reusing old acct numbers

[Sandy]

We have some old accounts that have not been used for 4 years. They are inactive. I would like to reactivate them as new accounts just because I would like to keep the account numbers sequential. The old information is no longer needed.

Is there a problem with doing this or any special way I should handle it?

Thank you in advance.

[NeilZ]

We have some old accounts that have not been used for 4 years. They are inactive. I would like to reactivate them as new accounts just because I would like to keep the account numbers sequential. The old information is no longer needed.

Is there a problem with doing this or any special way I should handle it?

Thank you in advance.

Well .. the issue boils down to having to run the Delete Old Data utility of Funds Accounting. Its not selective so if you tell it to delete all data prior to January 2011, it will delete ALL data prior to 01/2011 .. which will include data such as PAYROLL which you need to maintain for at 5 to 7 years (need to check with the IRS).

My suggestion is that you can RENUMBER those accounta to something in the 8900 level, which you can use as an archive for now. That will free up the numbers once you have 'moved' those old accounts.

[Sandy]

That works for me. Thanks!

[Sandy]

Ok I have another question. Well actually a few....

#1 After I have moved the accts to the 8900 level, do I need to just delete the old accts? I do want to reuse those numbers but I'm not sure what is the best way to go about it.

#2 How can I handle (remove) old Equity, income, temp restricted and temp restricted release accts. These accts are no longer being used as the things they were set up for have been expensed and we will no longer have those specific expenses.

Thanks again for any help.

[NeilZ]

Ok I have another question. Well actually a few....

#1 After I have moved the accts to the 8900 level, do I need to just delete the old accts? I do want to reuse those numbers but I'm not sure what is the best way to go about it.

#2 How can I handle (remove) old Equity, income, temp restricted and temp restricted release accts. These accts are no longer being used as the things they were set up for have been expensed and we will no longer have those specific expenses.

Thanks again for any help.

When you RENUMBER the account (you do this in the Chart of Accounts function) it moves the account, everything in it, nothing to delete. Remember, you CAN'T delete any account if there's still data in it, and as I mentioned the Delete old Data function is all or nothing. However, if these are older than 4 years (I verified this using IRS Pub 1828) you can delete the old data.

I think that also covers the answer to item 2. This is why I tend to create 'generic' temp restricted accounts that can be reused for other things.

[UUUSOffice]

I'm a different Sandy and reviving this question because I am having a different result.

I moved an account -- renumbered it -- from 5027 to a newly created 8027 (reorganizing COA).

I see it in the new spot. I can charge expenses to it...it exists. When I print the COA, it shows only the new number for this account, 8027.

But when I try to add an account at 5027, it tells me that this "account number already exists."

Big disappointment -- really want to re-use those 5000 level numbers! Any idea why PC thinks I still have a 5027? Thank you in advance!

Ok I have another question. Well actually a few....

#1 After I have moved the accts to the 8900 level, do I need to just delete the old accts? I do want to reuse those numbers but I'm not sure what is the best way to go about it.

#2 How can I handle (remove) old Equity, income, temp restricted and temp restricted release accts. These accts are no longer being used as the things they were set up for have been expensed and we will no longer have those specific expenses.

Thanks again for any help.

When you RENUMBER the account (you do this in the Chart of Accounts function) it moves the account, everything in it, nothing to delete. Remember, you CAN'T delete any account if there's still data in it, and as I mentioned the Delete old Data function is all or nothing. However, if these are older than 4 years (I verified this using IRS Pub 1828) you can delete the old data.

I think that also covers the answer to item 2. This is why I tend to create 'generic' temp restricted accounts that can be reused for other things.

[NeilZ]

I'm a different Sandy and reviving this question because I am having a different result.

I moved an account -- renumbered it -- from 5027 to a newly created 8027 (reorganizing COA).

I see it in the new spot. I can charge expenses to it...it exists. When I print the COA, it shows only the new number for this account, 8027.

But when I try to add an account at 5027, it tells me that this "account number already exists."

Big disappointment -- really want to re-use those 5000 level numbers! Any idea why PC thinks I still have a 5027? Thank you in advance!

Is that number being used under any OTHER Funds Account? If so, that's why you're seeing it.

If not, do a REINDEX of all the files, then check again.

[UUUSOffice]

Wow, reindexing was a new thing for me! Have never done it. Will do it now regularly.

However, it didn't help.

Nothing helped until I realized I needed to delete the old account number. Like, when I moved/renumbered 5027 to new account 8027, it takes all the data, but you still need to delete the now empty 5027.

Ah hah, that's why it made me change the name to be different on 8027 than it was on 5027.

As always, thank you so much for your help!!!

[NeilZ]

Wow, reindexing was a new thing for me! Have never done it. Will do it now regularly.

However, it didn't help.

Nothing helped until I realized I needed to delete the old account number. Like, when I moved/renumbered 5027 to new account 8027, it takes all the data, but you still need to delete the now empty 5027.

Ah hah, that's why it made me change the name to be different on 8027 than it was on 5027.

As always, thank you so much for your help!!!

Well .. not sure I did anything, but OK