How to create, customize, and send an invoice in QuickBooks Online

Here’s how to create, customize, and send an invoice in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

1. Create a new invoice

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online.

2. Select + New from the left menu.

3. Under Customers, choose Invoice.

4. In the Customer field, select an existing customer or choose Add new.

5. Confirm or enter:

   • Invoice date

   • Due date or payment terms

   • Billing address

   • Email address

6. Add the products or services being billed:

   • Select the Product/Service

   • Enter description, quantity, rate, and amount

   • Apply sales tax if needed

7. Add any discounts, shipping, or message to the customer if applicable.

8. Review the invoice total.

2. Customize the invoice

To customize the look of your invoice:

1. Go to Settings ⚙️.

2. Select Custom form styles.

3. Choose New style or edit an existing invoice template.

4. Select Invoice as the form type.

5. Customize options such as:

   • Logo

   • Colors

   • Font

   • Header layout

   • Company name, address, phone, website

   • Invoice fields and labels

   • Payment terms

   • Footer message

6. Select Preview PDF to check the layout.

7. Click Done to save the template.

When creating an invoice, you can usually select the template from the Customize option at the bottom of the invoice screen.

3. Add online payment options

To let customers pay directly from the invoice:

1. Open the invoice.

2. Look for the Online payments section.

3. Turn on payment methods such as:

   • Credit card

   • ACH bank transfer

4. Save the invoice.

This requires QuickBooks Payments to be set up.

4. Send the invoice

Once the invoice is ready:

1. Click Save and send.

2. Review the email preview.

3. Edit the subject line or message if needed.

4. Confirm the customer email address.

5. Select Send and close.

You can also choose:

• Save and close to save without sending

• Save and new to create another invoice

• Print or Preview to print or download a PDF

5. Check invoice status

To see whether the invoice is open, overdue, or paid:

1. Go to Sales.

2. Select Invoices.

3. Use the status column to review invoices.

4. Open an invoice to resend it, receive payment, edit it, or void it.

Best practices

Use consistent product and service items so income is categorized correctly. Set payment terms clearly, such as Due on receipt, Net 15, or Net 30. Also, review your invoice before sending to make sure the customer, sales tax, due date, and payment options are correct.