You cannot change the account type of an existing account in Microsoft Office Accounting Professional or in Microsoft Office Accounting Express.

After you save an account, you cannot change the account type. To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods.

Delete the account

After you save an account, you cannot change the account type. However, you can delete the account if any one of the following conditions is true:

• You have not entered a balance for the account.
• You have not used the account in a transaction.
• You have not selected the account as a system account.

Move the balance to a new account

If you cannot delete the account, move the balance to a new account. To do this, create a new account that has the correct account type. Next, make a journal entry to move the balance to the new account. Then, make the original account inactive.

Note Use this workaround only if the original account and the new account have the same type of typical balance and if the original account has a positive balance.

Step 1: Create a new financial account

1. On the Company menu, click New Account.
2. In the Select Account Type dialog box, select the financial account type for the new account.
3. Click OK.
4. In the dialog box that is open, type a name in the Account name box.
5. Enter all the required information, and then click Save and Close.

Step 2: Make a journal entry

Make a journal entry to move the balance of the original account to the new financial account. To do this, use the appropriate method:

• Use this method if the original account has a positive balance and if the original account is a financial account that has a typical debit balance. For example, you can use this method for any of the following types of financial accounts:
  • Expense
  • Other expense
  • Cash
  • Bank
  • Other current asset
  • Inventory asset
  • Other asset
  • Fixed asset
  • Cost of goods sold
  1. On the Company menu, click New Journal Entry.
  2. In the first row of the journal entry, select the new financial account that you created in the Account column, and then type the balance of the original account in the Debit column.
  3. In the second row of the journal entry, select the original account in the Account column, and then type the balance of the original account in the Credit column.
  4. Click Save and Close.
  5. Verify that the balance of the original account is zero.
• Use this method if the original account has a positive balance and if the original account is a financial account that has a typical credit balance. For example, you can use this method for any of the following types of financial accounts:
  • Income
  • Other income
  • Credit card
  • Payroll liability
  • Current liability
  • Long-term liability
  • Equity
  1. On the Company menu, click New Journal Entry.
  2. In the first row of the journal entry, select the original account in the Account column, and then type the balance of the original account in the Debit column.
  3. In the second row of the journal entry, select the new financial account that you created in the Account column, and then type the balance of the original account in the Credit column.
  4. Click Save and Close.
  5. Verify that the balance of the original account is zero.

Step 3: Make the original account inactive

1. On the Company menu, point to Company Lists, and then click Chart of Accounts.
2. In the Chart of Accounts pane, right-click the original financial account, and then click Open Selected Items.
   
   Note The original financial account has an amount of $0.00 in the Balance column in the Chart of Accounts pane.
3. Click to clear the Active check box.
   
   Note When you clear the Active check box for a financial account, the account will be removed from the list in the transaction forms.
4. Click Save and Close.

This behavior is by design.