How to Set the Default Bank Account

QuickBooks Online doesn’t have a company-wide default bank account setting. Instead, the program remembers the last bank account you used for each transaction type. This “sticky” behaviour means the bank account field will automatically fill with your most recent selection whenever you start a similar transaction.

Which transactions use sticky bank accounts?

• When you write a check (Cheque), the Bank Account field shows your last-used account.
• When you Pay Bills, the payment account defaults to the one you chose last time.
• On the Receive Payment screen, the Deposit To field points to the last account you selected for deposits.

User-specific behaviour The sticky memory is tied to your user login. Different users on the same company may see different default accounts based on their own history. If you haven’t yet completed a transaction of that type, QuickBooks Online will typically show the first bank account listed on your Chart of Accounts.

No permanent default You cannot set a fixed, permanent default bank account for all transactions. The sticky selection is the closest feature and updates every time you choose a different account. If you want a particular account to appear automatically, simply use that account in your next transaction of that type – the system will then remember it.