How to take QuickBooks customized invoices to the next level

QuickBooks customized invoices are a godsend for many small businesses. They’re a great branding opportunity and simplify the billing process for both you and your customers. 

Besides being practical, these elements also give your documents a more professional feel. With customized invoices, you can add the following:

• Logos.
• Design elements.
• Payment options.

Keep reading this post for the latest QuickBooks customized invoices best practices and to discover how Method:CRM opens up additional customization opportunities for your business. 

3 reasons why QuickBooks customized invoices matter

Customized invoices have become the standard for professional businesses. By using QuickBooks customized invoices, you can ensure your customers get the best possible experience.

Here are three reasons why you should use QuickBooks to customize your invoices.

1. Make your brand known

By the time you create an invoice, the deal is sealed and you’ve won the sale. 

What’s not guaranteed, however, is that your customer remembers your business for future purchases. Luckily, this is an area where branded invoices can help.

With QuickBooks customized invoices, you can tailor your invoice to include your:

• Company logo
• Business’ name
• Contact details 
• Return policy

All of which increase brand recognition and buyer stickiness. This, in turn, improves the chance of your business being top of mind for future purchases and referrals.

With QuickBooks customized invoices, you can provide a consistent customer experience and build a brand people don’t forget! 

2. Personalization is key

84% of buyers state that “being treated like a person, instead of a transaction, is crucial to winning their business.” 

“84% of buyers state that being treated like a person, instead of a transaction, is crucial to winning their business.”

– Forbes, 2020.

And your invoices are no exception to this statistic. 

To ensure your customers feel valued, your QuickBooks custom invoices need to include elements of personalization that show they’re more than just a number.

Whether that’s a special note to them or an exclusive discount for their next purchase, including these details in your custom templates pays off.  

You can easily add your customers’ names and other details directly onto the invoice in QuickBooks. This way, you’ll effectively demonstrate that your business cares about them as individuals.

3. Make your invoices informative

An opportunity that’s often missed with QuickBooks customized invoices is adding non-transactional data to your invoice form. Here’s why this is so important. 

If you include details like warranty expiration dates or upcoming service appointments, you transform your invoice from a document customers dread receiving to a useful resource they can refer back to. 

The benefits of this are that your customers: 

• Hold a positive memory of your business even when paying
• Gain value from receiving your invoices 
• Have all the post-purchase information they need upfront

Plus, creating a custom invoice like this saves your team time as crucial information is automatically communicated to your customers. 

Now let’s look at how to customize invoices in QuickBooks Online and Desktop.

How to customize an invoice in QuickBooks

If you’re looking for information on how to change the QuickBooks invoice template, you’ve come to the right place.

In this section, you’ll learn how to customize invoices in QuickBooks Online and Desktop, how to change QuickBooks invoice templates, and how to edit email templates in QuickBooks.

For QuickBooks Online users

If you’re a QuickBooks Online user looking for custom invoices, first add your business logo through the Company Account Settings.

Photo credit: Intuit QuickBooks

You may also add it directly to your invoices when customizing through the Design tab later.

You’ll want to select the Gear Icon in the upper right-hand corner and click “Custom Form Styles” under “Your Company” to get there.

Then, pick “New Style” followed by “Invoice“.

Photo credit: Intuit QuickBooks

Which 3 options for customizing invoices are available on QuickBooks Online, you may ask?

Through QBO, you can play around with the following:

•  Design — Edit or add a logo, customize color and font.
•  Content — Update company info, change labels and width.
•  Emails — Draft or revise your invoicing email template.

For QuickBooks Desktop users

If you wish to change your invoice template in QuickBooks Desktop, open the “List” dropdown menu in the top bar. Then, select “Templates“.

This should open the Templates page with Intuit’s default template types. Right-click the invoice template you want to work from and select “Edit Template“.

The customization modal will open, and you can add your company logo and select the color scheme and font. 

If you click “Additional Customization,” you can fine-tune every field on the template and add or remove fields.

However, your modified template may not be compatible with QuickBooks preprinted forms. When in doubt, create a copy of the default template and work from there.

How to set up automatic invoices in QuickBooks

To set up recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online, select the Gear Icon in the upper right-hand corner and click “Recurrent Transactions” followed by “New“.

Then, select the Transaction Type (Invoice) and click OK. 

From there, change the Type to “Scheduled” and select “Automatically send emails“. 

Once you complete the rest of the form and click “Save template“, recurring invoicing will be set for the chosen customer.

Photo credit: Intuit QuickBooks

QuickBooks Desktop users will have to select “Quick Create” from their main screen, followed by “Invoice“. Then, you can either choose an existing customer or add a new one.

Populate the form fields and toggle the online payment option to “On” to get paid faster. Then, click “Save and send“.

Note that regardless of your QuickBooks version, you will have to repeat the above steps for each customer you’d like to create a recurring invoice for.

This can be a tedious process but luckily there’s a better way! More on this shortly. 

What to include in an invoice template

Whether you are customizing an invoice for QuickBooks Online or Desktop, make sure to include the following.

• Your business name and address.
• Customer’s name, address, and contact info.
• Invoice due date.
• Unique invoice number.
• Total amount due (including taxes).
• Description of services or products, including the quantity and prices.
• Mode of payment accepted.
• Terms and conditions (if any).

To download your free invoice template, click here.

Go beyond invoice templates in QuickBooks with Method:CRM

With businesses around the world using invoice templates in QuickBooks, there’s more you can do to stand out and provide your customers with a great experience.

As a no-code platform, Method:CRM empowers small businesses using QuickBooks with technology that does exactly what you need.

This is especially true when it comes to creating custom invoices.

Simply drag and drop the elements you want to include in your invoice with Method’s web report designer. This could be anything from a thank note that automatically includes a customer’s first purchase date to social media icons that link to your company’s accounts. 

Here’s an example of a customized invoice you can create with Method:CRM. 

With Method:CRM you: 

1. Have full control over your invoice template and can consistently apply your branding to everything from invoices to sales forms and estimates
2. Can leverage invoice personalization by automatically adding pieces of sales, customer, and accounting data to your Method:CRM template 
3. Can improve your customer’s experience by adding details such as warranty expiration dates and upcoming appointments to your invoices

Learn more about Method:CRM’s capabilities with this video.

QuickBooks customized invoice FAQs

How to edit invoice number in QuickBooks Online?

To edit invoice number in QuickBooks Online:

1. Select the Gear icon and click “Account and Settings”. 
2. Go to “Sales” and select “Invoice numbers”. 
3. Change the settings, such as the next invoice number or prefix/suffix options, according to your preference.

How to add a picture to a QuickBooks invoice?

QuickBooks does not provide an option to add a picture directly to the invoice. However, you can use Method:CRM’s web report designer to add a picture to your QuickBooks invoice. 

Easily personalize your invoices and leverage branding elements such as adding a logo, social media icons, or an image of your choice with Method:CRM. 

How to change the address on an invoice in QuickBooks Online?

To change the address on an invoice in QuickBooks:

1. Select the Gear icon. 
2. Click “Account and Settings”. 
3. Go to “Company”.
4. Select “Addresses” and make any required changes to the bill or shipping addresses. 

How to add a late fee in QuickBooks Desktop?

To charge interest or a late fee on overdue invoices in QuickBooks Desktop, you need to set up billing terms. To do this:

1. Go to the “Lists” menu.
2. Select “Bill Terms”. 
3. Click on the “New Bill Term” button. 
4. Enter all of the necessary information. 
5. Apply it to any invoice that is past due by selecting the term from the drop-down menu on the top right corner of the invoice form.

Ready to take your QuickBooks customized invoices to the next level? Then start your free trial of Method:CRM. 

Image credit: Austin Distel via Unsplash