Creating professional invoices is one of the most important tasks for any business. Whether you’re using QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, understanding how to create an invoice in QuickBooks ensures faster payments, accurate bookkeeping, and smooth billing operations.

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This complete guide covers everything — from basic invoicing to automation, recurring billing, progress billing, invoice imports, receipt tracking, and more.

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Why Invoicing in QuickBooks Matters

QuickBooks invoicing software helps you:

Track income
Automate billing
Send invoices via email
Accept online payments
Track paid invoices
Manage recurring transactions
Generate professional custom invoices
Monitor accounts receivable

Using QuickBooks billing software eliminates manual spreadsheets and reduces errors.

QuickBooks Invoice: Online vs Desktop

QuickBooks Online Invoicing

QuickBooks Online subscriptions allow:

Cloud-based invoicing
Automatic billing
QuickBooks Online recurring invoice setup
Progress invoicing in QuickBooks Online
Mobile invoicing via QuickBooks invoice app
Online payments integration

QuickBooks Desktop Invoicing

QuickBooks Desktop allows:

Custom invoice templates
Progress billing in QuickBooks
Batch invoice creation
Sales receipts
Manual and recurring billing

How to Create an Invoice in QuickBooks Online (Step-by-Step)

Creating an invoice in QuickBooks Online (QBO invoice) is simple.

Step 1: Log In

Step 2: Go to Sales

Click + New
Select Invoice

Step 3: Add Customer

Choose an existing customer or create a new one.

Step 4: Enter Invoice Details

Invoice date
Due date
Invoice number
Product/service
Quantity
Rate
Tax

Step 5: Customize Invoice

You can create custom invoices in QuickBooks Online:

Add logo
Change color theme
Modify layout
Add payment terms

Step 6: Save and Send

Click Save and Send to email invoice directly.

QuickBooks email invoices from QuickBooks with built-in payment links.

How to Create an Invoice in QuickBooks Desktop

Step 1: Open QuickBooks Desktop

Go to Customers → Create Invoices

Step 2: Select Customer

Choose customer from dropdown.

Step 3: Enter Billing Details

Item
Description
Quantity
Rate
Tax

Step 4: Save or Email

Click Save & Close or Email.

You can also generate a QuickBooks sample invoice to preview layout.

Custom Invoices in QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online invoicing software allows:

Custom fields
Payment links
Personalized notes
Different invoice styles

Go to:

Settings → Custom Form Styles → New Style → Invoice

This helps create professional Intuit QuickBooks invoice templates.

QuickBooks Recurring Invoice (Automatic Billing)

Want to automate billing?

How to Create Recurring Invoice in QuickBooks Online

Click Settings → Recurring Transactions
Click New
Select Invoice
Choose type:
- Scheduled
- Reminder
- Unscheduled
Set frequency (monthly, weekly, etc.)
Save template

QuickBooks Online recurring billing ensures automatic invoice generation.

Recurring Billing QuickBooks Online vs Desktop

Feature	Online	Desktop
Auto email	Yes	Yes
Frequency control	Advanced	Basic
Cloud access	Yes	No
Automatic payment link	Yes	Limited

Progress Invoicing in QuickBooks Online

Progress invoicing QuickBooks allows billing customers in stages.

How to Enable Progress Invoicing in QBO

Go to Settings → Account & Settings
Select Sales
Enable Progress Invoicing

You can now invoice partially from estimates.

Progress Billing in QuickBooks Desktop

In Desktop:

Create an Estimate
Convert Estimate to Invoice
Select percentage or amount

Progress billing in QuickBooks is ideal for construction and project-based businesses.

Batch Invoicing in QuickBooks Online

To create batch invoice QuickBooks Online:

Use recurring templates
Or import invoices via CSV

Batch invoicing saves time for subscription-based services.

Import Invoices into QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online import invoices feature allows bulk upload.

Steps:

Go to Settings → Import Data
Select Invoices
Upload CSV file
Map fields
Import

Import invoices into QuickBooks for faster billing migration.

QuickBooks Invoice Automation

QuickBooks invoice automation includes:

Recurring billing
Automatic reminders
Auto invoice QuickBooks
Payment confirmations
QuickBooks invoice paid tracking

This reduces manual follow-ups.

QuickBooks Online Progress Billing vs Standard Invoice

Progress billing allows:

Partial payments
Milestone billing
Construction invoicing

Standard invoices are one-time billing.

Sales Receipt in QuickBooks Online

Sales receipt in QuickBooks Online is used when:

Customer pays immediately
No accounts receivable tracking needed

Go to:

+ New → Sales Receipt

QuickBooks Receipt App & Receipt Tracker

QuickBooks receipt app allows:

Snap receipts via mobile
Automatic categorization
QuickBooks receipt tracker sync
Expense automation

Receipt tracker for QuickBooks improves bookkeeping accuracy.

QuickBooks Free Invoice Generator

QuickBooks free invoice generator (trial version) allows limited invoice creation. Paid QuickBooks Online subscriptions unlock full automation and reporting.

Emailing Invoices from QuickBooks

To email invoice from QuickBooks:

Open invoice
Click Save and Send
Customize email
Send

QuickBooks e mail settings can be customized under Account Settings.

QuickBooks Invoice Paid Status

When customer pays:

Mark as Paid manually
Or record payment via Receive Payment
Payment link updates automatically

QuickBooks paid invoice status updates receivables instantly.

Paying Invoices in QuickBooks

To record payment:

Go to + New → Receive Payment
Select customer
Choose invoice
Enter payment method
Save

QuickBooks AP Automation

QuickBooks AP automation focuses on accounts payable, but combined with invoicing, it creates full billing automation.

AP automation for QuickBooks allows:

Bill imports
Vendor payment tracking
Automated approvals

QuickBooks Billing Software Benefits

Using QuickBooks for billing:

Saves time
Reduces human errors
Automates recurring invoices
Tracks unpaid invoices
Offers reporting dashboards

QuickBooks Invoice App (Mobile Invoicing)

Using QuickBooks mobile app:

Create invoice instantly
Send invoice on-site
Accept card payments
Track paid invoices

Perfect for freelancers and field service businesses.

Automatic Billing QuickBooks Setup

To enable automatic billing QuickBooks:

Create recurring invoice
Set schedule
Enable auto-send

Recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online make subscription businesses efficient.

QuickBooks Online Subscriptions & Invoicing

QuickBooks Online subscriptions include:

Simple Start
Essentials
Plus
Advanced

Each plan supports invoicing, but advanced automation is available in higher plans.

Making Invoices in QuickBooks – Best Practices

Use professional templates
Add payment terms clearly
Include late fees policy
Enable online payments
Use recurring billing for regular clients
Track unpaid invoices weekly
Customize branding

QuickBooks Custom Invoices

QuickBooks custom invoices allow:

Branding
Custom fields
Dynamic content
Industry-specific layouts

Common Invoicing Errors & Fixes

Problem	Solution
Invoice not emailing	Check QuickBooks email settings
Recurring invoice not sending	Verify schedule
Invoice not showing paid	Record payment
Import failure	Check CSV format
Progress invoicing disabled	Enable in settings

QuickBooks Invoice Workflow Summary

Create invoice
Customize template
Send invoice
Track payment
Record payment
Mark invoice paid
Run reports

Reports for Invoicing in QuickBooks

Use reports like:

Accounts Receivable Aging
Invoice List
Sales by Customer
Open Invoices

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create an invoice in QuickBooks Online?

Click + New → Invoice → Enter details → Save & Send.

Can I automate recurring billing?

Yes, use recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online.

How do I enable progress billing?

Turn on progress invoicing in Account Settings.

Can I import invoices into QuickBooks?

Yes, via CSV import tool.

How do I mark invoice as paid?

Use Receive Payment option.

Final Thoughts

Creating invoices in QuickBooks Online and Desktop is simple, powerful, and customizable. From basic billing to recurring billing, progress invoicing, batch invoicing, and invoice automation, QuickBooks provides complete billing control for small and growing businesses.

Using QuickBooks invoicing software ensures: