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Re-sort QuickBooks lists when names or items are out of order or missing.

March 1, 2013 • Jeff Cecchini

 Possible Symptoms:

  • A list appears out of order
  • Some of your list elements are missing
  • New entries appear at the top of your list
  • Reports appear out of order
  • You aren’t able to do things like turn on account numbers
  • Highlighting a customer, vendor or employee displays no transactions
  • Name filter drop-down auto-fill not working in the Advance Find
Why is this happening?

QuickBooks stores data pertaining to Customer:Jobs, Vendors, Employees, Other Names, Accounts and Items, as well as other things, in lists. A particular Customer or Employee or Item is an element of a list. Your lists can become damaged.  The damage can often be repaired by re-sorting which puts the list back in its default order.

How to fix it

This issue could be resolved in one or both of the following Solutions:

Solution 1:

Download, install and run the QuickBooks File Doctor.

Solution 2:

Re-sort your lists manually

When a KB article asks you to re-sort your lists, it is usually asking you to re-sort:

  • The Master Name list (a combination of Customer:Jobs, Vendors, Employees and Other Names)
  • The Chart of Accounts
  • The Item list
Notes:

  • Re-sorting your lists can fix some list damage. A re-sorted list is more or less a refreshed list. There might not be any changes on the screen, but QuickBooks is working in the background on the changes.
  • In QuickBooks 2006 and earlier and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions V6.0 and earlier, the checkbox at the bottom of a list is labeled Show All. It has exactly the same function as the Include Inactive checkbox. Be sure to clear the checkbox when you have finished re-sorting your list.
  • In QuickBooks 2005 and earlier and QuickBooks Enterprise V5.0 and earlier, the Re-sort Lists option is in the Edit menu.
  • Any QuickBooks user can re-sort lists.
  • If you have manually changed the order of a list, re-sorting the list will undo your changes. Back up your company data file to preserve your manual sort.
  • Important: After re-sorting your lists, close your company data file and reopen it to be sure the changes to your lists are completed.
  • On a MAC:

Re-sort the Customer, Vendor, or Employee list from a Center (QuickBooks 2006 and later):

  1. On the QuickBooks Icon Bar, select the appropriate Center.
  2. Select the appropriate Tab to display the Customer, Vendor, or Employee list.
  3. In the QuickBooks menu bar, select View and then select Re-sort List.
  4. Click OK on the message “Are you sure you want to return this list to its original order.”
Re-sort the Master Name list from the Banking menu:

  1. In the QuickBooks menu bar, choose Banking > Write Checks.
  2. Click into the Pay to the order of field and press Ctrl+L.
  3. Select the Include Inactive checkbox.
  4. Click the Name button, and select Re-sort List.
  5. Click OK on the message “Are you sure you want to return this list to its original order.”
Re-sort the Master Name List from the Find window (If you do not have Banking permissions):

  1. In the QuickBooks menu bar, choose Edit > Find.
  2. Click the Advanced tab.
  3. Select Name in the Filter box.
  4. Click in the Name field and press Ctrl+L.
  5. Select the Include Inactive checkbox.
  6. Select the Name button, and select Re-sort List.
  7. Click OK on the message “Are you sure you want to return this list to its original order?”
Re-sort the Master Name List from the Journal Entry window (If you do not have Banking permissions):

  1. In the QuickBooks menu bar, select Company and then select Make General Journal Entries.
  2. Click into the Name column and press Ctrl + L on your keyboard.
  3. Place a check mark in Include Inactive check box.
  4. Click the Name button, and select Re-sort List.
  5. Click OK on the message “Are you sure you want to return this list to its original order?”
Re-sort any other List (Chart of Accounts, Item List, etc.):

  1. In the QuickBooks menu bar, choose Lists and then select the list you want to re-sort.
  2. Place a checkmark in the Include Inactive (or Show All) checkbox.
  3. Click the List button at the bottom left.
  4. Select: Re-sort List.
    • Note: if Re-sort List does not appear in this menu, you will find it in the View menu.
  5. Click OK on the message “Are you sure you want to return this list to its original order?”

 

If these solutions don’t resolve the issue, you can read discussions and post messages and questions relating to your issue on the Intuit QuickBooks Community site for free. You can contact an agent for additional guidance. Fees may apply.

                  KB ID# SLN40562
In QuickBooks Tips & How-to's