06/12/2025
We’ve all had that sinking moment—you’re trying to “fix” your books in QuickBooks, thinking you’re helping… but instead, you’ve accidentally made things worse.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. At Maple Bookkeeping Services, we’ve seen it happen *countless* times. Well-meaning business owners attempt a DIY fix, only to create bigger headaches and, in some cases, costly clean-up bills down the road.
Let’s walk through four of the most common QuickBooks mistakes and show you how to avoid them (so you can save time, stress, and *money* 💸).
1. Deleting Transactions to “Fix” the Balance ❌
It might seem like a smart move to delete a transaction when something looks off—but that quick fix can throw off your reconciliations, reports, and even tax filings.
Instead, do this:
✅ Use the **Reconcile** tool to find what’s missing or duplicated
✅ **Undo** reconciliations if needed, rather than delete
Pro Tip: Always investigate before removing anything from your books!
2. Using Journal Entries to Adjust Balances 🚫
Journal entries can be powerful tools—but when used incorrectly, they can seriously mess up your financial reports. If you’re not 100% confident about how they affect your books, pause.
Instead, do this:
✅ Use standard transaction types (invoices, bills, transfers) whenever possible.
✅ Ask a pro where it should hit on your reports—we’re happy to hel.p
3. Manually Adding Income or Expenses Without Checking First 🧾
This one is sneaky. You might think, “I don’t see this transaction, let me just add it.” But if it’s already in your bank feed, you’ve now *duplicated* it—throwing off income or expense totals and skewing your reporting.
Instead, do this:
✅ Double-check the **bank feed**
✅ Use the **“Match”** feature to avoid duplicate entries
4. Editing Old Transactions to “Correct” New Balances 🔄
Changing a past invoice or expense may seem like the fastest way to correct your balance, but it can disrupt reconciliations, compromise your audit trail, and impact your tax filings.
Instead, do this:
✅ Start by reviewing the current period to find the issue
✅ Talk to your accountant before making any edits to previously filed data
Don’t Let a “Quick Fix” Become a Costly Mistake
These small mistakes can snowball into expensive clean-up jobs, not to mention stress and confusion come tax season.
If your QuickBooks file feels “off” but you’re not sure where things went wrong, we’re here to help, judgment-free.
Let Maple Bookkeeping Take It Off Your Plate
We specialize in:
* QuickBooks Online clean-up & rescue
* Reconciliation fixes
* Ongoing monthly support
* Making your financial reports *actually make sense*
👉 [Schedule a free consultation now and let’s get your books back on track (and keep them that way).
maplebkp.com | Helping small businesses stay financially clear and confident
Serving women, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, and all small business owners who want more ease with their money.
Patricia de Oliveira
