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Create Invoices in QuickBooks Online and Desktop

Create Invoices in QuickBooks

An invoice is a detailed document in business that shows the products or services given to a customer, the total amount they need to pay, and the selected method to make the payment. Sellers can send this information either on paper or electronically to the customer. Whether it’s a partial payment or none at the time of the sale This system keeps your accounts receivable organized and easy to manage.

This article will help you understand how to create invoices and keep track of the ones that haven’t been paid yet in both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. 

Create Invoices in QuickBooks Online

Create, Save, and Share Invoice

1. If you’re using the new layout

To create a new invoice from scratch in QuickBooks Online, follow these steps:

  1. Select “+ New” from the main menu.
  2. Choose “Invoice” from the options provided.
  3. Click “Add customer” and select a customer from the dropdown menu. Ensure that all customer information, especially their email address, is accurate.
  4. Review and adjust the Invoice date, Due date, and Terms as needed. In the Terms field, note that “Net” refers to the days until the payment is due.
  5. Select “Add product or service” and choose a product or service from the dropdown menu.
Note: When adding a new product or service, you can specify how to calculate the charge amount—whether it’s a flat rate, by item, or by hour.
  1. Choose how to calculate the charge amount—by unit or by hour. Enter the quantity and rate if necessary.
  2. If you want to customize the information or design of your invoices, select the gear icon and click on “Manage.” From the side panel, choose the desired options. QuickBooks will remember your choices and apply them to all existing and future invoices.
  3. Once you’ve completed creating the invoice, you have various options for saving or sharing it:
  • If you’re ready to send the invoice immediately, select “Review and send” to email the invoice to your customer. Make any necessary adjustments to the email, then click “Send invoice.”
  • If you prefer to send the invoice later, choose “Save and close.”
  • To generate a paper invoice for printing, select “Print and download.”
  • If you’ve already received payment from the customer, opt for “Receive Payment.”
  • For sharing the invoice link via text message, select “Share link” to provide your customer with quick access.

2. If you’re using the old layout

  1. Click on “+ New.”
  2. Select “Invoice.”
Customer Invoice
  1. From the Customer dropdown, choose a customer, ensuring all their details, especially the email address, are accurate.
  2. Review the Invoice date. Then, from the Terms dropdown, select the due date. Note that “Net” refers to the days until payment is due, with the default being 30 days. Adjust the due date if necessary.
  3. In the Product/Service section, pick an existing product or service from the list. 
  4. Enter Quantity, Rate, and Change Amount, if required.
  5. If you need to charge sales tax, make sure to check the Tax checkbox. 
  1. Once you’ve completed the invoice, you have various options for saving or sharing it:
  • If you’re ready to send the invoice immediately, choose “Save and send” to email it to your customer. Adjust the email if necessary, then select “Send and close.”
  • If you prefer to send the invoice at a later time, click on “Save and close.”
  • For a paper invoice, select “Save” and then choose “Print or Preview.”
  • If you want to share the invoice link with your customer through text message, opt for the “Save and Share link.”
Note: If you’re using QuickBooks Simple Start, choose “Send.”

Reviewing Open Invoices

QuickBooks automatically categorizes unpaid invoices under your accounts receivable account, which you can find in your Balance Sheet and other financial reports.

To check your invoices, go to Sales and select Invoices. Look at the Status column to understand where your invoices are in the sales process. 

Some common statuses are mentioned below:

  1. Due in [days]: Indicates that you haven’t emailed the invoice yet.
  2. Due in [days] Sent: Shows that you’ve emailed the invoice to the customer.
  3. Due in [days] Viewed: Indicates that your customer has opened and viewed the invoice.
  4. Deposited: Confirms that your customer has paid the invoice.
  5. Overdue [days]: Highlights that the invoice is past due and remains unpaid.
  6. Overdue [days] Viewed: Indicates that your customer opened the past due invoice but didn’t pay.
  7. Delivery issue: Suggests that there was an issue delivering the invoice. Check the email address and resend if needed.
  8. Voided: Confirms that the invoice was voided in QuickBooks.

Receive Payments for Invoices

If you utilize QuickBooks Payments, customers have the convenience of paying their invoices directly through credit cards, PayPal, Venmo, or ACH transfers. QuickBooks manages the entire payment process for you, ensuring transactions and accurate accounting. Once payments are received, QuickBooks automatically categorizes and records the transactions in the appropriate accounts.

For those using an external payment processing platform, you can easily keep track of these payments within QuickBooks. This allows you to maintain comprehensive financial records and stay organized, even when using external payment services.

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Create Invoices in QuickBooks Desktop

If your business doesn’t require generating sales orders or estimates, your Accounts Receivable (A/R) process begins with creating invoices. To get started, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Home screen or the Customers menu and choose “Create Invoices.”
  2. From the Customer: Job drop-down, pick an existing customer or customer job. If the customer or job is not listed, you can choose “Add New.”
  3. Complete the essential details at the top of the form, which includes the Date Invoice, Bill to/Sold to information, and the specified Terms.
  4. In the details section, pick the items. The description and amount are filled in automatically using preset details, but you can change or remove them as necessary while creating the invoice.
  5. Optionally, if you wish to apply a discount, follow these steps to create a discount item:

a. Go to the Home screen and select the Lists menu.

b. Choose the Item List.

c. Right-click anywhere and select New.

d. In the Type drop-down, opt for Discount.

e. Input an Item Name/Number and a short Description.

f. In the Amount or % field, input the discount amount or percentage. Alternatively, leave the field blank and enter the amount directly on sales forms if your discount amounts vary.

g. From the Account drop-down, select the income account to track the given customer discounts.

h. Choose an appropriate Tax Code for the item.

i. Click OK, then Save & Close.

Also Read:- How to Change Invoice Number in QuickBooks Desktop?

Create an Invoice for a Sales Order

After making a sales order and delivering the goods or services, it’s time to generate an invoice. Follow these steps to create an invoice:  

From the Sales Orders window

  1. Go to the Sales Orders main tab.
  2. Click on the Create Invoice button.
  3. A prompt will appear, providing two options:
  • Choose “Create invoice for all of the sales order(s)” to include all items from the sales order in the invoice.
  • Select “Create invoice for selected items” if you only want specific items on the invoice.
  1. Make necessary adjustments to the invoice. In the list of items, input the quantity in the To Invoice (Or Invoiced) column for each item. If there are items you don’t want to invoice, enter 0 (zero) as the quantity.
  2. Click on Save & Close to complete the process.

From the Invoice window

  1. In the QuickBooks Home screen or Customer menu, choose “Create Invoices.”
  2. Select a customer or customer job from the Customer: Job drop-down menu.
  3. The Sales Order window will be displayed, presenting available sales orders.
  4. Pick one or more sales orders containing the items you want on the invoice.
  5. Make necessary adjustments to the invoice. In the list of items, specify the quantity in the To Invoice (Or Invoiced) column for each item. If there are items you don’t want to invoice, input 0 (zero) as the quantity.
  6. Click on Save & Close to complete the process.

Also Read:- Scheduling Recurring Invoices in QuickBooks

Create an Invoice for an Estimate

When your customer agrees to a fixed payment amount based on your estimate, you can easily convert the entire estimate into an invoice. Here’s how you can do it:

From the Estimate Window

  1. Access the right estimate.
  2. Click on “Create Invoice” at the top of the Estimate form.
  3. If progress invoicing is enabled, you might be prompted to specify which items and quantities should be included on the invoice.
  4. Once the invoice appears, make any necessary changes to the information.
  5. Click on “Save & Close.”

From the Invoice Window

  1. Select “Create Invoices” from the QuickBooks Home screen or Customer menu.
  2. Choose a customer or customer job from the Customer: Job drop-down menu.
  3. The available Estimates window will be displayed.
  4. Select the estimate you want to include in the invoice. You can only select one estimate to invoice.
  5. If progress invoicing is enabled, you might be prompted to specify what to include on the invoice.
  6. Once the invoice appears, edit any necessary information.
  7. Click on “Save & Close.”

Conclusion

Creating and handling invoices is crucial for any business. This article has provided clear steps for creating invoices in both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. By following these simple instructions, you can easily make invoices that accurately record your sales. QuickBooks offers flexibility in tailoring your invoices to fit your business needs, making it easy to create, save, and share them. We also covered how to track open invoices and payment statuses, helping you manage your accounts receivable effectively.

If you need any help with your invoices our QuickBooks Online Assistance and QuickBooks Desktop Assistance is here to help. You can reach out to us at our Toll-free number +1-855-875-1223.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I Import an invoice from QuickBooks Online to my desktop?

Importing Excel files into QuickBooks offers various options, and if you prefer the Standard import method, here’s a simple guide:

1. Go to the File menu and choose Utilities.
2. Select Import and then click on Excel Files.
3. If the Add/Edit Multiple List Entries window appears, click No.
4. Follow the steps provided by the wizard for importing files.
5. Choose the type of data you are importing.
6. QuickBooks will open a formatted Excel spreadsheet. Enter your information, save the file, and close it.
7. After closing the file, you’ll be prompted to Add My Data Now.
8. Review the results and check the Data in QuickBooks.
9. When you are finished, select Close.

Can you create your invoice in QuickBooks Online?

Creating an invoice in QuickBooks offers different approaches. If you’ve sent an estimate and it gets approved by the customer, you can easily convert that estimate into an invoice. Alternatively, you can start a new invoice from scratch. Just select + New.

How does invoicing work in QuickBooks Online?

Go to the Invoicing section on your Dashboard and click on “Send your first invoice.” From there:

1. Choose the customer you are invoicing.
2. Select the payment terms.
3. Input details about what you sold.
4. Email the invoice to your customer.
5. Preview the invoice to ensure accuracy.
6. Customize the invoice according to your preferences.
7. Add your logo for a professional touch.
8. Adjust the invoice template as needed.
9. Set up online payments if required.
10. Finally, send the customized invoice along with a personalized email to your customer.

Do QuickBooks Online and Desktop work together?

No, QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop are two separate versions of QuickBooks, and they operate independently. They are designed for different user preferences and business needs.

About The Author

Editorial Team

Editorial Team

At QAsolved, we are a team of skilled professionals dedicated to delivering unparalleled accounting and bookkeeping services. With backgrounds in finance and technology, our collaborative efforts focus on providing practical solutions and guidance. Our services are tailored for a range of businesses, covering advisory, CFO services, bookkeeping, and financial systems consulting. QAsolved is an award-winning consulting firm and Intuit’s #1 QuickBooks Reseller Partner. We offer comprehensive QuickBooks services, including consulting, integration, migration, maintenance, data conversion, training, and support, among other services. Over the years, we have assisted over 30K customers across various industries with their Intuit products.

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