Hi [Customer Name],

Thank you for your business! Attached is Invoice #[NUMBER] for [PROJECT/SERVICE].

Payment is due within [PAYMENT TERMS] (by [DUE DATE]). You can pay online by clicking the "Pay Now" button below, or send a check to the address on the invoice.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Hey [Customer Name],

Hope you're doing well! I've attached Invoice #[NUMBER] for the [PROJECT/SERVICE] we completed together.

Payment is due by [DUE DATE]. You can pay super easily by clicking the "Pay Now" button—it takes like 30 seconds!

Thanks again for working with me. Let me know if you need anything!

Cheers,
[Your Name]

Hi [Customer Name],

Just a friendly reminder that Invoice #[NUMBER] for $[AMOUNT] is due on [DUE DATE].

If you've already sent payment, please disregard this message. Otherwise, you can pay online by clicking the "Pay Now" button below.

Thank you!

Best,
[Your Name]

QuickBooks Online Invoicing Guide: Complete Tutorial for Professional Invoices

Introduction

You just signed up for QuickBooks Online to manage your small business finances, but you're staring at a blank invoice screen wondering: "How do I actually create a professional invoice?" The interface has dozens of fields, settings, and options—and you're not sure which ones matter for getting paid faster.

QuickBooks Online is the most popular small business accounting software in North America (4.5+ million users), and its invoicing features are powerful—but only if you know how to use them correctly. One misconfigured setting can delay payments by weeks, trigger tax calculation errors, or create unprofessional-looking invoices that damage your brand.

This complete tutorial covers everything you need to create professional invoices in QuickBooks Online: step-by-step invoice creation walkthrough, customization options (templates, colors, logos), automation features (recurring invoices, payment reminders), integration with QuickBooks Payments, reporting and tracking, and troubleshooting common issues.

What you'll learn:

• Step-by-step: How to create your first invoice in QuickBooks Online (with interactive walkthrough)
• Invoice customization: Templates, logos, colors, custom fields
• Automation: Recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders, scheduled invoices
• Payment collection: QuickBooks Payments setup, online payments, credit card processing
• Tracking & reporting: Invoice status, aging reports, payment history
• Advanced features: Estimates to invoices, progress invoicing, retainer invoicing

By the end, you'll be creating professional, payment-ready invoices in QuickBooks Online in under 2 minutes—with automation that saves you 5-10 hours per month.

QuickBillMaker offers a simpler invoicing alternative without the complexity and cost of full accounting software. Create professional invoices with AI-powered automation, payment tracking, and customizable templates—free for up to 5 invoices/month, $29/month unlimited.

Why Use QuickBooks Online for Invoicing?

Key Benefits

1. All-in-One Platform

• Invoicing + accounting + expense tracking + payroll in one system
• No data entry duplication (invoice automatically posts to accounting)
• Real-time financial reports (see revenue, expenses, profit instantly)

2. Professional Invoice Templates

• 4 pre-designed templates (Modern, Standard, Bold, Friendly)
• Customizable with your logo, colors, and branding
• Mobile-responsive (looks professional on any device)

3. Automated Payment Collection

• QuickBooks Payments integration (accept credit cards, ACH, Apple Pay)
• "Pay Now" button on every invoice (one-click payment for clients)
• Automatic payment reminders (send 3 days before due, on due date, 3 days after)

4. Time-Saving Automation

• Recurring invoices (monthly retainers, subscriptions)
• Batch invoicing (invoice multiple clients at once)
• Estimates convert to invoices (one click)

5. Real-Time Tracking

• See which invoices are viewed, paid, or overdue
• Automatic status updates (Draft → Sent → Viewed → Paid)
• Client payment history (know who pays on time)

Pricing:

• Simple Start: $30/month (basic invoicing, no billable time tracking)
• Essentials: $60/month (+ bill management, time tracking)
• Plus: $90/month (+ inventory, projects, 1099 contractors)

Best for: Service businesses, freelancers, consultants, small retailers (1-25 employees)

Invoice Customization: Branding & Templates

Adding Your Logo

1. Go to Settings → Custom Form Styles
2. Select your invoice template (or create new)
3. Click "Edit"
4. In "Design" tab, click "Logo" section
5. Click "Upload logo"
6. Upload image:
   • Format: PNG or JPG (PNG recommended for transparency)
   • Size: 500x200 pixels minimum (auto-resizes)
   • File size: Under 1 MB
7. Adjust logo size (Small, Medium, Large)
8. Click "Done"

Pro tip: Use a horizontal logo (wider than tall) for best results.

Customizing Colors & Fonts

1. Accent color (header, buttons):

• Settings → Custom Form Styles → Edit template → "Design" tab
• Click "Accent color" color picker
• Choose your brand color (e.g., emerald green: #10b981)
• Affects: Header background, "Pay Now" button, table headers

2. Font:

• Modern Styles lets you choose font family
• Options: Modern Sans, Classic Serif, Professional
• Affects: All text on invoice

Pro tip: Match your website colors for brand consistency.

Custom Fields

Add custom fields to invoices for extra information:

To add custom fields:

1. Go to Settings → Sales → Sales Form Content
2. Scroll to "Custom Fields"
3. Click "Add field"
4. Enter field details:
   • Name: What field is called (e.g., "Project Code")
   • Type: Text or Number
5. Save

Common custom fields:

• Project Code / Job Number
• PO Number (Purchase Order)
• Contract Number
• Department
• Location/Site

Custom fields appear on invoice for client to see.

Automation Features

Recurring Invoices (Monthly Retainers, Subscriptions)

Perfect for:

• Monthly retainers (e.g., $2,000/month consulting)
• Subscription services (e.g., $99/month software maintenance)
• Rent/lease payments

To set up recurring invoice:

1. Create invoice as normal
2. Instead of "Save and send," click "Make recurring" (bottom left)
3. Configure recurring schedule:
   • Template name: Internal name (e.g., "John Smith - Monthly Retainer")
   • Type:
     • Scheduled: QuickBooks auto-creates and sends invoice
     • Reminder: QuickBooks reminds you to create invoice (you review first)
     • Unscheduled: Template saved for manual use
   • Create X days in advance: How many days before due date to create (e.g., 3 days)
   • Interval: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly
   • Start date: When first invoice sends
   • End: Never, After X occurrences, or On specific date
4. Click "Save template"

QuickBooks automatically:

• Creates invoice on schedule
• Sends to client via email (if "Scheduled" type)
• Posts to accounting when paid
• Sends payment reminders

Pro tip: Use "Reminder" type for first few months to review before sending, then switch to "Scheduled" once you trust automation.

Automatic Payment Reminders

QuickBooks sends automatic email reminders to clients with overdue invoices.

To enable payment reminders:

1. Go to Settings → Sales → Reminders
2. Enable "Automatic invoice reminders"
3. Configure reminder schedule:
   • 3 days before due date: "Your invoice is due soon"
   • On due date: "Your invoice is due today"
   • 3 days after due date: "Your invoice is past due"
   • Every 7 days after: Continue reminding until paid

Customize reminder emails:

• Edit subject and message
• Add personal touch: "Hi [Customer Name], Just a friendly reminder..."

Pro tip: Enable reminders. Reduces follow-up time by 80% and improves collection rates by 20-30%.

Batch Invoicing (Invoice Multiple Clients at Once)

Perfect for:

• Monthly services invoiced to multiple clients
• Subscription services with same price

To create batch invoices:

1. Go to Sales → Invoices
2. Click "Batch actions" (top right)
3. Select "Create invoices"
4. Choose customers to invoice
5. Select product/service (same for all)
6. Enter quantity and rate
7. Click "Save and send"

All invoices created and sent at once (saves massive time).

Estimates to Invoices (One-Click Conversion)

Workflow:

1. Create estimate for client (quote/proposal)
2. Client accepts estimate
3. Convert estimate to invoice (one click)
4. Invoice pre-filled with all estimate details

To convert estimate to invoice:

1. Go to Sales → Estimates
2. Find accepted estimate
3. Click "Create invoice" (top right)
4. QuickBooks copies all line items to invoice
5. Edit if needed (e.g., if only invoicing partial work)
6. Send invoice

Pro tip: Use estimates for all quotes. Converting to invoice saves 5-10 minutes per invoice.

Payment Collection with QuickBooks Payments

Setting Up QuickBooks Payments

What it is: Built-in payment processing (credit cards, ACH, Apple Pay, Venmo)

To set up:

1. Go to Settings → Payments
2. Click "Get started"
3. Enter business info:
   • Legal business name
   • EIN/SSN
   • Bank account (where payments deposit)
   • Business type
4. Submit application
5. Approval takes 1-2 business days

Once approved:

• "Pay Now" button automatically appears on all invoices
• Clients click button → Enter payment info → Pay
• Money deposits to your bank in 2-3 business days (next day for extra fee)

Accepting Online Payments

With QuickBooks Payments enabled:

1. Every invoice has "Pay Now" button
2. Client clicks button (in email or PDF)
3. Payment page opens (hosted by QuickBooks)
4. Client enters:
   • Credit card or bank account info
   • Billing address
5. Client clicks "Pay"
6. Payment processes instantly
7. Invoice automatically marked "Paid" in QuickBooks
8. You receive email notification
9. Money deposits to bank in 2-3 days

Client payment methods:

• Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
• ACH bank transfer (routing + account number)
• Apple Pay
• Venmo (if enabled)

Pro tip: ACH is cheaper (1% vs. 2.9%+0.25). Offer 2% discount for ACH payments to save on fees.

Tracking Payment Status

Invoice statuses:

• Draft: Not yet sent
• Pending: Sent but not viewed
• Viewed: Client opened email/PDF
• Partial: Partially paid
• Paid: Fully paid
• Overdue: Past due date, not paid

To view status:

1. Go to Sales → Invoices
2. See status column for each invoice
3. Click invoice to see details:
   • When sent
   • When viewed (date/time)
   • Payment history
   • Reminder emails sent

Pro tip: Check "Viewed" status. If client hasn't viewed in 48 hours, follow up (email may be in spam).

Reporting & Tracking

Key Invoice Reports

1. Accounts Receivable Aging Summary

• Shows unpaid invoices by age (0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 90+ days)
• Use: Identify overdue invoices to follow up
• Location: Reports → Who Owes You → A/R Aging Summary

2. Accounts Receivable Aging Detail

• Same as summary but shows individual invoices
• Use: See specific overdue invoices by client
• Location: Reports → Who Owes You → A/R Aging Detail

3. Invoice List

• All invoices (paid and unpaid) with details
• Use: Audit trail, overview of all invoicing
• Location: Reports → Sales and Customers → Invoice List

4. Sales by Customer Summary

• Total sales per customer (year-to-date or custom date range)
• Use: Identify top clients, analyze revenue sources
• Location: Reports → Sales and Customers → Sales by Customer Summary

5. Unbilled Charges

• Time/expenses tracked but not yet invoiced
• Use: Ensure you invoice all billable work
• Location: Reports → Sales and Customers → Unbilled Charges

Dashboard Insights

QuickBooks Dashboard shows:

• Total unpaid invoices: Amount and count
• Overdue invoices: Needs immediate follow-up
• Recently paid: Cash flow visibility
• Revenue this month: vs. last month

Access: Click "Dashboard" (left sidebar) or home screen

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Invoice Not Sending?

Possible causes:

1. Client email invalid: Check email address in customer profile
2. Email in spam: Ask client to whitelist QuickBooks.com
3. QuickBooks email service down: Check status.intuit.com
4. Customer "Do not email" flag set: Go to customer profile → Edit → Uncheck "Do not send emails"

Solution: Always Preview invoice before sending to verify email address.

Wrong Tax Calculated?

Possible causes:

1. Wrong tax rate selected: Check invoice tax dropdown
2. Customer location incorrect: Tax based on customer address (update customer profile)
3. Product/service marked non-taxable: Edit product → Uncheck "Non-taxable"

Solution: Go to Taxes → Sales Tax → Verify tax setup and customer addresses.

Invoice Numbering Skipped Numbers?

Cause: QuickBooks reserves invoice numbers when you create draft. If you delete draft, number is skipped.

Solution:

• Edit next invoice number: Settings → Sales → Custom Transaction Numbers → Change starting number
• Or leave it (skipped numbers are fine for accounting purposes)

Client Says They Can't Pay Online?

Possible causes:

1. QuickBooks Payments not set up: Enable Payments (Settings → Payments)
2. Client country not supported: QuickBooks Payments only works in US/Canada/UK
3. Payment button not showing: Client viewing old invoice (resend latest version)

Solution: Verify Payments is enabled, resend invoice, or accept payment via other method (Venmo, PayPal, check).

Conclusion: Mastering QuickBooks Online Invoicing

QuickBooks Online is the most powerful invoicing tool for small businesses—once you know how to use it. From creating your first invoice in 2 minutes to automating recurring billing and payment collection, QuickBooks handles the entire invoicing workflow.

Your QuickBooks invoicing checklist:

One-time setup (1-2 hours):

• ✓ Create customer list (import or add manually)
• ✓ Set up products/services for common line items
• ✓ Customize invoice template (logo, colors, branding)
• ✓ Enable sales tax (if applicable)
• ✓ Set up QuickBooks Payments (if accepting credit cards)
• ✓ Enable automatic payment reminders

Monthly routine (30 minutes):

• ✓ Create recurring invoices (or let automation handle it)
• ✓ Convert estimates to invoices (when clients accept quotes)
• ✓ Send invoices to new clients
• ✓ Review aging report for overdue invoices
• ✓ Follow up on overdue payments (or let reminders do it)

Best practices:

• ✓ Use recurring invoices for retainers (save 5-10 hours/month)
• ✓ Enable payment reminders (improve collections by 20-30%)
• ✓ Accept online payments (clients pay 3-5 days faster)
• ✓ Customize email messages (personal touch increases payment rates)
• ✓ Track invoice status (know when client views invoice)

Remember: QuickBooks Online invoicing is only as powerful as your setup. Spend 1-2 hours configuring it correctly (customers, products, templates, automation), and you'll save 10-15 hours per month on invoicing and collections.

Ready to create professional invoices in QuickBooks Online? Sign up for a 30-day free trial at QuickBooks.com and put this guide to work. Or use QuickBillMaker for simpler invoicing without the complexity and cost of full accounting software—free for up to 5 invoices/month, $29/month unlimited.