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jenniha
January 10, 2020
Question

Change the account for a default product/service item

  • January 10, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

I could have sworn there was a place in the account and settings area to set the default G/L accounts for new products and services. I can't find it and would like to change my default expense account from "purchases" (the QBO standard) to another GL I have created. I cannot merge "purchases" with this GL. I have multiple users setting up new items and they never remember to change the G/L...help?

    1 reply

    J
    Joshua R
    January 10, 2020

    Hey there, @jenniha.

     

    I'm here to help you change the account for a product/service item.

     

    Follow the steps below to change it in just a few clicks and ensure your company has an accurate record of your transactions.

     

    Change the income account for your items

    1. Go to Settings ⚙ and select Products and Services.
    2. In the Action column of the item, select Edit.
    3. From the Income account ▼ drop-down, choose the account you want to use. Can't see the account? Make sure the account's detail type is Sales of Product Income.

    To check:

    1. Go to Settings ⚙ and select Chart of Accounts.
    2. From the Action drop-down of the account, select Edit.
    3. Change the detail type to Sales of Product Income if necessary.
    4. Select Save and close.

    Note: You can only change the account for an item one at a time.

     

    That's all there is to it! If you have any other questions, I'm only a reply away.

    J
    jennihaAuthor
    January 11, 2020

    I am not asking how to change the account on an existing item, which is what your answer covers.

     

    I want to know if I can set the default expense account on new items when they are created to be anything other than "purchases" or if I can merge the "purchases" account.

      katherinejoyceO
      katherinejoyceO
      January 12, 2020

      I appreciate you for coming back for additional support, @jenniha. 

       

      Thanks for adding more information about what you want to achieve when creating new items in your inventory. I've also read through your previous post, and I understand you mentioned you can't merge purchases with GL (which you have created). 

       

      To clarify, you can only merge two accounts when they have the same information (Account type, detail type, and name). 

       

      Should you consider making your GL (expense) account as the parent account of Purchases (expense account) instead, that would set it as your default expense account when adding a new item in your inventory.  Here's how: 

       

      1. Go to the Accounting tab on the left menu. 
      2. Select Chart of Accounts. 
      3. Locate the Purchases account in the lists. 
      4. Under Action column, click the View Register drop-down arrow, then click Edit. 
      5. In the Account window, put a checkmark on the box for Is sub-account. 
      6. Select your GL account as the parent account. 
      7. Click Save and Close. 

       

      Once done, your GL account is now the default expense account every time you add a new item in your inventory.  Check out this help article for more information: How to change the type of an existing parent account or sub-account. 

       

      For future reference, read through this article: Reorder inventory or supplies from vendors. It helps you learn about how to prioritize what you need the most in your inventory. 

       

      Keep me posted if you have more questions about QuickBooks. We're always around here to guide you in the right direction. Have a great day. 

       

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