the information. Transactions accidentally lost through a computer glitch or loss of data can be restored by using a backup file, provided the backup is is current.
Restoring Deleted Transactions using the Audit Trail
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Step 1
Click on the "Reports" button on the top menu bar. Scroll down and click the "Accountants & Taxes" button. When the side menu opens, click on the "Audit Trail" tab. It's the Audit Trail that captures each transaction that is entered, altered, or deleted. This feature helps prevent fraud issues by recording the date, time, and user who altered or deleted the transaction.
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Step 2
Click on the "From" date range box and choose the day you believe the transaction was deleted. For the "To" date, choose either the same day, or if you are not sure what the day is, you can run the report by the week or month. Click on the "Refresh" button and the Audit Trail will display all transactions within the date range you specify.
Step 3
Scroll through the list of transactions and double-click the one that was deleted. Make a note of each item in the transaction. The audit trail is organized by the user who created or last altered the transaction, then by transaction type, then by the date it was created and then by the date it was changed.
Step 4
Re-enter the deleted transaction details. If it is an invoice that is accidentally deleted, create a new invoice with the details from the deleted transaction. If it is a bill or a bill payment, create a new bill or bill payment with the deleted details.
Restoring Deleted Transactions Using Backup Files
Step 1
Restore the latest backup file. If the deleted transaction is one of a few transactions you can restore the most recent backup file. To do this, click on the QuickBooks "File" menu on and scroll down to the "Open Or Restore Company" button.
Step 2
Click on the "Restore A Backup Copy" button and click "Next." The software prompts you to answer the question, "Is the Backup Copy Stored Locally or Online?" If you stored the backup to an external drive or flash drive, choose the "Local Backup" button and click next.
Step 3
Find the most recent backup copy stored on your computer. The software prompts you to choose the location in which it should search for the backup file. Select this location and click "OK". When you see the most recent backup, double click on it and then click "OK".
Step 4
Choose a location to save this backup copy. After you locate the backup file, the software asks you to specify where you want to save the new company file. Choose the default location of the external drive or flash drive you currently use and click "OK".
Step 5
Open the file and check for the presence of the deleted transactions. Re-enter the transactions that were entered between the time that transactions were deleted and the time that you restored them. Re-enter all data that was entered following the deleted transaction as needed.