How to Create and Send an Invoice in QuickBooks Online

An invoice is a formal request for payment. Creating one in QBO records the income in your books and sends the client a professional document they can pay from directly.

What You'll Need

• Access to QuickBooks Online
• The client set up as a customer in QBO (or you'll add them during this process)
• The details of what you're billing for: description, quantity, rate, and date

Normal Procedure

Creating and sending an invoice

1. Go to "+ New" > "Invoice".
2. In the Customer field, select the client or type their name to add a new one.
3. Set the Invoice date and Due date (or select a payment term like Net 30).
4. In the line items section, fill in Product/Service (select from your list or type a description), Description (the detail the client sees on the invoice), and Qty and Rate (QBO calculates the total).
5. If your business collects California sales tax on this type of sale, confirm the correct tax is applied to the applicable line items.
6. Add a Message on invoice if you want to include a note to the client (e.g., payment instructions or a thank you message).

Click Save and Send to email it directly from QBO, or Save and Close if you'll send it another way.

The invoice is now recorded in your books as income and accounts receivable.

Checking invoice status

After sending, go to Sales > Invoices. Each invoice shows its status:

Abnormal Procedures

You made an error on a sent invoice.

If the client hasn't paid: edit the invoice directly in QBO (go to Sales > Invoices, open it, make changes, save and resend). If the client has already paid, do not edit the invoice. Ask your NCO bookkeeper to make the correction with a credit note or adjustment.

The client wants the invoice in a different currency.

QBO supports multi-currency invoicing, but it needs to be enabled first. Ask your NCO bookkeeper to turn on multi-currency in your QBO settings before creating the invoice.

You want to add a discount.

On the invoice, look for the Discount field (you may need to enable it in QBO settings: Settings > Account and Settings > Sales > turn on Discount). You can apply a percentage or a fixed dollar amount.

The client wants to pay by credit card.

QBO has a built-in payment link (QuickBooks Payments) that lets clients pay by card directly from the invoice email. Ask your NCO team whether this is set up on your account.

FAQ

Does my invoice need to show sales tax?

If your business is required to collect California sales tax on the goods or services you're selling, yes: the tax amount should appear on the invoice. Your NCO advisor can help confirm your sales tax obligations and configure the correct tax rates in QBO.

What does Net 30 mean on my invoice?

It means payment is due 30 days from the invoice date. Net 15 means 15 days. "Due on receipt" means immediately. Set your default payment terms in QBO under Settings > Account and Settings > Sales.

Can I set up recurring invoices for monthly clients?

Yes. Open an existing invoice, click Make Recurring, and set the schedule. QBO will generate and optionally send the invoice automatically on the schedule you set.

What happens if I delete an invoice instead of voiding it?

Deleting removes it entirely from your records. Voiding keeps the record but marks it as $0. Always void rather than delete so your audit trail stays intact. Ask your NCO bookkeeper before doing either.

My client says they didn't receive the invoice.

Check in QBO that the email address is correct, then resend. You can also download the invoice as a PDF (More > Download) and send it manually. If invoices consistently aren't arriving, check that QBO emails aren't being filtered as spam on the client's end.