How To Create An Invoice In QuickBooks Pro

Invoices equal money for your business, so it’s essential to know how to send an invoice using QuickBooks Pro.

Here are 15 simple steps for invoicing customers with QuickBooks.

Create An Invoice

You’ll want to customize your invoice templates before you start sending them to clients. If you need help customizing your invoice, check out our post: How to Customize Invoice Templates In QuickBooks Pro.

Once the invoice template is to your liking, start creating an invoice by going to Customer>Create Invoices (or click Ctrl+I).

Step 1: Select A Customer

Begin by selecting the customer you want to invoice from the drop-down menu. If you can’t find the customer, you can click “<Add New>” to create a new customer.

If you’ve already generated an estimate for that customer, you may receive this notification:

Select the estimate and click the blue “OK” button, and QuickBooks will automatically convert your estimate to an invoice.

Step 2: Choose A Template

Select the invoice template you’d like to use from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Verify The Information

Take a look at the date issued, invoice number, billing address, and shipping address to ensure all of the information is correct.

Step 4: Select Payment Terms

Next, select the proper invoice payment terms. You can choose between:

• 1% 10 Net 30
• 2% 10 net 30
• Due on receipt
• Net 15
• Net 30
• Net 60

Step 5: Select A Due Date

Use the drop-down calendar to select an invoice due date.

Step 6: Link To A Sales Rep (Optional)

If desired, you can select a sales representative to attach to the invoice.

Step 7: Add Items

Choose which items to include in your invoice using the drop-down menu. If needed, you can click “<Add New>” to create a new item. Repeat this step as many times as necessary to include all of your customer’s items.

Step 8: Adjust Item Quantity

Once you’ve added your items, be sure to adjust the item quantity, as QuickBooks automatically leaves this field blank.

Step 9: Choose Between Taxable & Non-Taxable

Choose whether this invoice is taxable or non-taxable.

Step 10: Assign Sales Tax

If required, select the proper sales tax for your estimate. QuickBooks will use the sales tax percentage you select to automatically calculate the sales tax total and add it directly to your customer’s overall total.

If you need help determining which sales tax rate to charge your customer, take a look at our complete Small Business Sales Tax Guide.

Step 11: Write A Customer Message

While this field is technically optional, we highly recommend adding a customer message.

QuickBooks makes it easy. You can select one of five preset customer messages using the drop-down menu, or you can click “<Add New>” to write your own.

Step 12: Add A Memo (Optional)

Include a memo if desired.

Step 13: Include A Customer Tax Code (Optional)

If applicable, select a customer tax code using the drop-down menu.

Step 14: Attach Files (Optional)

You can attach files (e.g., contracts, photos, or terms and conditions) to invoices. Simply click the “Attach File” button on the top of the screen (it looks like a paperclip).

From there, you can browse and select or drag-and-drop a file from your computer or Outlook. You can also use the scanner feature to upload files.

Step 15: Send Invoice

Now you’re finally ready to send your invoice! You can send invoices via email or traditional mail.

If you’re sending invoices by email, go to the “Email” button at the top of the screen. Choose “Invoice” to send the single estimate or “Batch” to send multiple invoices to a customer.

Be sure to customize your email messages before clicking “Send.” Customers will receive emailed invoices as PDFs.

If you’re sending invoices by mail, go to the print button at the top of the screen and choose “Print.”  Then, simply mail your invoice. You can also print address labels if desired.

Now that you’ve mastered these 15 steps, you can continue to invoices your customers with ease. We wish you happy invoicing and hope that you’ll stay tuned for the next installment of our QuickBooks Desktop 101 Series.

If you have any troubleshooting issues, check out the QuickBooks Community or call QuickBooks directly. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our QuickBooks Desktop Pro 101 Series to learn how to customize invoices, add sales tax, add customers, and more.

Are you overwhelmed by QuickBooks Pro? Maybe it’s time to switch to QuickBooks Online. QBO is easy to use, cloud-based, and affordable. Best of all, you can easily import your QuickBooks Desktop data into QuickBooks Online.

Outgrown QuickBooks Pro? Switch to QuickBooks Premier. It’s the same QuickBooks Desktop software you love but with more users and advanced, industry-specific features.