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The correct tool depends on whether you use QuickBooks Online or Desktop. The log can identify a user, timestamp, event, and—in supported cases—the before-and-after transaction details. It does not provide a complete human explanation for every change.
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How to see who changed something in QuickBooks Online
- Sign in to the correct QuickBooks Online company.
- Select Settings ⚙.
- Select Audit log.
- Select Filter.
- Choose a User, Date, or Events filter. Use a narrow date range and the suspected event type when possible.
- Select Apply.
- Review the matching entries and the user, date, event, and related record shown.
- Select View in the History column when it is available.
Intuit’s current U.S. instructions say the Audit log displays up to 150 records at a time. That is a display limit, not a statement that the company has only 150 audit events. QuickBooks Online retains Audit log events for two years. See Intuit’s Audit log instructions.
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How to filter the Audit log
Start with the question you are trying to answer:
- Who? Filter by the suspected employee, accountant, administrator, or system profile.
- When? Filter by the date the change was made—not only the date printed on the transaction.
- What happened? Filter by events such as additions, edits, deletions, voids, sign-ins, or settings activity, depending on the options shown in your company.
- Which record? Review the customer, supplier or vendor, employee, transaction type, amount, and original transaction date associated with each result.
For an unexplained invoice, search around both the invoice’s transaction date and the date you first noticed the problem. A backdated invoice may have an old transaction date but a recent change date.
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How to see exactly what changed
The general Audit log identifies the event. A supported transaction may provide more detail:
- Open the transaction.
- Select More actions → Audit history.
- Select Show all to review the transaction’s history.
- Select Compare for a side-by-side comparison when that option is available.
This view can show who changed the transaction, when it changed, and which details changed. Intuit says full access rights are required to view transaction audit history. Not every event has a detailed comparison. Logins, logouts, settings changes, some list activity, and certain other non-transaction events may show an event row without a field-by-field before-and-after record. Read Intuit’s guidance on transaction Audit history.
How to find who deleted an invoice or transaction
- Go to Settings ⚙ → Audit log.
- Filter for the likely date range and user.
- Choose the relevant deletion or transaction event if available.
- Select Apply and review the results for the invoice or other record.
- Select View in the History column if the entry provides it.
QuickBooks Online may identify that a transaction was deleted and associate the event with a user or system profile. However, the available history detail varies by transaction and event type. The Audit log is an investigation record; it should not be treated as a guaranteed way to restore every deleted field or transaction.
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What if QuickBooks shows “System Administration”?
“System Administration” does not necessarily mean an employee changed the books manually. QuickBooks can use system-generated profiles for activity caused automatically by the service, including recurring transactions, bank-feed updates, payment changes that affect a linked invoice, and certain account or settings activity.
Other unfamiliar profiles can also have specific meanings:
- Online Banking Administration: automated activity connected with online banking or bank feeds.
- Support Representative: activity by a QuickBooks support consultant.
- Import Administration: activity related to importing or converting data from QuickBooks Desktop.
- Connected application: data sent or changed by a third-party app connected to the company.
An indirect edit is another possibility. For example, changing a payment’s invoice association can affect the linked invoice. The actor shown may be tied to the action that triggered the related change, while the affected record appears in a separate event.
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Before accusing a user, check Settings → Manage users, connected apps, bank feeds, recurring transactions, and related entries around the same time. A genuinely unknown named user should still prompt a permissions and security review. Intuit explains system profiles and indirect activity.
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- Open the QuickBooks Desktop company file.
- Select Reports.
- Select Accountant & Taxes.
- Select Audit Trail.
- Set the date range and customize the report as needed.
- Review additions, changes, deletions, and the associated user.
QuickBooks Desktop’s Audit Trail report is not the same tool as QuickBooks Online’s Audit log. Report options, filtering, and other capabilities can vary by Desktop edition and version. QuickBooks Enterprise also has edition- and version-dependent audit-trail features. See the QuickBooks Desktop manual.
Why can’t I see the Audit log?
Check these issues in order:
- Wrong product: Desktop uses the Audit Trail report; the Online Audit log is in the web interface.
- Wrong company: Confirm that you opened the company file where the change occurred.
- Insufficient permissions: The general QuickBooks Online Audit log requires administrator access. Transaction-level Audit history requires full access rights.
- Old event: QuickBooks Online Audit log events are available for two years, so an older event may no longer appear.
- Indirect or system activity: Search related transactions and system profiles instead of only the employee you suspect.
If the Audit log is not visible, ask the primary administrator to review it or adjust the user’s permissions. Do not assume that an inaccessible log means no record exists.
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How far back does QuickBooks keep change history?
For QuickBooks Online, Intuit says Audit log events are retained for two years, and the Audit log cannot be turned off for audit and security reasons.
Keep these dates separate:
- Transaction date: the date printed on an invoice, bill, check, or other record.
- Change date: when the record was entered or modified.
- Retention period: how far back the Audit log makes the event available.
For a change older than two years, look for prior exported reports, accountant workpapers, bank statements, email notifications, attachments, downloaded records, company backups, connected-app logs, and internal approval records. These may help reconstruct what happened but are not substitutes for the QuickBooks Audit log.
Does QuickBooks record sign-ins and sign-outs?
QuickBooks Online records user sign-ins. A sign-out is recorded only when the user deliberately selects Sign out. Closing the browser, navigating away, or being automatically signed out after inactivity does not create the same sign-out event.
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What to do if you suspect unauthorized changes
- Export or print the relevant Audit log entries and transaction history before correcting anything.
- Record the user or system profile, event, change date, affected transaction, amount, and any comparison details.
- Review Settings → Manage users and remove access that is no longer necessary.
- Change relevant passwords and enable available account-security controls.
- Review connected applications, bank feeds, recurring transactions, and accountant access.
- Contact the primary administrator or QuickBooks support if the activity remains unexplained.
- Only after preserving the evidence, correct, void, or re-enter the affected transaction as appropriate.
This is general account and bookkeeping guidance, not legal, forensic, or accounting advice. For suspected fraud or a material financial issue, involve your accountant and appropriate professional advisers.
QuickBooks Online versus Desktop
| Product | Primary audit tool | What it helps identify | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Settings → Audit log | Users, system profiles, events, dates, and supported transaction history | Audit-log events are documented as available for two years; detailed comparisons vary by event. |
| QuickBooks Desktop | Reports → Accountant & Taxes → Audit Trail | Transactions added, changed, or deleted and the associated user | Options vary by edition and version. |
| QuickBooks Enterprise | Desktop Audit Trail and related reporting | Audit activity within Enterprise workflows | Exact features depend on the Enterprise version. |
Accountant access and product choice
An invited accountant can access a client’s QuickBooks Online company separately, and the client can review the accountant’s activity in the Audit log. Accountant access does not replace user-role management: the company owner or administrator should still review permissions and activity. See Intuit’s information about accountant access.
You do not need to upgrade simply to identify who changed a record; that is a native function with different tools in Online and Desktop. QuickBooks Online is the better fit for browser-based collaboration and remote accountant access. Consider Online Advanced only when its additional reporting or administrative capabilities justify it. Consider Desktop Enterprise when desktop-specific workflows and Enterprise capabilities matter more than cloud collaboration.
For U.S. customers, Intuit says new sales of Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll subscriptions stopped after September 30, 2024; that restriction did not include Enterprise. Product availability and features can vary by location and version. Check Intuit’s current Desktop availability notice.
Bottom line
Use Settings → Audit log in QuickBooks Online or Reports → Accountant & Taxes → Audit Trail in QuickBooks Desktop. Filter by the right date and event, then inspect transaction history where available. Treat system profiles and connected apps as possible sources of automated activity, preserve evidence before making corrections, and remember that QuickBooks Online’s documented audit history extends back two years—not indefinitely.
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