How to Create and Send an Invoice in QuickBooks Online

To create and send an invoice in QuickBooks Online, open a new invoice, choose the customer, enter the billing details and line items, then review it and send it by email. If you are not ready to send it, save it as a draft instead. The order matters: customer, items, dates, message, review, then send or save.

What you need before you start

Have these details ready before you open the invoice screen:

• Customer name
• Customer email address
• The products or services you are billing for
• Quantity, rate, and any agreed price
• Invoice date
• Due date
• Any memo or customer message you want to include

If you also need to show a project name, shipping address, or other billing detail, gather that now too. That keeps you from saving an incomplete invoice and having to come back to it later.

Open a new invoice

1. In QuickBooks Online, open the + New menu.
2. Select Invoice.

QuickBooks opens a blank invoice form. That is the screen you use to create a customer invoice that you can send now or save for later. If you land on a sales receipt or estimate by mistake, stop and open a new invoice instead.

Add the customer and billing details

1. In the Customer field, choose the customer you are billing.

QuickBooks usually fills in the customer’s saved email, billing address, and other contact details if they already exist in the customer record.

2. Check the bill-to information that appears on the form.

If the billing address, email, or other customer details are wrong, update the customer record before sending the invoice. Do not send an invoice to the wrong email address.

3. Add any project, shipping, or reference details that belong on the invoice.

Use these fields if your form includes them and your business uses them. If you are billing for a specific job, include the project name or site name so the customer knows what the charge is for.

Enter the items, rates, and amounts

1. In the product or service area, add each line item one by one.

Choose the item from your list if it already exists in QuickBooks. If not, enter the description manually in the line.

2. Enter the quantity for each line.

For example, if you completed 3 hours of consulting, enter 3 in the quantity field.

3. Enter the rate for each line.

For the same example, if your consulting rate is $150 per hour, enter 150 in the rate field.

4. Check the amount that QuickBooks calculates.

Using that example, the line total should calculate to $450. QuickBooks multiplies quantity by rate, so if the amount looks wrong, check those two fields first.

5. Repeat for every product or service on the invoice.

Keep each charge on its own line if that makes the invoice easier for the customer to read. If you use taxes or discounts, enter them in the invoice fields that apply before you move on.

Set the dates and message

1. Set the invoice date.

Use the date that should appear on the invoice. This is usually the date you are issuing the bill.

2. Set the due date.

Choose the payment deadline you agreed to with the customer. If your terms are net 15, net 30, or something similar, make sure the due date matches those terms.

3. Add a memo or customer message if needed.

Use the memo field for an internal note if the form includes one. Use the message field for a short note the customer should see, such as what the invoice covers or where to send payment questions.

Keep the message short and clear. A simple note like "Thank you for your business" or "Please pay by the due date shown above" is usually enough.

Review the invoice before you send it

Before you send anything, read the invoice from top to bottom.

• Check the customer name and email address
• Confirm the invoice date and due date
• Review each line item description
• Check quantities, rates, and amounts
• Confirm taxes, discounts, or other adjustments if you used them
• Review the final total

This is the point where you catch small mistakes before the customer sees them. If anything is wrong, fix it now. Do not send the invoice and plan to correct it later unless you truly have to, because a corrected invoice can confuse the customer.

Send the invoice and confirm it worked

1. When the invoice looks correct, select the send option in QuickBooks Online.

In most cases, that means choosing the option to email the invoice to the customer.

2. Review the email message that QuickBooks prepares.

Make any final edits to the subject or message if needed, then send it.

3. Confirm the invoice was sent.

After you send it, QuickBooks should show the invoice as sent or emailed, and the invoice should remain saved in your records. Open the invoice later if you need to check its status or email activity.

What to do if you are not ready to send

If you are not ready to email the invoice, save it as a draft instead of sending it.

Use the save option on the invoice form, not the send option. The invoice will stay in QuickBooks so you can return later, finish any missing details, and send it when you are ready.

That is the right choice if you are still waiting on a price, a due date, or the customer’s email address. Do not send an incomplete invoice just to clear the screen.