What the message means
This error is generated by QuickBooks Online, not by AssetAccountant. QuickBooks has rejected the journal because the journal number it was given is already in use by another journal entry in your QuickBooks file.
AssetAccountant passes the message through exactly as QuickBooks returns it, which is why it reads in developer language. The two numbers in it do very different jobs.
| In the message | What it is | Can you search for it? |
|---|---|---|
DocNumber=6017353 | The journal number. This appears in QuickBooks as the Journal no. on the entry. | Yes — this is the number to look for. |
TxnId=93252 | QuickBooks' own internal record ID for the existing entry. | No — it is never displayed anywhere in the QuickBooks interface. |
How to find the journal that's holding the number
Option 1 — Open it directly (fastest)
While you are logged into the affected QuickBooks Online company, paste this address into your browser, replacing 93252 with the TxnId from your own error message:
This opens the exact journal entry that is using the number. The transaction ID isn't searchable in QuickBooks, but it does work as a direct link.
Option 2 — Search the journal number
Select the magnifying glass in QuickBooks, choose Advanced search, set the transaction type to Journal Entries, and filter on the journal number from your error message.
Option 3 — Run a report
Go to Reports > Journal (or Transaction List by Date) and widen the date range to cover the full financial year — the default range is usually too narrow. Add the Num column so you can scan for the journal number.
A journal that has been voided still exists in QuickBooks and still holds its number, even though it shows as nil and is easy to scroll past. A journal that was deleted will appear in Settings > Audit Log. Either can be the entry that's blocking yours.
What to do once you've found it
Open the entry and compare it with the journal that failed. There are two outcomes, and they need opposite responses.
It's the same depreciation journal
The journal reached QuickBooks successfully but didn't report back to AssetAccountant, so AssetAccountant treated it as unposted and tried again. The accounting has already been recorded.
Do not post it again. Contact our support team and we'll re-link the two records for you. Reposting would book the same depreciation twice.
It's a different, unrelated journal
The number has simply been used by something else. Open that entry in QuickBooks, change its Journal no. to a different value and save. Then, in AssetAccountant, delete the failed journal and create a new one, as the error message instructs.
The QuickBooks setting behind this error
QuickBooks only enforces unique journal numbers when a specific preference is switched on. To check it:
- Select the gear icon in QuickBooks Online.
- Go to Account and Settings > Advanced.
- Under Other preferences, find Warn if duplicate journal number is used.
With this switched on, QuickBooks blocks any journal number that has been used before. Some organisations switch it off so that journals from connected systems post through without interruption.
Switching the preference off stops the error, but it also removes the warning on genuine duplicates — including the case above, where the journal had already posted successfully. If you haven't yet confirmed which of the two outcomes applies, identify the blocking entry first.
Can the journal number be set manually in AssetAccountant?
No. AssetAccountant generates a unique reference for each journal automatically, and it can't be edited or re-entered before posting. The number can only be changed on the QuickBooks side, on the entry that is already using it.
If it happens again
If the same error returns after you have recreated the journal, send our support team a screenshot of the new error message, including the full text and both numbers. We'll escalate it to our development team. Please include the affected register and the journal date.