Recurring Invoices in QuickBooks Online – Instructions

How to Create Recurring Invoices in QuickBooks Online: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Creating a Recurring Invoice,” shows you how to create recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online. This video lesson is from our complete QuickBooks Online tutorial, titled “Mastering QuickBooks Online Made Easy.”

Overview of How to Create Recurring Invoices in QuickBooks Online:

            To create recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online, open the “Invoice” window by clicking the “+ New” button in the Navigation Bar and then clicking the “Invoice” link. If using the “old layout” for invoices, then click the “Make recurring” button in the toolbar at the bottom of the window to open the “Recurring Invoice” window.

            Alternatively, if using the “new layout” for invoices, click the “Manage” button in the toolbar above the invoice to show a pane at the right side of the window, if needed. Then click the “Automation” link in the pane. Then click the “Recurring invoice” link in the pane to open the same window.

            As of the time of this writing, recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online use the “old layout” for invoices, regardless of your primary invoice layout. To create the recurring invoice, type a name for the recurring invoice template into the “Template name” field. Then use the “Type” drop-down to select the type of recurring invoice to create.

            Selecting “Scheduled” makes a scheduled, recurring invoice that is created automatically later. To create the invoice in advance of the date you then enter in the “Interval” section, enter the number of days in advance of that date into the “Create __ days in advance” field.

            Alternatively, to be reminded to create the recurring invoice by QuickBooks Online but not automatically create it, select the “Reminder” choice from the “Type” drop-down. If selected, you can enter the number of days in advance of the “Interval” date to be reminded into the “Remind ___ days before the transaction date” field.

            Alternatively, to only create the template but not set reminders or automatic creation, select the “Unscheduled” choice from the “Type” drop-down. This choice creates the recurring invoice template in the “Recurring Transactions” list but does not schedule the recurring invoice. You must choose it when you want to use it.

A picture showing how to create recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online.

            Then select a customer from the “Customer” drop-down or type a new customer name into this field. The “Email” field shows the selected customer’s e-mail address. Check any checkboxes in the “Options” section to apply. You can check the “Automatically send emails,” “Print later,” and/or the “Include unbilled charges” checkboxes, if needed.

            If you select either the “Scheduled” or “Reminder” choices from the “Type” drop-down, the “Interval” section then appears onscreen. This lets you set the recurrence interval for the recurring invoice. The first drop-down, directly under “Interval,” lets you choose “Daily,” “Weekly,” “Monthly” or “Yearly.” Depending on that selection, then set either the day of the week, day of the month, or the month and date for the recurring invoice.

            Then set the start date for the recurrence in the “Start date” section. Then use the “End” drop-down to set when to end the recurrence. You can choose to end it “After” or “By” a certain date by selecting either choice and then entering a date or number of occurrences. You can also select the “None” choice to leave the recurrence pattern open-ended.

            In the next few sections, enter any normal invoice information you want the recurring invoice to contain. Information you enter here automatically appears within this invoice when it is created in the future. If creating an “Unscheduled” invoice, you can often leave some fields blank and then enter them or change them after selecting this invoice template in the future.

            The toolbar at the bottom of the window contains a “Cancel” and “Save template” button. You’ll also see buttons for “Clear (Revert)” and “Customize.” Clicking “Cancel” cancels the recurring invoice creation. Clicking “Clear” clears the form but doesn’t close it.

            If modifying an existing template, the “Revert” button appears here, instead. Clicking “Revert” cancels changes and reverts the template to its prior version. Clicking “Customize” lets you select a different invoice style to use, edit the current style, or create a new invoice style by selecting a command in the pop-up menu that appears. Clicking the “Save template” button saves the recurring invoice template in QuickBooks Online.

Instructions on How to Create Recurring Invoices in QuickBooks Online:

1. To create recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online, open the “Invoice” window by clicking the “+ New” button in the Navigation Bar and then clicking the “Invoice” link.
2. If using the “old layout” for invoices, then click the “Make recurring” button in the toolbar at the bottom of the window to open the “Recurring Invoice” window.
3. Alternatively, if using the “new layout” for invoices, click the “Manage” button in the toolbar above the invoice to show a pane at the right side of the window, if needed.
4. Then click the “Automation” link in the pane.
5. Then click the “Recurring invoice” link in the pane to open the same window.
6. As of the time of this writing, recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online use the “old layout” for invoices, regardless of your primary invoice layout.
7. Type a name for the recurring invoice template into the “Template name” field.
8. Then use the “Type” drop-down to select the type of recurring invoice to create.
9. Selecting the “Scheduled” choice makes a scheduled, recurring invoice that is automatically created in the future.
10. To create the invoice in advance of the date you then enter in the “Interval” section, enter the number of days in advance of that date into the “Create __ days in advance” field.
11. Alternatively, to be reminded to create the recurring invoice by QuickBooks Online but not automatically create it, select the “Reminder” choice from the “Type” drop-down.
12. If selected, you can enter the number of days in advance of the “Interval” date to be reminded into the “Remind ___ days before the transaction date” field.
13. Alternatively, to only create the template but not set reminders or automatic creation, select the “Unscheduled” choice from the “Type” drop-down. This choice creates the recurring invoice template in the “Recurring Transactions” list but does not schedule the recurring invoice. You must choose it when you want to use it.
14. Then select a customer from the “Customer” drop-down or type a new customer name into this field.
15. The “Email” field shows the selected customer’s e-mail address.
16. You can check the “Automatically send emails,” “Print later,” and/or the “Include unbilled charges” checkboxes in the “Options” section to apply them, if needed.
17. If you select either the “Scheduled” or “Reminder” choices from the “Type” drop-down, the “Interval” section then appears onscreen.
18. This lets you set the recurrence interval for the recurring invoice.
19. The first drop-down, directly under “Interval,” lets you choose “Daily,” “Weekly,” “Monthly” or “Yearly.”
20. Depending on that selection, then set either the day of the week, day of the month, or the month and date for the recurring invoice.
21. Then set the start date for the recurrence in the “Start date” section.
22. Then use the “End” drop-down to set when to end the recurrence. You can choose to end it “After” or “By” a certain date by selecting either choice and then entering a date or number of occurrences. You can also select the “None” choice to leave the recurrence pattern open-ended.
23. In the next few sections, enter any normal invoice information you want the recurring invoice to contain. Information you enter here automatically appears within this invoice when it is created in the future.
24. If creating an “Unscheduled” invoice, you can often leave some fields blank and then enter them or change them after selecting this invoice template in the future.
25. The toolbar at the bottom of the window contains a “Cancel” and “Save template” button.
26. You’ll also see buttons for “Clear (Revert)” and “Customize.”
27. To cancel the recurring invoice creation, click “Cancel.”
28. To clear the form but not close it, click “Clear.”
29. If modifying an existing template, the “Revert” button appears here, instead.
30. Clicking “Revert” cancels changes and reverts the template to its prior version.
31. Clicking “Customize” lets you select a different invoice style to use, edit the current style, or create a new invoice style by selecting a command in the pop-up menu that appears.
32. To save the recurring invoice template, click the “Save template” button.