Voiding a Check from Last Year in QBO? Here’s the Right Way to Fix It

What Happens When You Void a Prior-Year Check in QuickBooks?

You’re reviewing old transactions in QuickBooks Online (QBO) and spot a check from last year that shouldn’t be there. You hover over “Void”… but should you?

Not so fast.

Voiding a check from a prior period—especially a closed accounting year—can create bigger issues than the original mistake.

What Is a Prior Period?

A prior period refers to any past accounting period that has already been finalized. That could mean:

• You’ve reconciled your accounts

• Your tax filings for the year are complete

• You’ve closed your books or submitted reports to a CPA, bank, or grant application

• You’ve already generated official Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet reports

Changing anything from that period—like voiding a check—means you’re rewriting records that have already been used in important decisions. That’s risky.

Why You Shouldn’t Void a Check in a Closed Period

Voiding a transaction from a prior year seems easy, but here’s what it can break:

• ✅ Your reconciled bank statements

• ✅ Your reported net income

• ✅ Your tax filing totals

• ✅ Your CPA’s sanity 😅

It’s not just a void—it’s a time-traveling accounting bomb.

Here’s the Better Fix: Record a Deposit in the Current Period

Instead of voiding the check in a prior period, record an offsetting Bank Deposit in the current period (this year) to cancel it out.

Step-by-Step: Fix a Prior-Year Check the Right Way

1. Go to + New > Bank Deposit

2. Enter the same amount as the original check

3. Use the same category (vendor or expense account)

4. In the memo field, write: “Offset for Check #1234 from 20XX (prior period)”

5. Double-check your reconciliation to make sure this deposit balances out

This keeps your past books clean while correcting the issue today.

💡 Pro Tip:

Before voiding anything from a prior year, ask:
“Will this affect my taxes or previous reports?”

If the answer might be yes, fix it in the current period instead.

Bottom Line

In QuickBooks, “fixing” an old mistake the wrong way can cause more problems than the mistake itself. Recording an offsetting deposit in the current period keeps your books accurate and audit-ready.

Your next move:
Go review any checks you were planning to void from last year. Use the deposit method instead. I help clients with these cleanups all the time—and it’s totally fixable.

Need Help Fixing Past Transactions?

I help service-based business owners stay compliant, tax-ready, and stress-free inside QuickBooks Online.

👉 Have questions or think you might need support? Contact me here to share what’s going on.
From there, I’ll let you know if a 15-minute Discovery Call is the right next step.

Let’s start by getting you clarity—without the pressure.