Let’s directly skip the so-called boring, lengthy intro about why invoicing is important. Everyone knows it.
And let’s be honest – nobody starts and runs a business because their first love lies in creating and sharing invoices with customers. You started because you love what you’re doing.
But invoices are actually the nerves of your business. Whether you like spending hours on creating invoices and sharing them with customers or not, it’s a no-thanks special duty that every entrepreneur has down in their initial life.
You have already delivered the goods and services to your clients, and in reality, invoicing is the main and important step towards generating revenue for your business. Hence, it’s important to have the invoicing process as seamless and painless as possible.
The good news? QuickBooks – every entrepreneur’s and accountant’s go-to software for managing all the accounting needs. From contractors to consultants, cafe owners, and everything in between, QuickBooks Desktop allows users to create new invoices in just a few seconds. And sharing the invoices with customers also becomes effortless, professional, and efficient.
Today, in this blog, we’re going to pull back the curtain on how exactly you can use QuickBooks Desktop to create invoices at a faster pace. So, grab a mug of coffee for yourself and get ready to prepare your first invoice in QuickBooks before it gets cold.
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Here’s What You Need to Know Before Creating Your First Invoice
New to QuickBooks?
No worries, we are here to simplify the procedure for you.
Before you directly jump into the procedure of creating invoices, you should take a break. Consider the task as if you’re prepping the ingredients before cooking. If you skip this part, you will find yourself stuck in the middle of the process without having a clear understanding of what you’re doing.
QuickBooks is an incredible and fantastic software to use – only if you know the right steps to carry out the process. And if you’re creating an invoice for the first time, then there are a few things that you must keep ready before clicking the “Create Invoice” button.
- Set up Your Company Profile: Your business name, address, logo, and contact details should already be filled in. This will automatically appear every time you click on the Create Invoice option. So, make sure it’s updated and accurate.
- Add Customers: You can’t create an invoice without adding that particular customer. You will need to do that at first, and then you will be able to create a new invoice for that customer.
- Product & Service List: Add all your products and offerings with proper pricing and description. QuickBooks allows you to save all the offerings as items, so you don’t need to add them again. Set up these for once, and then invoicing will become a task of just a few clicks.
- Set Payment Standards: Decide what you want to show. Due on receipt? Net 15? Net 30? This will help in setting clear expectations for your customers regarding payment terms and timelines.
- Configure Tax Settings: Whether you charge sales tax or any other tax, be certain to configure the tax settings accurately in QuickBooks. Configuring them in the mid-process or when a few invoices have already been generated may cause confusion and errors in the financial records.
- Payment Methods: Set the payment methods through which you want to receive payments from customers. The easier you keep it for your customers, the faster you will be able to receive the payment.
- Invoice Template: QuickBooks allows its users to set an invoice template on their own. So, choose the right template that links with your brand name, logo, and color.
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A). How to Create an Invoice For 1st Time in QuickBooks Desktop?
Alright – it’s time to jump to the main part. The desktop version might look a little overwhelming, but trust us, it’s compelling and robust. By following the steps mentioned below, you’ll be able to create new invoices within a time frame of just 1-2 minutes.
- Go to the home screen or customer menu, and then click on the Create Invoices option.
- Expand the Customer: Job dropdown menu and choose the customer or customer job.
- If the customer or the job isn’t appearing on the list, then click on the Add New option.
- Enter all the relevant details at the top of the invoice, such as the invoice number, date, or due date.
- Move ahead to the detailed area, and select the particular items for which you want to generate the invoice.
- Once you select the items, the description and the amount will automatically appear. You can modify or edit these details as needed before finalizing the invoice.
- At last, verify all the details and then click on the Save & Close option.
B). Creating an Invoice for a Sales Order in QuickBooks Desktop
If you have initially created a sales order and then want to create an invoice for the same, then there are two approaches to get the same thing done. Both of them are described below:
1. Through the Sales Orders Window
- Navigate to the Sales Orders Main tab, followed by a click on the Create Invoice button.
- Thereafter, a prompt will appear on your screen. From there, if you want to add all the items from the sales order to the invoice, then select the Create invoice for all of the sales order(s) option.
- And, if you want to add only a few items from the sales order to the invoice, then select the Create Invoice For Selected Items option.
- Make all the required changes in the invoice, including the quantity of the item.
- Click on the Save & Close option.
2. From the Invoice Window
- Navigate to the Home or Customers menu, and then choose Create Invoices.
- Expand the Customer: Job drop-down menu and choose the relevant customer or customer job.
- Consequently, the available sales order window will appear on your screen.
- Now choose one or more sales orders that have the items that you want to include in the invoice.
- Input all the needed details in the invoice and then click the Save & Close option.
C). Creating an Invoice for an Estimate in QuickBooks Desktop
If your customer has accepted the estimate at that fixed price, then you can easily save your time by converting that estimate into an invoice. This can be done via two approaches that are described below:
1. From the Estimate Window
- Open the estimate and click on Create Invoice, which is available at the top of the estimate form.
- If you have enabled progressive invoicing, then you may be asked to select the items with quantities for the invoice. If it’s non-progressive, then you will receive a pop-up with an option to mark the estimate as inactive.
- At last, click on the Save & Close option.
2. From the Invoice Window
- Navigate to the Home or Customers menu in QuickBooks Desktop.
- Thereon, click on the Create Invoices option, and then expand the Customer: Job dropdown menu. The list of available estimates will appear on the screen.
- Choose the relevant estimate that you want to include in the invoice. Note: You can only select one estimate to include in each invoice.
- In case the progressive invoicing is enabled, then you will see a prompt asking for the items that you want to include in the invoice.
- Once the invoice appears, edit and enter all the information as needed, and then click on the Save & Close option.
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Conclusion
And there you have it—that’s how simple it is to start creating invoices with the help of QuickBooks desktop software. Once you have completed the initial setup, the rest of the process is just a matter of selecting the customers and adding items. The key is consistency. Once you start preparing invoices on a daily basis, your hands will become more familiar with the software, and you will be able to complete the tasks even more quickly and easily. And honestly, that’s what you just need to do in order to streamline your invoicing process and stay updated with the finances.
