QBO Duplicate Transaction Review for VAs

Treat a possible duplicate as a review question

Two records with the same amount are not automatically duplicates. Start by identifying the entity, period and records involved. Preserve both references and record why they appear related. The assistant gathers evidence; the authorized reviewer decides whether a correction is warranted.

Check the permitted sources for dates, counterparties, invoice references and transaction descriptions. Note differences as carefully as similarities. Do not remove a record or force a match just because doing so would make a report appear cleaner.

Build a comparison the reviewer can follow

Place the candidate records together in a review note with links to their sources. Include how each record entered the workflow when that information is available, such as a bank feed, supplier invoice or manual entry. Describe the observed facts without turning a hypothesis into a conclusion.

Keep missing evidence explicit. If an invoice or statement is unavailable, identify who can provide it. A reviewer should not have to infer whether a blank field means no evidence exists or whether nobody has checked yet.

Example: two equal charges on consecutive days

Two charges from the same supplier have equal amounts but different dates. The assistant finds two separate source references and records them. They ask the reviewer whether the records represent separate purchases, a repeated entry or another situation needing investigation.

If a correction is approved, preserve the instruction and record the authorized action and its result. Keep the original references in the review history. If the records are valid separate transactions, retain the explanation so a later review does not reopen the same question without new evidence.

Close the question without losing its history

Use distinct statuses for evidence gathering, awaiting review, correction authorized and reviewer-confirmed outcome. Verify that the final record links back to the decision. Questions affecting protected periods should follow the closed-period edit queue.

Discuss duplicate-candidate preparation within cleanup support. Deletion, matching decisions and accounting corrections remain with the authorized reviewer and the organization's documented process.