How to delete journal entries, recurring transactions and pay runs in MYOB
Three jobs people lump together, and three different answers. Journals: reverse them. Recurring transactions: delete the template, not the history. Pay runs: reversed, not removed.
MYOB does not want you to delete most of these, and it will not do it in bulk. Journal entries are removed one at a time and are better reversed; recurring transactions are templates, so deleting one does not touch the transactions it already created; and a completed pay run is reversed or adjusted, never deleted. Everything here is the per-record route.
What MYOB allows
| What you want to delete | Built-in option | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Journal entry | One at a time — preferably reverse it | MYOB advises reversing rather than altering a recorded entry |
| Recurring transaction | Delete the template | Already-created transactions are untouched |
| Pay run | Reverse or adjust | A processed (and reported) pay cannot be deleted |
| Entry in a locked period | Not possible | Unlock the period, or reverse instead |
Last checked 3 October 2026, against MYOB’s own help centre. Where the product and this page disagree, trust the product.
Journal entries: reverse, don’t delete
This is MYOB’s own advice, and it is good accounting: usually you should not alter a journal entry once it is recorded. Instead, post an offsetting entry that reverses the original — then post the correct entry. The wrong entry stays visible (that is the point) and the books still end up right.
Delete a journal entry only when it is a genuine mistake that nothing depends on. And even then it is one at a time, with the same period and permission limits as any other MYOB delete.
Recurring transactions: templates, not records
A recurring transaction is a template. To remove one: Lists → Recurring Transactions, select the template, click Delete, and confirm. MYOB is clear that this removes it from your list of templates only — transactions you have already recorded using it are not affected, whether those transactions are changeable or unchangeable.
So if the problem is a recurring entry that created a pile of wrong transactions, deleting the template solves only half of it. The pile still has to be cleared, per record.
Pay runs: reversed, not deleted
A completed pay run is a payroll record that has usually been reported to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll. MYOB will not let you simply delete it, and you would not want to — the report and the books would disagree. The correct route is to reverse or adjust the pay, which keeps the audit trail intact and corrects the figures. If you are unsure which your situation needs, that is a question for the payroll screen itself rather than a bulk cleanup.
What blocks any of these deletes
- Locked period — unlock it, or reverse the entry instead.
- Financial year — records outside the current year cannot be deleted.
- User role — your MYOB role has to allow deleting.
- Reported records — a pay run (or a locked journal) that has been reported is kept for a reason.
What a safe bulk delete looks like
You cannot delete what you have not exported. Reconciled lines and closed periods are reported as skipped, never forced — QuickBooks will not allow it, and a tool that tried would be the harm this design exists to avoid.
Is there a better way?
We build Multi-Delete for QuickBooks Online, not MYOB — so this page answers your question and stops there. There is no MYOB tool from us today; if a safe, self-serve MYOB cleanup ever makes sense to build, it will be described on these pages first.
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Questions people actually ask
How do I delete multiple journal entries in MYOB?
You cannot delete them in bulk, and MYOB would rather you did not delete them at all. Journal entries are removed one at a time, and MYOB’s own guidance is to reverse a wrong entry with two new entries (one debit, one credit) rather than alter or delete the original.
Should I delete a journal entry or reverse it in MYOB?
Reverse it. MYOB’s help is explicit that you usually should not alter a journal entry once it is recorded — the better practice is to post an offsetting entry that reverses the original, then post the correct entry. Deleting is for a journal you recorded by mistake and never relied on; reversing is for anything the books have already been reported from.
How do I delete a recurring transaction in MYOB?
Go to the Lists menu, choose Recurring Transactions, select the template you want to remove, and click Delete, then confirm. That removes the template from your list.
Does deleting a recurring transaction delete the transactions it created?
No. Deleting a recurring transaction removes the template only. Every transaction it has already recorded stays exactly where it is. That is the single most common misunderstanding about this screen — if you want the past transactions gone you have to delete those separately, one by one, with the same care any delete needs.
Can you delete a recurring template while its transactions are unchangeable?
Yes. MYOB lets you remove a recurring template whether the transactions it produced are changeable or unchangeable — the template is a separate thing from the records it made.
Can I delete a pay run in MYOB?
A completed pay run cannot simply be deleted. Once a pay has been processed — and especially once it has been reported through Single Touch Payroll — the correct move is to reverse or adjust it, not to remove it. Reversing keeps the record and corrects the amount; deleting would leave the payroll report and the ledger disagreeing.
Why can’t I delete a journal entry in MYOB?
The usual reasons: it sits in a locked period or an earlier financial year, your user role does not allow deleting, or the product is protecting a record that has already been reported. In all of those cases MYOB is steering you to reverse the entry instead.