Record the check deposit in QuickBooks after the bank processes it
When you deposit a check using your phone or at an ATM, QuickBooks does not automatically know about it. You have to enter the deposit yourself in QuickBooks so your records match what the bank actually received. The deposit shows up in your bank account after one to three business days (depending on your bank and the check amount), and that is when you record it in QuickBooks—not when you took the photo or handed it over.
The process is straightforward: you create a deposit record in QuickBooks, link it to the checking account where the money landed, and attach the check amount. QuickBooks then matches this record to the bank transaction when you reconcile, which is how you confirm everything is correct.
Key Takeaways
- Wait until the check clears your bank (usually one to three business days) before recording it in QuickBooks, so your bank balance and QuickBooks balance stay in sync.
- Use the Deposit feature in QuickBooks, not the Write Checks feature, because deposits record money coming in, not money going out.
- Enter the check amount, the account it went into, and the customer or source it came from so you can track where the money originated.
- Match the deposit in QuickBooks to the bank transaction during reconciliation to confirm the bank processed it correctly.
Steps to record a mobile or ATM check deposit in QuickBooks
Open QuickBooks and go to the + New button (the blue plus sign in the top left). Select Deposit from the menu. Do not select "Check"—that is for checks you write out, not checks you receive.
In the Deposit form, select the Checking Account (or whichever account the check went into) from the "Account" dropdown at the top. Enter the date the check cleared your bank, not the date you deposited it. In the line items below, enter the check amount in the "Amount" column. In the "Description" column, write the customer name or check source so you know where the money came from. If the check is tied to an invoice the customer owed you, select that invoice in the "Ref no." column so QuickBooks marks the invoice as paid.
Click Save and Close. The deposit is now in your QuickBooks records and will appear in your checking account balance.
Matching the deposit to your bank statement during reconciliation
After the check clears, your bank statement will show the deposit. Open the Reconcile tool in QuickBooks (usually under Banking or Accounting, depending on your version). Select your checking account and the statement date that includes the deposit.
QuickBooks will show you a list of transactions in your account. Find the deposit you just created and check the box next to it. The deposit amount should match exactly what appears on your bank statement. If it does, QuickBooks marks it as reconciled. If the amounts do not match, double-check the amount you entered in the deposit form and correct it before reconciling.
What to do if the deposit does not appear in QuickBooks yet
If you deposited the check but it has not shown up in QuickBooks, check whether you actually created the deposit record. Many people deposit the check through their bank's app and forget to record it in QuickBooks—the two systems do not talk to each other automatically. Go back to QuickBooks and create the deposit record using the steps above.
If you already created the deposit in QuickBooks but it is not showing up in your checking account balance, make sure you selected the correct account in the Deposit form. If you selected the wrong account by mistake, open the deposit, change the account, and save it again.
Handling checks that bounce or are returned
If a check bounces after you deposited it, your bank will reverse the deposit and charge you a fee. When this happens, you need to remove the deposit from QuickBooks to match the reversal. Open the deposit record you created, click Delete, and confirm. Then create a separate transaction to record the bank fee your bank charged you.
If you need to keep a record of the bounced check for your files, you can also edit the deposit and change the amount to zero instead of deleting it, then add a note in the description saying "Bounced" or "Returned." This keeps the transaction visible in your history without inflating your account balance.
Splitting a deposit across multiple customers or income categories
If a single deposit includes checks from more than one customer, or if you want to split the deposit across different income categories, add multiple line items in the Deposit form. Each line can have a different amount, customer, and category. For example, if you deposited a $500 check from Customer A and a $300 check from Customer B on the same day, create two lines in the deposit—one for $500 and one for $300—and assign each to the correct customer.
This approach keeps your customer records accurate and makes it easier to see which customers paid you and when. When you reconcile, the total of all line items should match the total deposit amount shown on your bank statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I record the deposit in QuickBooks the day I take the photo or the day it clears?
Record it the day it clears your bank, which is usually one to three business days after you deposit it. This way your QuickBooks balance matches your actual bank balance. If you record it too early, your QuickBooks balance will be higher than what the bank shows, and reconciliation will fail.
What if I deposited the check but QuickBooks is showing it in a different account?
Open the deposit record, click Edit, and change the account at the top of the form to the correct checking account. Save it. The deposit will move to the right account and your balances will update.
Can I record a check deposit if I do not know which customer it came from?
Yes. In the Description field, write something like "Unknown customer" or "Cash deposit" so you have a record. You can also leave the customer field blank. Just make sure the amount is correct so your bank reconciliation works.
Do I need to attach a photo of the check to the deposit record in QuickBooks?
QuickBooks allows you to attach files, but it is not required to record the deposit. If you want to keep the check image for your records, you can upload it by clicking the attachment icon in the deposit form, but the deposit will work without it.
What happens if I record a deposit in QuickBooks but the bank never actually processes it?
During reconciliation, you will notice the deposit in QuickBooks does not match anything on your bank statement. Delete the deposit from QuickBooks and contact your bank to find out why the check was not processed. Once the bank processes it, create the deposit record again.