How to undo a reconciliation in QuickBooks Online, and when you shouldn't
Sometimes a reconciliation has to be redone: it was forced with a difference, or the wrong statement was used. Here's how to undo one in QuickBooks Online, how to un-reconcile a single transaction, and why undoing is often the last thing to try.
When undoing is the right call
Undo a reconciliation when the whole period is wrong, not when one line is. Good reasons:
- It was finished with a difference, and QuickBooks created an adjustment entry to force it.
- The wrong statement was used (wrong month or wrong account), or the ending balance was typed incorrectly.
- Several months were reconciled against the bank feed instead of statements, and you need to redo them properly.
If the problem is a single missing, duplicated or mis-dated transaction, fix that transaction instead. Undoing un-ticks every transaction in the period, and you'll have to tick them all again.
Undo a whole reconciliation (QuickBooks Online Accountant)
Undoing a full reconciliation is an accountant tool. You need to be signed in through QuickBooks Online Accountant as the client's accountant user.
Heads-up: Intuit says QuickBooks Online Accountant will be discontinued on December 31, 2026 and replaced by Intuit Accountant Suite, so menu names may change. The order of steps below stays the same.
- Open the client's company from QuickBooks Online Accountant.
- Go to Settings ⚙ → Reconcile (or Transactions → Reconcile) and open History by account.
- Choose the account and find the reconciliation by its statement ending date.
- Use the Undo option on that reconciliation and confirm.
Undo the most recent period first. Each reconciliation's beginning balance depends on the one before it. If you need to redo March and April, undo April, then March, then reconcile March, then April.
If an adjustment entry was created when the period was forced, check whether it's still there after undoing, and delete it before you reconcile again. Otherwise the difference stays hidden in the books.
Un-reconcile a single transaction
Without accountant access, or when only one transaction is wrong, change that transaction's reconcile status:
- Open the account's register (Chart of accounts → the bank account → View register).
- Find the transaction. The status column shows R for reconciled.
- Click the status to change it to blank (or C for cleared) and save.
That changes the cleared balance of the period it belonged to, so the next reconciliation's beginning balance will no longer match. That's expected: you'll fix or re-tick the transaction in the right period.
Safer fixes to try first
- Beginning balance wrong? Look for a previously reconciled transaction that was changed or deleted, and restore it. Our discrepancy guide shows how to find it.
- A transaction in the wrong month? Un-reconcile just that one and tick it in the right period.
- A duplicate? Delete the extra copy. If the copy was reconciled, the beginning balance of the next period will move by exactly that amount, which confirms you found it.
After undoing: reconcile again, properly
Have the bank statement for each period in hand, and reconcile in date order to a difference of $0.00. The step-by-step guide covers each screen. If several months need redoing, the catch-up guide shows how to plan it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I undo a reconciliation in QuickBooks Online without being an accountant user?
Undoing a whole reconciliation is a QuickBooks Online Accountant tool. Without it, you can un-reconcile individual transactions by changing their status in the account register.
Does undoing a reconciliation delete transactions?
No. It only removes the reconciled status from the transactions in that period. The transactions themselves stay in the books.
What happens to the adjustment entry from a forced reconciliation?
Check for it after undoing. If it's still in the books, delete it before reconciling again, or the original difference stays hidden.
Should I undo several months at once?
Undo from the most recent period backwards, then reconcile again in date order, because each period's beginning balance depends on the one before.