remove chart of accounts and create my own

I can help you get those default accounts set to inactive, @jimmy41. Before we jump in, though, I’d like to share a bit about the limits on the accounts you can import and which ones can’t be deactivated. I want to make sure you have everything you need.

Before you import a new chart of accounts into QuickBooks, please know that you can only have up to 250 accounts. To dive deeper into the details, check out this resource: Learn about usage limits in QuickBooks Online.

Now, about those default accounts—some of them can’t be made inactive. Here's why:

When you first set up your company in QuickBooks Online, it automatically creates certain default accounts based on the type of business you selected. Plus, additional special accounts pop up whenever you take specific actions or activate certain features in your QuickBooks settings.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind before you make them inactive:

• You can't permanently delete an account; the only way to get rid of one is by merging it with another account.
• When you make an account inactive, all its transaction records stay, so nothing gets lost.
• You can’t edit any transactions linked to an inactive account. If you want to change or delete something, you'll need to reactivate the account first. After that, go into the register to delete the transaction, and then make sure the account balance is zero before deactivating it again.
• Before you turn a balance sheet account inactive, make sure the balance is zero. If it isn’t, QuickBooks Online will automatically adjust it to zero, which can mess with your tax info because it’s like making a change in past records.

These accounts are important for keeping your financial records accurate and organized, and they cannot be deactivated:

• Undeposited Funds This account holds payments you receive until you deposit them into your bank.
• Opening Balance Equity: This account is used for adjustments when setting up your books. You can change its name, but it can’t be deleted.
• Retained Earnings: This account shows your company's net income on the Balance Sheet. You can rename it, but it's best to keep the original name.
• Inventory/Stock Asset and Cost of Goods Sold/Cost of Sales: these accounts are linked to your products. If you try to change or remove them, it will affect your product settings.
• Sales of Product Income: This account tracks sales of inventory items. It shouldn't be deleted or renamed; otherwise, QuickBooks Online will create a new one automatically.
• Reconcile/Reconciliation Discrepancies: If there's a mismatch between your QuickBooks transactions and your bank statement during reconciliation, this account is created.
• Unapplied Cash Payment Income: This account shows cash payments from customers that haven’t been applied to any specific invoice.
• (Tax agency name) Payable: This account tracks taxes you owe to a tax agency based on your transactions. It is created when you set up tax tracking.
  
  

Finally, these accounts can be edited, but they cannot be deactivated or deleted through merging.

• Uncategorized Expenses and Income: These accounts automatically track money your business earns or spends that isn’t classified yet.
• Uncategorized Asset: This account keeps track of assets that don’t fit anywhere else.
• Owner's Equity: This account shows the money or assets you’ve put into your business.
• Services: This is the main income account in QuickBooks Online. You can’t delete it, but you can change its name to describe your income better.

To make an account inactive, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Gear icon and choose Chart of Accounts.
2. Scroll through and find the account you’re looking to deactivate.
3. Under the Action column, hit the Account history or Run report drop-down, and select Make Inactive.

In addition to this, I’m including a resource called "Import Your Chart of Accounts to QuickBooks Online". This guide offers step-by-step instructions for uploading your new chart of accounts into QuickBooks effectively.

To enhance the effectiveness of this process, I recommend consulting with your accountant for expert guidance on accounting matters before moving forward.

If you have any questions or need any clarifications about making the default accounts inactive in your chart of accounts, please feel free to reach out. I'm here to help you every step of the way and want to make sure you feel confident in completing this task. Your success means a lot to us.