How to Create and Send Invoices with QuickBooks Online (QBO)

Get paid faster with a simple, professional system

If you’re still sending invoices manually (or worse… not sending them consistently), you’re making things harder than they need to be.

With QuickBooks Online (QBO), you can create, send, and track invoices in just a few minutes… and even get paid faster.

Here’s exactly how to do it.

Why Use QuickBooks for Invoicing?

Before we get into the steps, here’s why QBO is worth using:

• Professional-looking invoices

• Easy tracking of who has paid (and who hasn’t)

• Ability to accept credit card and ACH payments

• Automatic reminders for unpaid invoices

• Everything tied directly into your bookkeeping

No double entry. No confusion. Just clean records.

Step 1: Set Up Your Customer

Before sending an invoice, you’ll need to create a customer in QBO.

How to do it:

1. Go to Sales → Customers

2. Click New Customer

3. Enter:

   • Name

   • Email address

   • Phone number (optional)

   • Billing address (optional)

4. Click Save

Step 2: Create an Invoice

Now let’s create the actual invoice.

Steps:

1. Click + New (top left)

2. Select Invoice

3. Choose your customer from the dropdown

4. Fill in the details:

   • Invoice date

   • Due date

   • Invoice number (auto-generated or custom)

Step 3: Add Products or Services

In the invoice form, you’ll add what you’re charging for.

Example:

• “Standard Cleaning – 2 Bed / 2 Bath”

• “Pressure Washing – Driveway”

• “Bookkeeping – Monthly Service”

For each line:

• Description

• Quantity (if applicable)

• Rate

• Amount (auto-calculates)

Tip: Set up Products & Services in advance to speed this up.

Step 4: Customize Your Invoice (Optional but Recommended)

You can make your invoice look more professional:

• Add your logo

• Choose colors

• Adjust layout

• Add payment terms (Net 7, Net 15, etc.)

Go to: Settings → Custom Form Styles

Step 5: Enable Online Payments (Game Changer)

Want to get paid faster? Turn on payments.

QBO allows you to accept:

• Credit cards

• ACH bank transfers

To enable:

1. Click Settings → Payments

2. Follow setup instructions

3. Turn on payment options on your invoice

Now your client can click and pay instantly.

Step 6: Send the Invoice

Once everything looks good:

1. Click Save and Send

2. Review the email message

3. Click Send

Your customer receives a professional invoice directly in their inbox.

Step 7: Track and Follow Up

QBO makes it easy to track invoice status:

• Sent

• Viewed

• Paid

• Overdue

Go to: Sales → Invoices

You can also:

• Send reminders

• Resend invoices

• See aging reports (who owes you money)

Bonus: Set Up Recurring Invoices

If you have repeat clients (monthly bookkeeping, recurring cleaning, etc.):

1. Create an invoice

2. Click Make Recurring

3. Set schedule (weekly, monthly, etc.)

QBO will automatically send invoices for you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Forgetting to send invoices promptly
❌ Not setting clear due dates
❌ Not following up on unpaid invoices
❌ Using vague descriptions
❌ Not enabling online payments

Small fixes here = faster cash flow.

Final Thoughts

Invoicing isn’t just admin work — it’s how you get paid.

Using QuickBooks Online makes the process:

• Faster

• Cleaner

• More professional

• Easier to track

And most importantly — it helps you get paid on time.

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And as always, thanks for reading and we’ll see you next week!