How to void a check in QuickBooks, and why deleting it is usually wrong
Voiding zeroes the amount and keeps the record. Deleting removes it entirely, breaks your check numbering, and leaves a gap in the audit trail. One rule decides which you need.
Verdict
Void keeps the record and zeroes the amount. Delete removes it entirely and breaks your check numbering. The rule is simple: if a physical check ever left your office, void it. Delete only what never existed.
The one rule#
Did a physical check leave your office?
The only question that decides this
Yes means void. No means you can delete.
Everything else is detail. If a check with that number was printed and went out, the number has to stay accounted for in your books. Void it.
If nothing ever left, nothing needs recording. Delete it.
What each one actually does#
| Void | Delete | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Set to zero | Gone |
| Check number | Kept | Gone, leaving a gap |
| Date | Kept | Gone |
| Audit trail | Entry retained, VOID added to memo | Nothing |
| Reports | Shows as a zero-value transaction | Shows nothing |
QuickBooks writes VOID into the memo field automatically, and the audit log records who did it and when. That is the whole reason voiding exists.
How to void in QuickBooks Online#
1. Find the check. Either open the account register, or go to Expenses and search.
2. Open the transaction.
3. Choose More at the bottom of the screen.
4. Select Void.
5. Confirm.
Done. The amount goes to zero and everything else stays.
How to delete, if you are sure#
Same path, but choose Delete instead of Void at step 4.
The case that needs extra care#
Voiding a check from a closed or reconciled period.
The check was part of a reconciliation. Setting it to zero changes that period's totals, which means the reconciliation no longer matches the statement it was reconciled against.
If the period is closed, talk to whoever closes your books before voiding. The usual correct treatment is a journal entry in the current period rather than reaching back and changing history.
Voiding does not stop the bank#
Worth saying plainly, because people assume otherwise.
Voiding is a bookkeeping action. It changes your records. It does not tell your bank anything.
If the check is genuinely out there and you do not want it paid, call your bank and request a stop payment. That is a separate process, it usually costs a fee, and it has a time limit. Do that first, then void in QuickBooks.
The order that works#
1. Stop payment at the bank, if the check is out.
2. Void in QuickBooks.
3. If the period was reconciled, check whether the ending balance still ties, and fix it properly rather than undoing the reconciliation.
That last point matters. Undoing a reconciliation to fix one voided check also undoes every period after it, which we cover in how to undo a reconciliation.
The short version
What works
- Voiding preserves the check number, the date, and the audit trail entry
- QuickBooks adds VOID to the memo automatically, so the reason is visible later
- Both actions take under a minute once you know which one you need
What does not
- Deleting leaves a gap in your check sequence that an auditor will ask about
- Voiding a check from a closed period changes a reconciled figure and needs care
- Neither action stops the bank paying a check that is already out there
Frequently asked questions
- How do I void a check in QuickBooks Online?
- Open the check from the register or from Expenses, then choose More at the bottom of the screen and select Void. Confirm. QuickBooks zeroes the amount, keeps the check number and date, and adds VOID to the memo field automatically.
- What is the difference between voiding and deleting a check?
- Voiding sets the amount to zero but keeps the transaction, the check number, and the audit trail. Deleting removes the transaction completely, which leaves a gap in your check numbering and no record that anything ever happened. Voiding is almost always the correct choice.
- When should I delete a check instead of voiding it?
- Only when the check never actually existed. A duplicate entry, a test transaction, or a check you typed in error and never printed. If a physical check with that number left your office, void it, because the number needs to stay accounted for.
- Does voiding a check in QuickBooks stop the bank paying it?
- No. Voiding is a bookkeeping action inside QuickBooks and has no effect on your bank. If the check is genuinely out there, you need to call your bank and place a stop payment, which is a separate process and usually carries a fee.
Written by
Tashawar Awais
Researcher and editor
Tashawar handles verification and editing. Every figure in a review is checked a second time before it goes out, and anything that cannot be traced to a vendor page or a documented source is either qualified or cut. Where pricing is genuinely unclear, as it is with Canva team plans or Close CRM tiers, the article says so and tells the reader to confirm directly instead of quoting a number with false confidence.
- Second check on every published figure
- Removes claims the sources do not support
- Flags pricing that changes without notice