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Create Invoice in QuickBooks Online
Create Invoice in QuickBooks Online

Turn an estimate into an invoice in QuickBooks Online.

Bilandra Chase avatar
Written by Bilandra Chase
Updated over a week ago

Click Main Menu < File Menu, then click:

To convert an estimate into an invoice in Excel:

  1. Click Main Menu < File Menu, then click:

  2. In the Amount of Detail dialog box, select what you want to appear in the QuickBooks invoice.


Construction estimates and invoices commonly have a different format. Estimates are for internal use and should show all costs, tax, overhead and profit. Invoices are customer-facing documents. Most customers don’t need to see every cost in the job. Customers certainly don’t need to see your markup. Use the Amount of Detail dialog box to set the level of detail in QuickBooks Online invoices created for customers.

For material, labor, equipment and subcontract costs, click a selection under each of the three column headings:

  • Show All

  • Subtotals Only

  • Omit Entirely

Show All -- All the work descriptions and all costs in your estimate will be in the invoice. Most customers don’t need this much detail.

Subtotals Only -- All the work descriptions in your estimate will be in the invoice. But the only costs in the invoice will be for subtotals you inserted in the estimate. If the estimate includes no inserted subtotals, only the job subtotal will appear. Subtotals Only will usually be a better choice if the estimate includes inserted subtotals and is longer than a page or two.

Omit Entirely -- All the work descriptions in your estimate will be in the invoice. But you can delete costs in any category. Use this option, for example, to delete all material costs when an owner is furnishing materials for the job.

Show Only Item Totals -- Hides the breakdown of labor, material, equipment and subcontract costs, leaving only total costs.

Omit Work Descriptions -- Removes all work descriptions in your estimate, leaving only subtotal descriptions and costs.

For Markup and Tax, click a selection under the heading:

  • In Every Cost Item

  • Tax.

In Every Cost Item -- Distributes markup or tax proportionately among all costs in the invoice. Use this selection to remove any mention of overhead, contingency, profit or tax from the bid. The total may be slightly different from your estimate total due to rounding of unit costs.

At End of Estimate – Markup and tax will appear at the end of the invoice as in your estimate.

Omit Entirely – Removes markup or tax from the invoice. Use this option if you prefer to add markup or tax manually in QuickBooks Online.

Select the program you use to send invoices. Choices are either:

  • QuickBooks Online or

  • Excel or

  • QuickBooks Desktop.

If QuickBooks Online integration has not been configured, you’ll be invited to sign on to your QuickBooks Online account. For help signing on, see Accounting Settings.

Select either Full Invoice or Progressive Invoice. Full invoice creates a bill for the entire job, 100% of all costs in the estimate. Use a progressive invoice to bill for only part of the job, such as the portion of work completed during the pay period.

If you select Progressive, see Progressive Invoices for setting percentages of completion.

If you select Full Invoice, the invoice will be exported to QuickBooks Online. To view and print the invoice:

  1. Open your QuickBooks Online company.

  2. Click + New and Invoice under Customers.

  3. Click the circular time icon at the top left.

  4. Click your imported invoice at the top of the file list.

  5. Review the invoice to be sure it’s correct. You can change nearly anything in the invoice.

  6. Click Save to add these values to your QuickBooks Online company.

  7. Click Print or Preview at the bottom of the page.

  8. Click Print (to send a paper copy) or Download (to send the invoice as an email attachment).

Tips:

  • QuickBook Online invoices will automatically show your client's name and address if entered on the Tools Menu under Edit Customer Info.

  • Creating a QuickBooks Online invoice for the job doesn’t change the original estimate in any way.

  • If the scope of work changes during construction (change orders), just add the changes to your original estimate. The QuickBooks Online invoice you create for the job will reflect all changes made during construction, either additions or deletions.



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