Index

• Direct Deletion of Records
• Refunding Client Payments
• Deleting Trust Deposits
• Reversing Trust Checks or A/P Checks
• Partially Reversing Trust Checks Applied to Multiple Matters
• Reversing Journal Entries

Direct Deletion of Records

Deleting records in Abacus Accounting is often the best option if the transaction was entered recently and was not posted in a batch with a large number of other postings, or if the error touches every transaction in the posting batch (for example, an incorrect date).

However, deleting records comes with the following caveats:

• The transaction must not be billed (meaning it has not appeared on a posted bill). This can apply to client payments, trust deposits, and trust checks.
• If the transaction (such as a client payment or trust deposit) was posted in the same batch as other transactions, those transactions collectively were posted to the G/L as a SINGLE transaction. As a result, to delete the transaction on one matter, the transaction must be deleted on ALL matters where it was posted, so that the G/L transaction can also be deleted.
• PayNow transactions charged to a credit card cannot be deleted; they must be voided.
• The following settings must be set on the General tab on the Company Preferences window (File > Setup > Company Preferences) to be able to delete transactions:
  • Allow Ledger Deletions must be checked.
  • Accounting Method must be set to Cash. If it is set to Accrual, deletion is not available under any circumstances, and transactions can only be reversed.

If the above are true, a Delete button is available from the Matter Billing Detail, Matter Trust Activity, Enter Client Payments, and Journal Activities windows.

To delete a transaction from any of these windows, highlight the transaction and click Delete.

Refunding Client Payments

If the client payment has not been posted, you can just delete the entry on the Enter Client Payments window (Billing > Payments Received).

However, if the client payment was posted, do not reverse the transaction; rather, refund the client.

Deleting Trust Deposits

If the trust deposit has not been posted, you can delete the entry on the Trust Deposits window (Trust > Trust Deposits).

However, if the trust deposit was posted, a trust check request needs to be created to reverse and refund the client.

Reversing Trust Checks or A/P Checks

To reverse a trust or A/P check, you need to void the check. 

If you are reversing a trust check that withdrew money from multiple matters, the void will need to void the withdrawal on all matters.

TIP: If you have written a check manually but made a mistake during the input into Abacus Accounting that cannot be edited, re-enter the check with the same details (except correcting whatever was incorrect), but add a .1 to the end of the check number. Abacus Accounting will not allow you to re-use the same check number, but this will allow the check to still be associated with the same check number when viewing your Check Register.

Partially Reversing Trust Checks Applied to Multiple Matters

If you need to reverse a transaction from a trust check that applied to multiple matters, but only need to reverse it on a small number of those matters and would prefer not to void the whole check, follow the instructions below.

1. Enter a trust deposit on each matter for the Amount of the withdrawal that you need to correct on that matter.
   
   
   
   
2. Before posting the deposit, change the Deposit Date to the date of the trust check.
   
   

Reversing Journal Entries

1. Find the original journal entry within the Journal Activities window (G/L > Journal Activity). Note the Journal # column. This will show both the number (for example, 16) and the type (for example, Gen).
   
   
2. Select G/L > Reverse Journal Entry.
   
   
3. The Reverse Journal Entry window opens. Enter the Journal Entry Number and Journal Entry Type that you previously found.
   
   
   
4. Click Reverse. The journal entry is reversed in the general ledger with REVERSAL recorded in the entry’s Reference field. The reversing entry is assigned its own journal entry number for the current date.