I'll help you clear the account cdhodgdon. 

The option to delete data after condensing your file is unavailable in QuickBooks Desktop. It's the reason you've encountered an error.

After creating the journal entry, let's apply it to the loan payments to clear the amount. Here's how:

1. From the Vendors menu, select Pay Bills.
2. Select the bill and choose Set Credits.
3. Under the Credits tab, select the available credit and select Done.
4. Select Save & Close.

For more details about managing loans, please see this article: Manually Track Loans in QuickBooks Desktop.

If the issue persists, I'd recommend contacting our QuickBooks Support Team. They can provide additional solutions to fix this. Here's how:

Additionally, I've added these articles that'll help you ensure your record is accurate:

•  Sales Reports
• Vendor Reports
• Company and Financial Reports

Please keep us posted if you have additional questions or concerns about linking the journal entry. We want to make sure your books are accurate.