Follow these steps to write off a sales invoice, whether unpaid or partially paid, as a bad debt:
  1. Identify the customer and invoice number to be written off as bad debt.
  2. From the menu bar, select Tasks, Receipts.
  3. In the Customer ID field, select the customer that has the invoices that are outstanding for this customer.
  4. The Apply to Invoices tab will display with the invoices that are outstanding for this customer.
  5. Enter a unique reference number which will help identify the receipt as a write-off, for example WO-001.
  6. Place your cursor in the Cash Account box in the upper right-hand corner.  Click on the magnifying glass and select the Bad Debt Expense Account from the drop-down list.
Note: If you cannot change the cash account in Step #6, you may have the Hide General Ledger Accounts global option activated.  To look up or enter the Bad Debt Expense Account, click on the Journal icon to display the Accounting Behind the Screens window where you can change the cash account ID.  Select Ok to return to the Receipts window.

7. Select the invoice you wish to write off as a bad debt and select its PAY check box.

8. Save the entry.

Note: Go back into Tasks-Receipts and change the cash account back to the proper account.  After completing the steps above the cash account will be set to the Bad Debt Expense Account and must be reset back to the cash account.