This image shows a pensive man holding a tablet and looking down at paper documents.

How to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online

This blog covers how to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online.

How to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online Read More »

Wondering how to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online? Then you’ve come to the right place!

As per our expertise, approval workflows are a great way to ensure estimates, invoices, or purchase orders are approved by the correct people before transactions happen.

In this blog post, you will learn how to enable a QuickBooks invoice approval workflow. You’ll also go over the benefits and limitations of using a QuickBooks approval workflow.

Finally, you’ll learn how you can complement those with an integration like Method.

Let’s get started!

Grow your business without leaving QuickBooks Online.

Get started: Workflow types

QuickBooks Online approval workflows are one of the most popular workflows among users of the software.

However, we have found from using this product that the workflows feature is only available to QuickBooks Online Advanced users. 

This leaves QuickBooks Online and Desktop users out of luck when it comes to establishing a QuickBooks approval workflow process. 

And as indicated by our tests, even if you are a QuickBooks Online Advanced user, not every approval workflow is up for automation. 

When it comes to preset QuickBooks approval workflows, you are limited to invoicing and payments. 

It is possible to create some custom workflows in QuickBooks Online Advanced, but these automations are limited to sending reminders to your customers or team.

So, even if you know how to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online Advanced, your automation options are minimal.

Next, let’s review what you can achieve with QuickBooks Online Advanced approvals before jumping into alternative solutions.

Workflows for your team

For this type of workflow, our research indicates that you must be a user of QuickBooks Online Advanced. As such, you will have access to the Workflows feature, which has several approval templates. 

Follow these steps to enable a QuickBooks invoice approval workflow for your team.

1. Find the “Invoice approval” template and click “Create”.

Screenshot showing how to create an invoice template in QuickBooks Online

Image credit: QuickBooks

You will be able to give the workflow a custom name or go with the default “Invoice approval” template.

Pro-tip: Editing the workflow name is useful if you wish to create multiple conditional invoice approvals.

2. Choose the conditions that will trigger the workflow.

Next, you can set up a single condition or more to trigger the workflow. These can be a specific invoice amount, customer, or invoice location.

Screenshot of the "trigger" in the QuickBooks approval workflow.

Image credit: QuickBooks

Next, you will need to enter the condition that will trigger the need for approval. If you choose an invoice amount condition, for instance, you’ll have to specify the amount.

Screenshot showing the "action" in the QuickBooks invoice approval workflow.

Image credit: QuickBooks

3. Create an action to send the approval notification.

Now, you need to choose what happens when the conditions are met.

If you want to send an invoice approval notification, you also need to pick the team member who will approve the invoice and send it to the customer.

You can also choose what happens if an invoice is not approved within a specific time. 

Those who you have marked to be notified will receive the default templated message. You can also manually personalize it.

Make sure to click “Save and enable.” Drawing from our experience, keep in mind that all invoices created by an administrator of your QuickBooks Online Advanced account will be automatically approved.

Your team will still be able to fill out and save invoices. But in order to send to the customer, they will need to submit the invoice for approval.

4. Approve invoices

To approve an invoice, the chosen team member for approval will have to visit the “Tasks” tab. After clicking the task, they will be able to either approve or deny the invoice.

Screenshot of the approve invoice screen in QuickBooks.

Image credit: QuickBooks

It is also possible to open the invoice and approve it on that screen.

Invoice approval screen in QuickBooks Online

Image credit: QuickBooks

Workflows for your customers

Our team discovered through using this product that customer approval workflows are outside the scope of what you can do with QuickBooks. All you can do is set up triggered notifications for invoice updates.

If you need a customer-facing invoice approval workflow, you’ll be better off with a powerful QuickBooks app instead like Method.

Stop spending your day sending emails, estimates, and invoices.

QuickBooks approval workflow: The current state

Now that you know how to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online, let’s look at its main limitations.

Lacks customization and flexibility

QuickBooks’ approval workflows are a good way to manage your invoices. However, our investigation demonstrated that you can’t customize the templated workflow beyond the pre-set actions and conditions.

Another limitation is that it’s not possible to set up customer approvals with QuickBooks. 

If you want an approval workflow that’s better tailored to your business processes or offers customer approvals, you need to look into other options.

Can be time-consuming

Another downside is that after using QuickBooks’ approval workflow, we found it to be quite time-consuming.

This is because you have to set specific conditions for an invoice approval to be assigned. Then, each team member has to approve each invoice before it can be processed.

If you have a large team or a lot of invoices to process, this will take a lot of time.

Instead, you may want to consider an alternative that can fully automate the approval process.

Limited to QuickBooks invoice approval workflow

By far, the biggest QuickBooks approval workflow limitation is that it is limited to invoicing.

Our findings show that if you need to manage different approval processes such as estimate or purchase order approvals, you will need to look into more customizable options.

Luckily, the next section will explain how to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online without the limitations!

Going beyond the QuickBooks invoice approval workflow

If you need more flexibility than QuickBooks’ approval workflows offer, you want to use a CRM solution like Method.

Method is fully customizable, so you can change it to fit your needs. And because it constantly syncs with QuickBooks, your accounting data is automatically updated.

You also have more flexibility with how the approval process works, so you can adapt it to your business process.

So whether you need an approval workflow for invoicing, estimates, or purchase orders, Method can deliver the customized solution you need. 

How to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online for estimates

Through our practical knowledge, if you need to automate your estimate processes, then QuickBooks’ approval workflow is off the table.

See how you can automate approvals for invoices or estimates online with electronic signature capture in Method.

With Method, you will be able to create a personalized estimate approval workflow. You will have total control over the order and which roles each person plays in the approval process.

After setting up an account, talk to your Customer Success Manager (CSM) about implementing the digital signature feature for your estimate approval workflow.

Then, simply work with your CSM to bring the estimate approval workflow to life according to your business specifications.

How to set up a purchase order approval in Quickbooks Online

Just like estimates, you are also able to set up a purchase order approval workflow with Method.

Despite QuickBooks’ approval workflow not allowing for purchase orders, there is a way to automate this process and have the data synced to your account.

Reach out to your Customer Success Manager (CSM) so they can add the electronic signature feature to your Method account. It will look similar to the below product shot:

Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

Then, explain what you need for your purchase order approval process, and your CSM will help you set it up!

Recap: How to enable an approval workflow in QuickBooks Online

If you need more customization or flexibility than what QuickBooks’ approval workflows can offer, you need a CRM like Method. Here is a preview of what’s possible with Method CRM.

Sign up for your free trial today!

Image credit: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels

This image shows a man sitting at a desk in front of a tablet device. We can see him digitally signing an invoice on the tablet screen.

How to add a signature in QuickBooks Online

See how and why QuickBooks Online users need e-signature capture.

How to add a signature in QuickBooks Online Read More »

Wondering how to add a signature in QuickBooks Online? Well, you’re not alone.

Once you learn more about QuickBooks Online signature capture, you can use this knowledge to better your approval process. 

In this article, you’ll answer the following questions: 

  • How do I add a signature to QuickBooks Online?
  • How can digital signatures help my business?

Keep reading for answers to these questions and to learn how Method simplifies your process.

Need an easier way to keep your QuickBooks data up-to-date?

How do I add a signature to QuickBooks Online?

As per our expertise, QuickBooks Online is popular because of its ease of use and ability to manage multiple companies from a single location.

With it, you can:

  • Track sales orders.
  • Issue a payment.
  • Pay bills.

QuickBooks Online also allows you to create reports, generate financial statements, and perform other functions that would otherwise require additional software or services.

Our team discovered through using this product that despite being a cloud-based program, QuickBooks Online does have some limitations.

One is that it cannot accept electronic signature capture without a supported third-party app. So, you can’t sign checks or documents using QuickBooks alone.

To overcome this limitation and learn how to add signatures in QuickBooks Online, use trusted QuickBooks integrations that offer QuickBooks Online signature functionality, like Method.

How to add signature in QuickBooks Online with Method

With Method, you can add electronic signature capture to your documents. This is possible through its seamless two-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Desktop.

To start with QuickBooks Online signature capture through Method, sign up here if you don’t have an account yet. From there, you will find e-signature capture in the following apps:

  • Estimates.
  • Proposals (pictured below).
  • Work Orders,
Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

You can also customize your Method account to add the QuickBooks Online e-signature feature to other apps, such as Invoices.

Unlike other third-party applications with QuickBooks electronic signature functionality, there is no limit to how many and what type of documents you can sign with Method. You can add signatures on estimates, invoices, and work orders, which are only a few examples.

Now that you know how to add a signature in QuickBooks Online, let’s review its benefits.

How e-signature grows your business

Signatures are an important part of most business transactions but can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Based on our first hand experience, with e-signatures, you can quickly and easily verify a person’s identity without the grunt work. Below are the full benefits of e-signature capture. 

Get paid sooner

Knowing how to add a signature in QuickBooks online helps your business. An esignature makes it possible for you to access and sign documents anywhere, anytime. As indicated by our tests, not only does this increase your productivity, but it also speeds up your processes.

The virtual nature of digital signatures supports remote workers, digital nomads, and those on the go.

When you can sign documents from anywhere, you’re empowered to close deals quickly.

You no longer have to wait for documents to be physically delivered to clients. Instead, they can approve contracts within seconds from their inbox using a QuickBooks Online signature. 

Based on our observations, a quick turnover helps you sharpen your quote-to-cash workflow and build a positive reputation for your business.

Automate your admin work to increase efficiency

Through our practical knowledge, knowing how to add a signature in QuickBooks Online enables faster approvals from clients and suppliers. They eliminate the tedious back-and-forth mailing of hard-copy documents needed when relying on handwritten signatures.

As most business documents are drafted online, concluding agreements virtually allows you to seamlessly search, sign and send documents. You’ll be automatically alerted on a change in status immediately so you can react in real-time.

All of this without having to print, manually sign, scan, and send them out to relevant parties.

Improve customer experience

With online documents, there’s no need to wait at the printer to collect or scan a print signature. That goes for both customers and business owners.

Plus, you can accept your customer signatures instantly to alleviate concerns about cash flow, and also ensure secure transactions. As a result, you make your customers happier to drive loyalty and retention.

Wish you could get more from QuickBooks? Method makes it possible.

Can I set up an electronic signature on QuickBooks Online?

After using QuickBooks, we have found that it doesn’t offer e-signature capture in any Online version. 

However, it’s possible to implement an e-signature capture feature with an integration.

But then the question shifts to “How do I add a signature to QuickBooks Online with an integration?”

With Method, you can add signature capture to any document that needs it. Watch the video below to see what other awesome features Method users love.

Alternatives for QuickBooks Online electronic signature capture

DocuSign

Screen capture of DocuSign E-Signature Connector showing the desktop and mobile versions. An example of the signature "James Smith" is displayed

Image credit: TitanFile

DocuSign E-Signature Connector is an app by Intuit that integrates with QuickBooks Online to capture customer signatures in online documents.

It has a simple drop-down menu that includes your signature options and preferences. This makes it easy to place signatures in the pre-set signature window lines.

The downside is that DocuSign is only compatible with QuickBooks Online Advanced, which is the most expensive plan.

It’s also rather pricey. The cheapest plan is for a single user at $10 a month. If you need to provide QuickBooks electronic signature capabilities to a team, the price becomes $25 per user. 

Given that DocuSign only adds digital signature capabilities, it’s hard to justify the cost compared to tools like Method CRM that offer more than just basic functionality.

QuickBooks Online iOS or Android app

A picture of the iOS, Android, and a tablet version of QuickBooks Online.

Image credit: Intuit QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online offers built-in e-signature tools that are only available on their iOS and Android apps. They let you capture customer signatures on estimates or invoices from your mobile phone or tablet using touchscreen functionality, so no piece of paper required. 

Since this app is only available for your mobile device, you’ll need to be physically present to capture customer signatures.

That means that you won’t be able to email online documents like a PDF file to your customer for remote signing. This lessens the convenience of esignature capture and gives it less of an advantage over a print signature format.

Next step: Get the best digital signature integration for QuickBooks Online

Good news: you no longer have to wonder how to add a signature in QuickBooks Online. Now you know that’s possible with Method!

Sign up for your free trial and start capturing digital signatures today!

How to add a signature in QuickBooks Online FAQs

How do I add and remove a signature for checks in QuickBooks Online?

It is currently not possible to add and remove a signature for checks in QuickBooks Online. Your best bet is to check out the QuickBooks app marketplace for third-party apps with that functionality.

How do I change my QuickBooks Online signature preferences?

To change your QuickBooks Online signature preferences in Method:

  • Go to “Edit Signature”
  • Click the “Settings” drop-down menu.

For more information on editing your QuickBooks Online signature preferences, click here.

How do I put two signatures on a single check in QuickBooks?

There is currently no designated QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online signature functionality to add two signatures to a single check. 

To get around this in QuickBooks Desktop, you can stack two signatures on checks in a single image file (your “signature image”), which you can then import and place on your check. 

Ensure the spacing between both signatures is the same as on the check. It may take some trial and error to get right, but you should be able to align everything properly.

Can I setup an electronic signature on any version of QuickBooks Online?

No, QuickBooks Online itself does not have built-in electronic signature functionality in its web version. The mobile QuickBooks iOS/Android app supports limited e-signature capabilities for sales forms like invoices and estimates only. For broader use cases (e.g., contracts, work orders), you will need to integrate third-party apps such as Method CRM or DocuSign. These tools provide seamless integration with QuickBooks Online and allow for e-signature capture across various document types

What documents can I e-sign with Method CRM?

Method CRM integrates with QuickBooks Online and allows users to apply e-signatures to a wide range of documents, including:

  • Estimates.
  • Proposals.
  • Invoices.
  • Work orders.

Method CRM offers unlimited e-signature requests and customizable preferences, making it a versatile solution for businesses looking to streamline their document approval processes

Image credit: LinkedIn Sales Navigator via Pexels.

This image shows two people sitting together at a desk. There are documents on the table as well as a tablet device, which is showing a signature capture pop up.

How to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice

Although QuickBooks has become a staple accounting software, signature capture is not yet possible without integrated apps. See how to implement it today!

How to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice Read More »

Adding signature lines to your QuickBooks invoices is a must for any business owner looking to grow their business.

E-signature allows you and your team to save time on tedious tasks like manual document signage and improve your customer experience by simplifying the online payment process for your clients.

Keep reading to understand:

  • How to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice.
  • How and why you should add a signature line to your QuickBooks invoice.

Why Method is the best electronic signature QuickBooks invoice option.

Sick of missing invoices and other data in QuickBooks?

Reasons to add signature to QuickBooks invoice

If you’re a small to mid-sized business owner, your plate is likely already full of responsibilities. Your time is valuable, and manual tasks are not the best way to spend it.

Adding signature lines to your QuickBooks invoices with a third-party app integration like Method creates more efficient workflows for you and your sales team.

Here are some key reasons to start adding signature lines to your QuickBooks invoices:

  • Completed digital signature lines illustrate that both parties read, understand, and oblige by the terms of the agreement.
  • The signage will be stress-free for your customers, reducing back-and-forth communication.
  • Process agreements and online payments in a more timely manner.
  • Spend more time improving customer relationships with advanced customers.
  • E-signatures are more secure than manual signatures and paper checks.
  • You will be less likely to misplace signed documents and other essential company files once they’re all online.

Can you add a signature to QuickBooks invoice?

After putting it to the test, adding signature lines to estimates and invoices is not yet an option in QuickBooks business accounting software.

Sure, you can use the ‘Message on invoice’ or ‘Message displayed on estimate fields’ as replacements to indicate what documents need signage.

But wouldn’t it be much more efficient if you could add signature to QuickBooks invoice and estimate templates directly? That said, it’s not very clear how to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice.

The good news is that it gets much easier with a third-party app integration like Method!

Benefits of integrating e-signature software with QuickBooks

With QuickBooks Online app integrations for e-signature, you can add signature to QuickBooks invoice and estimate templates with ease. 

To learn how to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice, you must integrate your account with a QuickBooks app integration.

With only the click of a button, there are many benefits to investing in e-signature software.

Lower transaction cost

Integrating e-signature software with your QuickBooks Online saves your business a lot of money in the long term.

Say goodbye to the expenses of hard copy signatures, like paper, printer cartridges, check printing, and wasted office space.

Speed up your signage processes

No more long processing times for agreements in QuickBooks Online and Desktop! Simplify your agreement process with digital signatures to save time and sign agreements faster.

Customers can pay you from anywhere and have agreements approved in real time using digital signature software.

Increased security for digital documents

There are automated processes to validate that someone signed a record with legitimate credentials when it comes to digital signature software.

Drawing from our experience, added security reassurance encourages your clients to do business with you again.

Single time activity

Once you’ve integrated an e-signature software with QuickBooks Online or Desktop and downloaded a digital signature, the feature is there to stay — and you’ve learned how to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice.

You can enjoy a stress-free signage process and implement signature lines in estimates without trouble.

Greater accuracy of information

Avoid easy errors like double entry and miscalculated expense tracking with a QuickBooks e-signature integration.

How to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice with Method

Know how to add signature line on invoice synced from QuickBooks with a comprehensive solution like Method. First, set up an account and customize your account to implement the electronic signature QuickBooks invoice feature. Out of the box, you get e-signature capture via the Estimates App and Proposals App (pictured below).

Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

If you’re wondering how to add signature line on an invoice synced from QuickBooks, it’s really easy with Method’s powerful, two-way QuickBooks data sync.

With a bi-directional flow of information between both platforms, you can access the most up-to-date data on what documents were signed and which still need signing, and have a quicker approval process.

How electronic signatures on QuickBooks invoices automate your business processes

Based on our firsthand experience, automating e-signature approval speeds up all ends of your business so you can focus on the important stuff. Among these benefits are the following.

Better cash flow

Our research indicates that a typical small business in the United States holds more than $80,000 worth of unpaid invoices. That’s a lot of outstanding revenue for your business!

With electronic signatures in QuickBooks invoices, however, you speed up the time it takes to receive payment. You may even follow up with customers through automated private message follow-ups sent to their business email addresses.

Method CRM lets you run your business, your way.

Improve contract process efficiency

Through our practical knowledge, when you know how to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice, you simplify the contract management process, and your business maximizes the potential of its operations. 

Especially, if you choose the electronic signature QuickBooks invoice option. Here’s why.

E-signature lets you:

  • Issue digital payments through payment links.
  • Accept customer signatures.
  • Create sales receipts and forms in real-time to improve your contract process efficiency.

You can then dedicate your efforts to expanding your customer base with all this extra time!

Electronic signature for checks and paychecks

While creating an online signature for checks and paychecks would be ideal to speed up payment processing, it is not currently possible in QuickBooks. 

Draw up estimates and invoices faster

Nobody enjoys drawing up manual sales receipt templates or invoice templates.

Luckily, e-signature software offers custom branding templates for:

  • Invoices
  • Estimates
  • Credit memos
  • Sales receipts
  • And more!

Here’s an example of what a personalized invoice template in Method can look like.

This helps you issue documents to your customers quickly and keep your document branding on point!

Connect with your customer success manager (CSM) to learn how to build your custom templates.

Electronic signature QuickBooks: It’s possible with Method

Choosing Method as your digital signature software means a seamless integration process and the following benefits.

Unlimited document signage

Unlike other options like DocuSign E-signature Connector, Method lets you sign as many documents as needed! This is important when looking to grow your customer base and invoice volume.

No additional costs

Once you set up your Method account, implementing the QuickBooks Online e-signature feature for estimates and proposals is quick and easy. For your invoice workflow, you get to customize the functionality to make sure it’s right for your business.

Compatible with all versions of QuickBooks Online

Many e-signature software solutions, like DocuSign E-signature, require you to use QuickBooks Online Advanced. However, Method lets you integrate e-signatures and create customizable forms in all versions of QuickBooks, including:

  • QuickBooks Desktop.
  • QuickBooks Online.
  • QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Additional benefits

Method strengthens your brand identity and customer relationships by personalizing the format and design of:

  • Invoices.
  • Estimates.
  • Sales receipts.

This way, all your documents always reflect your brand and contain the information your clients need.

Method isn’t just your e-signature software for signing agreements and accepting online payments in QuickBooks Online. Abundant with powerful tools, it’s also your one-stop shop for optimizing your:

  • Sales pipeline.
  • Lead management.
  • Customer data.
  • Activity tracking.
  • Reporting.
  • Team collaboration.
  • Automated scheduling — and so much more!

Plus, you have access to an entire community of experts well-versed in QuickBooks, ready to help you enrich your data with advanced tools.

Recap: How Method + QuickBooks makes life easier

With Method’s long list of powerful integrations and customizable tools, you spend less time entering data and more time growing your business.

Method connects directly to apps like Gmail, Outlook, and Mailchimp, with hundreds of other integrations available via Zapier. It enriches your QuickBooks data in ways that go far beyond customizable invoices, payment page links, and document signage.

Connect with your customer success manager (CSM) about how to add signature line on QuickBooks invoice and enrich your estimate details with features like purchase order history, customer lifetime value, and more.

QuickBooks invoice signature FAQs

How do I add a signature to checks in QuickBooks?

QuickBooks doesn’t offer the option to capture e-signatures or easily add signature files on checks. Using a third-party app is the easiest way to add a signature to checks in QuickBooks.

How do I customize invoices in QuickBooks Online?

To customize invoices in QuickBooks Online, the first step is to add your company’s logo to your template through the “Company Account Settings” menu. This is also possible through the “Design” tab when editing an invoice.

Then, click on the gear icon and select “Custom From Styles” beneath the “Your Company” section of the file menu. Then, select “New Style” followed by “Invoice“.

QuickBooks Online lets you personalize an invoice’s design, content, and email templates — but it’s not easy or comprehensive.

Simplify this process with Method by using its drag-and-drop service for invoice customization. Method also lets you add authorized signatures to simplify your invoicing processes.

Can you send contracts through QuickBooks?

Although QuickBooks doesn’t let you send contracts directly, you can with Method. You can automatically send batch personalized invoices to your clients, request signatures on estimates, and track the status of documents.

This cloud-based program speeds up your quote to cash workflow and simplifies your invoicing process. 

Start your free trial with Method today — no credit card required!

Image credit: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels

This image shows a table sitting on top of a paper report. The screen shows a pop up for signature capture.

QuickBooks signature capture: How to make it possible

Approving estimates and invoices is much easier with digital signature capture. This blog explains how to make that possible in QuickBooks.

QuickBooks signature capture: How to make it possible Read More »

QuickBooks electronic signature capture is crucial when providing approvals for estimates, invoices, and other financial documents.

There are several ways to sign documents electronically using QuickBooks. But all of these require an external integration.

In this blog, you will learn the benefits of how to capture signatures for QuickBooks Online using a trusted, third-party application like Method!

Grow your business without leaving QuickBooks Online.

Does QuickBooks have electronic signature capture?

QuickBooks has become a very popular accounting software program. Its popularity has grown tremendously over the last decade.

It offers a wide variety of features, such as:

  • Payroll management.
  • Inventory tracking.
  • Sales reporting.
  • Customer relationship management.

However, QuickBooks does not have an electronic signature capture option. It does let you add a custom field for a physical signature to invoices, but that’s it.

The only way to achieve QuickBooks signature capture is by using a trusted, third-party integration such as Method.

That said, here’s how to make e-signatures possible for each QuickBooks version.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online dashboard showing the desktop and mobile versions.

Image credit: QuickBooks.

QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software that lets you connect remotely from anywhere with an internet connection. This gives you the freedom to manage your business finances on the go. Without third-party integrations, e-signatures in QuickBooks Online EasyStart, Essentials, and Plus are unfortunately not possible.

QuickBooks Online Advanced

Dashboard of QuickBooks Online Advanced showing graphs and charts on the Business overview tab

Image credit: QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online Advanced is a cloud-based program for growing businesses with more complex processes. However, that also means it has additional costs. At a regular price of $200 a month, it gets expensive for small business owners.

Many businesses choose QuickBooks Online Advanced because it gives them access to premium apps such as DocuSign E-Signature Connector.

DocuSign E-Signature Connector showing the desktop and mobile versions. An example signature showing James Smith is written out

Image credit: TitanFile

DocuSign integrates with QuickBooks Online Advanced to offer online signature capabilities. However, it is only available through the Advanced plan. You’ll also need to purchase DocuSign separately at a minimum of $10 per month, which adds up quickly.

QuickBooks Online mobile app for iOS and Android

QuickBooks Online mobile app showing the mobile version on an iOS, Android, and tablet examples

Image credit: Intuit QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online offers a mobile app for iOS and Android that lets you capture signatures on estimates on the go.

This user-friendly app means that you don’t need to wait at the printers or carry physical forms with you. 

However, you can only capture an online signature with this app from your mobile device. That means if you want your customer to sign an estimate, invoice, or sales receipt, you’ll need to physically be present with them to collect the authorized signature.

QuickBooks Desktop

A screenshot of QuickBooks Desktop on the My Shortcuts tab

Image credit: Go Get Geek.

Like QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop is an accounting software. However, this version is only accessible from your office computer. Making it near-impossible to work on the go.

QuickBooks Desktop is now only available as a comprehensive accounting software solution. It comes with all the bells and whistles — and the price tag to match. At $1,830 per year, it isn’t affordable for all small-to-midsized business owners.

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

QuickBooks Desktop version for Windows offers several advanced features including:

  • Up to 40 users.
  • Payroll.
  • Invoices and estimates.
  • Reporting.
  • Access to over 200 third-party apps (additional costs may apply).

You’ll also gain access to a mobile app, however without the online functionality, it is best used for uploading receipts.

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac

Apple Mac computers are becoming increasingly popular for businesses. Intuit has developed a Mac version of QuickBooks Desktop, however it still lacks the same functionality that the Windows version holds.

In comparison to QuickBooks Desktop for Windows there are:

  • Fewer options for reporting and payroll
  • Limited inventory features.
  • Integration with third party applications is not as frequently supported.

That isn’t to say QuickBooks Desktop for Mac is not usable. It’s still a great accounting option for Mac users. However, it does take a backseat to the Windows version.

At this time, e-signature capture is not possible on QuickBooks Desktop without using an integration like Method.

How to capture signatures using the QuickBooks app ecosystem

Use applications in the QuickBooks ecosystem to implement e-signature capture for your digital format documents.

Wish you could get more from QuickBooks? Method makes it possible.

Apps in the QuickBooks ecosystem include any software in the QuickBooks app store. With these vetted integrations, you can extend the power of QuickBooks to include capabilities like digital signature capture, email marketing, inventory management, and more.

Benefits of integrating e-signature software with QuickBooks

The ability to sign a document anywhere, anytime, is only one of the many benefits of integrating a QuickBooks electronic signature solution.

Below are some of the other ways you can benefit from a QuickBooks signature capture  integration:

  • Save time: Since you don’t waste time scanning or sending documents, you can focus on other essential tasks. In addition, you won’t have to wait for documents to arrive or be returned before you work on them.
  • Reduce costs: Since you don’t pay for printing costs, you can save money on ink cartridges, toner, and paper. You can also reduce shipping costs since you won’t have to mail physical copies of documents.
  • Improve organization: If you use e-signing, you can store all your signed documents online. This makes it much easier to manage all of the documents — anywhere, anytime.
  • Get paid faster: On average, e-signatures shorten your sales cycle from eight days to three hours. All of which means you get paid sooner.

How QuickBooks e-signature capture helps your business

Keep your cash flow healthy

Most small to midsized business owners have experienced the pain point of outstanding customer payments.

In using e-signature capture, you can shorten sales cycles from days to only a few hours. Digital signatures allow for a faster, smoother, and simplified experience.

Making it easier for customers to pay you keeps your cash flow healthy!

Automate your contract workflow to increase efficiency

Save time on manual tasks like hard-copy signage and delivery with QuickBooks digital signature capture. When you implement e-signature capture into your workflows, your clients get contracts signed and sent to you faster. As a result,  your employees can get straight to work and generate more revenue for your business. 

This automation saves precious time that your team can now dedicate to your customers.

Improved security

E-signature capture is more secure than hard copy manual signage because it’s more difficult to replicate.

Moreover, you can ease any worries about using QuickBooks digital signature solutions on apps.com as Intuit regularly audits these tools for security.

For example, Method hosts its services through Amazon Web Services and uses insured standard encryption and security practices to keep your client data safe.

Easier document organization

Digital documents are much harder to misplace than paper copies because you can store these in a drive.

Keeping all of your digitally-signed documents online reduces the risk of confusing information between clients or misplacing signed agreements.

Quick and easy approvals

E-signature functionality lets your customers approve estimates and pay deposits with the click of a button.

You and your customers can sign off on approvals at any place, any time. That means no more fiddling with printers and scanners during your approval process.

Better customer experience

The expectation from your customers is that they should be able to perform business interactions with you online. 

So, it’s important to deliver a digital, self-serve experience to your customers — especially for signature capture and approvals.

Plus, your customers will enjoy a more positive customer experience as a QuickBooks digital signature capture is easier and stress-free.

With a QuickBooks electronic signature, your customers can sign and review documents from virtually anywhere.

Where you can use QuickBooks e-signatures

With QuickBooks e-signatures, you can capture a customer signature to approve a digital payment securely. You can use signature files in several ways:

  • Estimates.
  • Invoices.
  • Proposals.

That said, uploading a QuickBooks electronic signature file is a convoluted process that involves signing a piece of paper and scanning it to your computer. Consider integrating QuickBooks with a trusted, third-party app such as Method, which authorizes signature functionality on-screen.

Find out more about how that works below.

Achieve QuickBooks signature capture with Method

With Method, you can add signature capture to any document that can use it. Here’s a peak at what QuickBooks signature capture looks like in the Proposals App.

Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

Method’s two-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Desktop ensures optimal QuickBooks digital signature capture. Just send a link to the document so your customers can digitally sign instantly.

Better yet, e-signatures in Method have no signature limits (unlike other QuickBooks digital signature solutions).

QuickBooks signature capture: Get started with Method

The benefits of using QuickBooks with Method are abundant. Watch the video below to see why QuickBooks users love using Method.

Aside from helping you capture signatures for estimates and proposals, you can also:

  • Manage your sales pipeline.
  • Create personalized templates for invoices, estimates, and other financial documents. 
  • Offer your clients a self-serve customer payment portal. 
  • Build detailed analytics reports using automation. 

QuickBooks signature capture FAQs

How do I use electronic signatures for checks and paychecks?

QuickBooks does not let you add an electronic signature to checks and paychecks, but you can attach an image of your signature to checks and paychecks. In this case, your signature must be handwritten and scanned to your computer.

To enable this feature, select your digital signature from the signature preferences menu and drop it into the signature field on-screen. This lets you sign once and have it printed on all your future checks and paychecks (Instead of handwriting it each time).

Is an electronic signature legally binding?

Electronic signatures can be legally binding. The validity of an electronic signature depends on local legislation and the means by which the signature is captured. Electronic signatures are typically more secure than handwritten signatures, as those are easier to tamper with.

How much do QuickBooks electronic signatures cost?

Electronic signature capture is included free with QuickBooks, but comes with limitations. It needs to be handwritten and scanned to your computer, which is an issue when dealing with multiple customers.

Consider integrating your QuickBooks software with an affordable, trusted, third-party app like Method. You’ll speed up your approval process by capturing digital signatures on-screen, so your customers don’t need to jump through hoops to do business with you.

Get started with Method with a free trial. No credit card required!

 Image credit: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels

This image shows a person holding out a phone for someone else to digitally sign an invoice that is shown on the phone screen.

Electronic signature QuickBooks Online: What you need to know

A QuickBooks electronic signature allows you to close sales faster, sign contracts faster, and build trust with your customers.

Electronic signature QuickBooks Online: What you need to know Read More »

QuickBooks Online electronic signature capture is a popular feature request from users and it makes sense why.

People often ask if you can add a digital signature to QuickBooks Online, which would let you:

  • Close sales faster. 
  • Sign contracts seamlessly.
  • Make adding a signature from checks and invoices a simple process.
  • Track status of payments.
  • Confirm estimates to clients instantly.

Does QuickBooks have electronic signature capture? No, it currently does not exist at this time. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. With the help of tools like Method, implementing electronic signature QuickBooks Online capture is simple.

Keep reading to learn why a QuickBooks Online e-signature feature is necessary for your business and the steps for how to implement one.

Grow your business without leaving QuickBooks Online.

What is e-signature capture?

Let’s start things off simply with a review of what digital signature solutions are.

Whether a signature is paper-based or electronic, its purpose remains the same.

As per our expertise, electronic or digital signatures are ways of getting approval on electronic documents. Depending on local legislation and how e-signatures are captured, they are typically legally binding — whether they’re handwritten signatures or typed out.

Can I set up a QuickBooks Online electronic signature?

Does QuickBooks have electronic signature capabilities? Digital signature files are crucial to your business operations, but our findings show that it’s not currently possible to make a QuickBooks electronic signature. However, that does not mean that all is lost.

Apps that already exist in the QuickBooks Online ecosystem, like Method, make implementing e-signature capture seamless.

With hundreds of QuickBooks app integrations to choose from, you can improve your payroll, project management, human resources, expense tracking, and so much more.

Benefits of integrating e-signature software with QuickBooks

Shorten your cash flow cycle

Cash flow cycles refer to how money moves in and out of your business.

Based on our first hand experience, having customer signatures approved on an electronic signature file will significantly decrease the time gap between signatures.

As indicated by our research, using e-signature shortens the sales cycles from eight days to three hours, drastically improving turnaround time for approvals and payments.. 

Better yet, you don’t have to follow up with customers when you close deals this quickly. The result is a shortened quote to cash workflow for the whole company.

Another plus is that your cash flow remains consistent (versus having a big spike when you remember to collect outstanding payments).

Close deals faster

You don’t want potential leads to develop deal fatigue waiting for documents to flow between each person.

With a QuickBooks digital signature you can get important documents signed and delivered in minutes, not days. This ensures every deal in your transaction workflow saves time for the whole company.

Automate your approval workflow

Here’s how an electronic signature for QuickBooks Online is one of the core features for improving workflow speed and efficiency.

Instead of printing and mailing out your documents, knowing how to add a QuickBooks electronic signature feature makes the delivery and approval of your documents immediate and possible across multiple devices. 

For example, you can send documents via email directly to clients for their signatures, simplifying the process and ensuring faster approvals.

Plus, automation is a great way to keep your approval process moving as things don’t get stuck when someone is on vacation or working on other tasks.

Improve customer experience

Did you know that signatures are completed 21 times faster with e-signatures? The reason for this is they’re just that easy to use!

“E-signatures are completed 21 times faster than physical ones.”

TechTarget.

Plus, as indicated by our tests, an electronic signature is faster and more secure than a manual signature. This makes knowing how to add a QuickBooks digital signature imperative.

Spend time on value-adding customer activities

By implementing electronic signature capture for a digital payment process, your company can focus on value-adding tasks. Have your team spend their working hours nurturing relationships with your customers, instead of waiting to print signatures manually in physical forms.

You can add electronic signature features using Method.

Electronic signature QuickBooks Online: Apps to be wary of

DocuSign eSignature Connector by QuickBooks

Screenshot of DocuSign showing the desktop and mobile versions of the app. The signature "James Smith" is shown as an example in the signature fields

Image credit: TitanFile

Developed by Intuit, this app provides electronic signature QuickBooks Online capabilities. It has a simple drop-down menu where you can set signature preferences depending on the style or context of the form you’re sending. Customers can sign documents directly in a signature window using their mobile device or desktop.

On the receiving end, your customer will get a prompt to place their signature wherever you need it. It’s a user-friendly way to have them sign a single file or entire document package.

But there’s a catch. It only works in QuickBooks Online Advanced, meaning you need to be on the most expensive QuickBooks Online plan for it to work.

DocuSign is also rather pricey — the cheapest option costs $10 a month for a single user. If you need to provide QuickBooks electronic signature functionality to a team, the price becomes $25 per user. 

Given that DocuSign only adds QuickBooks digital signature capabilities, the value at this price range is limited.

Adobe Acrobat

Screenshot of Adobe Sign with the example signature of "Veronica Gudsiner" written in the signature field.

Image credit: Adobe

Adobe Acrobat is a third-party app with a feature called Adobe Sign that lets you make an authorized signature on digital documents. You can add signature preferences easily with its user-friendly menu, such as using an image file or drawing a signature yourself in the platform. 

That said, while it’s quick and convenient, Adobe Acrobat does have some limitations.

For one, the software doesn’t support creating custom fields, unless you purchase a more expensive version like Acrobat Pro Enterprise. This makes it difficult to create templates that work for different customers.

You will also be stuck using a .PDF file format, which is limiting for some business owners. This makes it difficult to provide a signature from checks and invoices.

Another question people ask is, “Does QuickBooks have electronic signature capabilities with Adobe Acrobat?” Unfortunately, the two software will not integrate with each other without an additional third-party tool.

While apps like DocuSign E-Signature Connector and Adobe Acrobat integrate with QuickBooks, they also limit the number of documents you can sign. 

Drawing from our experience, this makes it challenging to handle the growing number of signage requests that arise as you pick up more clients and agreement actions. 

Thankfully, you have a better alternative. 

Online payments, automated leads, and customer management?

The best way to add digital signatures to QuickBooks Online — Method

You can capture unlimited electronic signatures on estimates and proposals with Method — the #1 CRM and automation tool for both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop users.

With Method’s electronic signature, you get effective invoice approval workflows and turn more quotes into cash. Combine your QuickBooks data with information such as sales activities and service history to better understand your customer base with Method. 

Start with your free trial today for e-signature capture in the Estimates App and Proposals App (pictured below). Better yet, customize Method to add e-signature to other apps like Invoices.

Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

Sign estimates directly in QuickBooks Online Advanced

You can sign estimates directly in QuickBooks Online Advanced using a third-party application. A popular choice is DocuSign which offers on-screen digital signature capabilities.

However, DocuSign only offers e-signature capture. At $10 per month for a single user, this can be quite pricey.

Although not directly in QuickBooks Online Advanced, Method is a powerful tool that offers digital signature capture in addition to a suite of other features. Method includes the ability to send custom estimates and invoices that allow your customers to approve and pay a deposit at the click of a button, as well as capture an e-signature.

Unlike other QuickBooks electronic signature solutions, there is no limit to how many and what type of documents you can sign with Method. You can add signatures on estimates, invoices, and more through customization.

Your way forward: Method and QuickBooks Online signature capture

Adding a digital signature is easy. Learn how you can add electronic signature integration in this quick video tutorial.

As mentioned above, Method doesn’t limit the number of documents you can sign electronically. But this isn’t the only feature that makes it a winning QuickBooks Online electronic signature solution. 

With Method, you don’t just invest in a document signage tool. Instead, you get a powerful automation solution that optimizes every process, from approvals to signature capture and more!

Electronic signature QuickBooks Online FAQs

How do I add two signatures to a check in QuickBooks Online?

The process to add two signatures on checks in QuickBooks Online is difficult. If your company requires an additional signature for checks, you will need to write one signature on top of the other, then scan and upload an image file into QuickBooks.

What are the requirements for an electronic signature to make it valid?

An electronic signature file is perfectly valid and legal as long as the:

  • Digital signature is unique to the person signing.
  • Signee is under control of the electronic process they are using to make the signature.
  • Technology used for the signing process can identify the signee(s).
  • Electronic signature links with the signed document to determine if it has been changed since the signature was added.
  • Local legislation recognizes electronic signature validity.

As long as you account for these details, your electronic signature is valid and legally binding.

Can you add a signature line to a QuickBooks invoice?

QuickBooks lets you add physical signatures to invoices using custom fields. However, QuickBooks does not offer an electronic signature option.

That said, you can add a signature line in Method to capture digital signature using Method’s no-code customization tools.

Can I type my digital signature?

Yes, you can type out your digital authorized signature using a keyboard instead of drawing it by hand. You can do this easily in Method’s signature preferences when you leverage its electronic signature integration.

Start your free trial of Method today. No credit card is required!

DocuSign QuickBooks integration

Docusign QuickBooks integration: A better way

Learn how DocuSign QuickBooks integration works as an e-signature solution, and why a more flexible alternative might suit you better.

Docusign QuickBooks integration: A better way Read More »

Using QuickBooks makes it easy to stay on top of your business operations, but when it comes time to sign documents, manual workflows can really stall the process.

E-signature software helps cut down on manual back-and-forth, eliminating the need to deal with physical paperwork. Docusign is one of the most trusted names in the space, and when paired with QuickBooks Online Advanced, you’ve got tighter workflows that prevent duplicate work and speed up transactions without the need for constant check-ins.

That said, depending on your business setup, it might not check every box. If Docusign doesn’t quite meet your needs, we’ll also look into Method, a feature-filled CRM with e-signature functionality, built to work closely with QuickBooks.

Let’s walk through how e-signature software works and what you should know about the Docusign QuickBooks integration, along with an alternative worth considering.

Extend the power of QuickBooks Online with Method.

The value of e-signature capture

According to Adobe, it can take around eight days to get a physical signature, but only three hours, on average, to get an e-signature. That’s much more efficient! 

An e-signature is a legally binding way to sign documents digitally, as long as you’re using software that meets legal and security standards.

Here’s what small businesses gain from shifting from physical to digital signatures.

1. Higher efficiency

Physical paperwork can bog you down. With an e-signature tool, you can send your documents off for approval with one click. No printing, scanning, or chasing people down. It’s a win for customer satisfaction, and you’ll come across as professional, too.

2. Enhanced security

Electronic signatures are often encrypted, time-stamped, and stored in a secure system. This makes them a lot more reliable than wet signatures. They are much more difficult to forge or copy in the way you can with pen and paper. This means that your contracts and client data stay private, and every agreement that’s signed is legally trackable.

Whether you’re handling a sales receipt or a purchase order, your documents are always locked down.

3. Improved organization

When everything’s signed and stored digitally, you don’t have to dig through filing cabinets or shared drives to find a signed contract. Digital storage makes it easier to keep your business processes in order.

Because you’ve been able to streamline the signing process, all your documents stay in one place. Being organized means avoiding costly mistakes like mishandling client information and missing critical deadlines. This simplifies compliance and record-keeping.

4. Faster turnaround

Sending documents through the mail is much less efficient than using software that automates them. With trusted software, document turnaround is quicker. 

You can create reusable templates, so you’re not writing every document from scratch. Then, signers can use any device to access the mobile app and sign from anywhere. This way, you get to enjoy a shorter quote-to-cash cycle.

Speed matters when you’re managing multiple clients. Digital signing can get tasks done in hours, rather than days. 

5. Cost-effective

The costs of printing your contracts, estimates, and other business paperwork, on top of shipping them, add up faster than you’d think. Printing a few documents won’t drain your budget, but over time, all those prints make a dent. In fact, an average employee’s printing habits can cost a company $725 a year.

E-signature software helps reduce those expenses by eliminating the need for paper and ink. Going digital keeps your office lean and frees up precious storage space, which is a clear win for small businesses watching their margins.

6. User-friendly

Making customers scan and manually send documents can be frustrating and time-consuming, often leading to drop-offs or delayed responses. With an intuitive e-signature tool, clients enjoy a smoother signing process.

For example, a contractor can sign off on a job estimate from their phone while on-site instead of waiting to get back to their desk. This level of convenience leads to faster approvals and a better overall customer experience.

7. Better tracking

A trusted e-signature software gives you real visibility into where every document stands. Who’s signed and who hasn’t? You can see them all in real-time. You’ll always know what needs attention and what’s already done.

When integrated into your accounting software, your e-signature tool will complement your finances and daily operations. This keeps your team organized, reduces delays, and makes your business processes more predictable and less stressful.

Benefits of integrating e-signature software with QuickBooks

QuickBooks doesn’t have its own remote e-signature capture feature, which is why you’ll need a third-party app to close the loop. Once you’ve integrated one, it’s well worth it.

Here are some advantages you gain from combining e-signature software with your QuickBooks account:

  • Get estimates and invoices signed in hours (not days).
  • Eliminate the need to email or re-upload signed documents.
  • Keep all your signatures, approvals, and financial records centralized.
  • Improve your work accuracy by reducing the need for manual data entry.
  • Maintain better data integrity and audit trails.

What is Docusign QuickBooks integration?

This image shows an estimate template on Quickbook Intuit. There is a modal in the bottom right corner suggesting the document be sent to the customer through DocuSign.

Image credit: Intuit 

The Docusign QuickBooks integration connects your QuickBooks Online Advanced (QBO) account with Docusign’s e-signature features. It allows you to send invoices, estimates, and other customer documents for electronic signature without leaving QuickBooks. This streamlines your approval process and helps eliminate delays in getting client sign-off.

Note: You currently need QBO to connect directly with the Docusign app. This integration isn’t available for QuickBooks Simple Start, Essentials, or Plus plans.

Extend the power of QuickBooks Online with Method.

How does the QuickBooks and Docusign integration work?

You can connect your QuickBooks via the Docusign eSignature Connector from the Intuit App Store. This integration lets you send documents directly from QuickBooks for digital signing.

Your customers will receive a secure link to review and sign documents on their own time. They can then access the link from any device. 

Key features

Connecting your Docusign account with QuickBooks gives you:

  • Access to unlimited templates for frequently sent documents.
  • Drag-and-drop fields like date, signature, or initials.
  • Custom signing order for multiple signers.
  • Built-in document tracking with audit logs and a transaction history report.
  • The ability to tag documents for payment processing.

This helps you automate workflows, reduce manual effort, and streamline your invoicing processes. It’s especially useful for teams that send out large volumes of estimates and need everything signed fast and securely.

Limitations

Let’s also consider that this integration has some trade-offs:

  • The native Docusign integration only works with QuickBooks Online Advanced.
  • Docusign’s default plans come with envelope limits (for example, even the Business Pro plan, which costs $40 per user monthly, only allows you to send up to 100 envelopes each year for signature).
  • Lacks native support for QuickBooks Desktop users.

If you’re a smaller team or aren’t using QBO, this might feel like more than you need. In that case, it’s worth exploring other worthy options that offer similar functions, simpler setup, or more flexible pricing.

Method: The better QuickBooks and Docusign alternative

Do you use QuickBooks but find Docusign too limited or expensive? Method might be the solution you’re looking for.

Method brings digital signatures, CRM tools, and custom workflows together seamlessly.

No document limits, and no extra tools to juggle!

Method is great for…

Method is a top choice for QuickBooks users who want to automate the entire journey from lead to payment. It gives you best-in-class, two-way, real-time sync for both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop to keep your data accurate and up to date across platforms at all times—something most QuickBooks apps can’t match.

See how Method works in action:

Method: Key features

With Method, you can expand the possibilities of what you could do beyond collecting e-signatures.

Here are some notable features:

  • Unlimited e-signatures with no caps on documents sent or signed.
  • Custom templates for estimates, invoices, and approvals.
  • Built-in integration with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and even Xero.
  • Two-way sync for accurate data and faster updates.
  • Complete transaction history reports and audit trails.
  • Add credit card payments to your workflow.
  • Trigger notifications or approvals automatically to cut down on repetitive tasks.
  • API and Zapier support to connect with the other tools you already use.
  • Helpful support team and step-by-step tutorials for setup and use.

How Method works with QuickBooks

First off, Method connects to your QuickBooks account through secure authentication. It pulls in your estimates, customer data, and transactions in real time, so once a document is signed, it syncs right back into QuickBooks.

But because Method is also a full customer relationship management tool, you can control how you handle leads, jobs, and follow-ups right on the platform. You can even set up what happens after a document is sent or signed and automate it, like creating an invoice or triggering team notifications.

Getting started is easy. You can sign up for a free trial to see how Method works for you. We also provide a product tour of our e-signature capabilities.

Extend the power of QuickBooks Online with Method.

How to automate e-signature with Method

With Method, sending documents for signature is quick, seamless, and fully connected to your QuickBooks account.

Here’s how you can get started:

  • Start your free trial—no credit card or contract required.
  • Use secure authentication to link your QuickBooks (Online or Desktop).
  • Book a guided walkthrough to explore our e-signature features and custom workflows.
  • Set automated triggers for sending, signing, and syncing documents.

Ready to give it a try? Switch to Method and explore its more complete set of features.

Docusign QuickBooks alternative FAQs

Is Docusign a free service?

No, Docusign isn’t free. The Personal plan (for individual use) is $10 per month. For businesses, pricing begins at $25 per user per month for the Standard plan. Meanwhile, the Business Pro plan (which includes automating and optimizing agreements) costs $40 per user per month.

None of Docusign’s default plans offer unlimited e-signatures, and your ability to send documents is capped based on your plan, unless you request a custom option.

How do you connect Docusign and QuickBooks Online?

Docusign QuickBooks integration can be done by installing the eSignature Connector from the Intuit App Store. Once connected, you’ll be able to collect signatures on estimates by selecting “Save and send with Docusign.” Note that this integration only works with the QuickBooks Online Advanced plan

Does Docusign integrate with QuickBooks Desktop?

Unfortunately, there’s currently no native integration between Docusign and QuickBooks Desktop. If you’re using Desktop, you’ll need to manually upload documents for e-signature or look for an alternative. 

Method, for instance, connects with both QuickBooks Desktop and Online, so you can send your documents for signature and have them automatically sync back.

What’s a more cost-effective alternative to Docusign?

Method is a better-value alternative to Docusign, especially for QuickBooks users. It offers unlimited e-signatures, has built-in CRM tools, and you can customize workflows without the need for multiple platforms. You also get support for QuickBooks Online and Desktop, a two-way real-time sync, and seamless authentication.

It’s ideal for small businesses looking to simplify their document journey and improve cash flow.

This image shows a smartphone resting atop a file folder, with a blue sticker glued to the screen with the writing "Sign here!".

How to add signature line in QuickBooks

Digital signatures can help you save time and improve customer experience. Learn how to add signature line in QuickBooks with the Method CRM!

How to add signature line in QuickBooks Read More »

Electronic signatures refer to any electronic process that validates the acceptance of an agreement. Some spell it “eSignature” — others, “e-signature” — but all agree that electronic signatures make business processes more efficient.

Adding signature lines to your documents offers several benefits, including: 

  • Workflow optimization. 
  • Faster turnaround. 
  • A smoother signing experience for everyone. 

Getting your customers to sign their names is often one of the trickiest parts of any deal, so making it a seamless process is essential.

The first step is learning how to add a signature in QuickBooks. This blog article covers everything you need to know on how to add a signature line in QuickBooks Online (QBO) and Desktop by integrating with Method CRM!

Need an easier way to keep your QuickBooks data up-to-date?

What you need to know about signatures in QuickBooks

Before learning how to add a signature line in QuickBooks, let’s go over why you’d want to in the first place.

Why signatures matter

You only close a deal when your customer has signed a quote or contract. With that in mind, facilitating a simple signature process is crucial to landing every opportunity.

Businesses have cut down in-person operations in favor of digital workflows, and e-signatures are part of this change. Digital processes and automation tools cut costs and speed up transactions. So, switching from physical signatures to electronic ones gives you significant benefits. Examples include:

  • You don’t spend time and resources collecting signatures.
  • Your customers and team members can sign vital documents in seconds.
  • Digital payments give you an online register of every transaction.

Whether you’re authorizing work, approving estimates, or signing paychecks, e-signatures provide your customers convenience and security and make life easier for your team.

Signature vulnerabilities

Physical signatures can be easily copied and come with the hassles of printing and manually signing documents.

E-signatures, on the other hand, are easy to validate, and you won’t lose them like you might a piece of paper. 

Reasons to add signature to QuickBooks

Digital signature lines let you and your clients record signatures electronically, which spares you the time and aggravation of a manual signature process.

For example, e-signatures make taxes easier for your accountants and save them the hassle of printing checks when making payments to your vendors. They also make payroll accounting a breeze, as you avoid the arduous printer setup process whenever you send a paycheck.

With e-signatures, you can quickly sign estimates and other online documents. And your customers can do the same when paying bills or authorizing work.

Among others, documents that use e-signature lines include:

  • Sales receipts.
  • Estimates.
  • Credit memos.
  • Invoice templates.
  • Paychecks.
  • Service reports.

Here are some of the benefits of adding a signature line to QuickBooks Online and Desktop:

  • Enhanced security: Digital documents are more secure than physical ones because they’re easier to validate and difficult to lose.
  • Faster turn-around: Signing agreements electronically closes the time gap to get authorized signatures and ensures a quicker closing of deals. This way, you can count on on-time payments for your products or services.
  • Improved organization: Keep signed documents online to minimize the stress of organizing multiple hard copies.
  • Increase team member productivity: Add signature windows to QuickBooks to let your accounting and sales team members sign documents and contracts more efficiently.
  • Seamless customer experience: Offer an easy and secure signage process to build trust in your community and keep customers returning.
  • Smaller carbon footprint: Every e-signature you collect is another piece of paper your business has saved.

The items on this list make it clear that e-signature lines are great for every business owner. Now, let’s take a look at how to set them up.

Can I add a signature to QuickBooks?

Some companies add signatures on their documents by requesting that their customers provide an image or graphic file (i.e., a JPEG, PNG, BMP, etc.) of their signature. You can add external images to documents like invoices in QuickBooks using the “Attachments” field underneath the “Message on statement” dialog box.

But this method comes with its fair share of issues.

The main problem here is the size of these images. This issue is twofold, concerning both file size and the space these images occupy on a page.

Note that adding an image to a document often significantly increases your file size, so including an external electronic signature file will slow down most of the steps that make up your sales process.

Also, depending on these images’ height, width, and aspect ratio, you can face many issues when formatting signatures.

With every print signature image that you scan and upload from the “File” menu bar, you’ll have to go through the same process over and over again. This includes resizing and manually placing the image in the signature line in your document. And even when you’re happy with it on your desktop, it’s hard to ensure that it’s properly formatted for mobile devices as well.

Another workaround your company might consider is importing custom form styles in QuickBooks. This is achievable through the “Settings” drop-down menu (the gear icon). Here, you can toggle the “Import Style” feature.

But this requires unnecessarily customizing countless form styles. These are, in turn, difficult to keep organized, particularly if you’re self-employed or part of a small business.

What is a digital signature, and why would I need it in QuickBooks?

Although not natively available in QuickBooks, having digital signature functionality lets you collect signatures online. This keeps your information organized in one platform and simplifies your internal and external approval processes to drive operational efficiency and boost cash flow. 

With a digital signature, you can settle your accounts payable as soon as you’re billed in QuickBooks. You can also approve payments and other internal documents to simplify daily processes. 

Furthermore, e-signatures simplify your quote-to-cash workflow and make doing business with you convenient and consistent. This makes customers happier and cash flow healthier as you manage them in QuickBooks.

So why isn’t there a feature to add a signature line in QuickBooks?

We had the same question, so we came up with a solution.

Create and use electronic signature for checks and paychecks

Whether you use QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, you can still get e-signatures to authorize payments, even though it’s not available in QuickBooks. Let’s explore your options:

QuickBooks Online

There are a few ways to leverage e-signatures in QuickBooks Online. Your best bet is to look at third-party programs that integrate with all versions of QuickBooks and offer e-signature options, like Method. Integrated apps can let you:

  • Sign unlimited documents electronically every month.
  • Personalize document templates and e-signature options.
  • Capture signatures through customized workflows.

DocuSign for QuickBooks Online Advanced

Image credit: DocuSign

DocuSign is an application developed by Intuit to let you implement e-signatures in QuickBooks. However, a DocuSign integration is only available to QuickBooks Online Advanced users. Linking this app to your QuickBooks account offers the following core features:

  • Unlimited templates.
  • Customizable signature invites.
  • Shareable documents with customers.
  • Batch signatures to reduce the time gap between signatures.

DocuSign for QuickBooks is a great way to manage e-signatures. However, it’s pricey for a digital signature software that manages just one process. Its Standard plan lets you sign only 100 documents and costs $300 annually per user.

In comparison, Method CRM is more cost-effective, as it lets you manage your entire lead-to-cash process with e-signature capture features.

QuickBooks Online app for iOS and Android

Image credit: Intuit

As a cloud-based program, QuickBooks Online comes with a mobile app that lets you manage your accounting processes on the go. This way, you can monitor your projects from your phone or tablet in a fast, easy way.

That said, this option is limited as it requires you to collect digital signatures in person. The app lets your customers sign directly in QuickBooks using the touchscreen of your mobile device, but you must be with them for them to sign.

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

Image credit: GoGetGeek

QuickBooks Desktop has very few ways of providing e-signature functionality. You’ll have to visit the Desktop app store and integrate external e-signature software. For example, Method is available for QuickBooks Desktop and Online on Windows.

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac

quickbooks for mac overview

Image credit: Intuit

Similarly to Windows, e-signature capture options for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac users are limited. That said, there are third-party apps that sync to QuickBooks to make it possible, like Method. 

Stop spending your day sending emails, estimates, and invoices.

The better alternative: How to add signature line in Method

The million-dollar question is: How do I add a signature line in QuickBooks?

You may have noticed that there aren’t any articles with that information. This is because, while it typically offers the features necessary to manage your whole accounting operations, adding an e-signature to contracts, estimates, and invoices is currently impossible in QuickBooks without a third-party app integration.

Not having this option creates a pain point in your customer experience for the following reasons:

  1. You can’t approve things online or sign contracts securely, so you’ll take time and use resources to procure your customers’ signatures. Spending opportunities to contact your clients on simple procedures such as this one adds unnecessary friction to your relationship.
  2. Collecting manual signatures takes longer, so deals don’t close as quickly as they should.
  3. You’re unable to track the status of business documents instantly.
  4. It’s more likely that fraud or signature copying will occur without knowing how to add signature line in QuickBooks.

Let’s face it. It’s the age of digitalization.

Your business looks unprofessional if you still have a long manual signage process that involves printing documents, faxing, scanning, and sending them by courier.

Here’s how Method can help you learn how to still utilize a signature line even if not available in QuickBooks!

Avoid monotonous processes like menu navigation and dealing with one printer setup window after another with Method’s e-signature capabilities.

Investing in Method for a signature line increases your productivity and allows you to enjoy continued success for years.

Importing e-signature lines into Method for use on QuickBooks Online and Desktop transactions is possible with the following Method apps:

  • Estimates.
  • Proposals (pictured below).
  • Or the customer portal.
Overview of Method CRM's digital signature modal.

Better yet, you can customize your Method account to apply e-signatures to other transactions like invoices. Enriching the quality of your data helps you create positive customer experiences so that you can leave a lasting impression.

No more having to convert files into PDF file format and sending them via email. You can even work around the limited number of electronic signature actions set by the DocuSign e-signature Connector. Method gives its users unlimited e-signature rights.

With easy formatting procedures, Method offers:

  • Unlimited signature requests.
  • Unlimited customer signatures.
  • Customizable signature preferences.

Method’s dedicated customer success managers (CSM) can also help you build integrations to access more detailed client profiles from QuickBooks Online and Desktop. This includes:

Getting started: How to add signature line in QuickBooks

Method’s electronic signature capture is a cost-effective way to automate your manual tasks and approval processes.

Create a Method account for free if you don’t already have one, and add a signature to your transaction documents at no additional charge!

Once you’ve enabled the feature, you can seamlessly sign your name on company files at the click of a button and without delay.

Electronic signatures help close the window of time that signage requires and allow more manageable card payments for clients.

How to add signature line in Method syncing with QuickBooks Online and Desktop

To learn how to add a signature line in QuickBooks using Method, you can connect with your customer success manager (CSM) once you’ve set up your account!

It’s only necessary that you have accounts for:

  1. Method.
  2. QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop.

You can use both subscription-based software systems on any computer, too — they work on Windows and Mac.

It’s that easy. Our team will handle it from there so you remain focused on the growth-oriented areas of your business!

How to add signature line in QuickBooks FAQs

How to add a signature in Quickbooks Desktop?

To add a signature in QuickBooks Desktop, apps like DocuSign or the QuickBooks mobile app won’t work. Instead, you must implement third-party software that integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks Desktop, like Method. Method lets you easily add a signature to approve documents such as estimates or proposals.

How do I delete a signature from checks in QuickBooks?

To delete a signature from check in QuickBooks, follow these steps:

  1. First, open the check you want to edit.
  2. Click on the “Signatures” button.
  3. Select the “No Signature” setting.
  4. Click on the “Save” button to confirm your changes.

This will remove the signature field from your checks.

What are the requirements for an electronic signature to make it valid?

For an e-signature to be valid, your capture process must meet the following conditions:

  • The signature is created with the intent to sign.
  • Signing happens after the signer consents to do business electronically.
  • The process occurs after the signer had the option to opt out.
  • Both parties received signed copies.
  • There is a record of retention.

How do you edit the signature line on receipts?

To edit the signature line on receipts, you must: 

  1. Edit the receipt template you use. 
  2. Open the “Signature” options.
  3. Select “No Signatures,” then “Save.”

Add a signature line to QuickBooks documents with a free trial of Method!

Image credit: Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

This image features a lady handing a customer clothing pieces to try in the fitting room of a clothing store. Both women are smiling while interacting.

How to make a great customer experience: The ultimate guide

Figuring out how to make a great customer experience doesn’t need to be a headache. Win your customers’ hearts through 8 simple steps!

How to make a great customer experience: The ultimate guide Read More »

Improving the customer experience of a business brings many benefits, like happier customers and stronger feelings of loyalty to your company. 

However, creating a great customer experience isn’t as easy as it sounds. Read on for a complete guide to making a great customer experience that’s sure to make your brand a favorite among customers!

What is customer experience?

Customer experience (CX) refers to what customers feel when dealing with your business or brand. It’s the sum of their experience with your company’s touchpoints, from browsing your storefront to post-sales support. 

Everything your company does impacts how customers see your business, so an outstanding customer experience is essential.

While every part of your company influences customer experience, four key elements measure the quality of customer interactions:

  • Company culture: A great customer experience starts with the company itself. A company culture that puts customers at the forefront motivates employees to find new ways to delight customers, improving customer experience as a whole.
  • Customer touchpoints: Touchpoints like your website, customer service reps, and social media accounts are the “face” customers see when they do business with you. Nobody likes to be greeted by a rude and scowling face, so user-friendly and empathetic touchpoints are essential.
  • Consistency: No matter your industry, day-to-day conditions may vary, but your service quality shouldn’t fluctuate. Even having one bad day can negatively influence customer perceptions, so make sure that you deliver the best customer experience consistently.
  • Customer satisfaction: An excellent customer experience leads to high customer satisfaction scores. Use reliable tools and metrics to get the most accurate data on your customer satisfaction.

Is there a difference between customer experience and customer service?

The main aim of customer experience and customer service is to make customers happy. However, there are some important differences between these two.

Let’s go deeper into them.

Control level

You typically have full control over the company’s customer service. For example, you can train your reps to offer new services and answer customer questions effectively.

However, you don’t have as much control over customer experience. You have some say on how you want to present your company to customers, but there are external factors (like the public perception of your business) that you can’t directly change.

Metrics

Customer service metrics are generally more technical and measure the performance of your reps. Common metrics include:

  • Customer service ticket volume.
  • Average response times.
  • Average resolution times.
  • Customer satisfaction score.

Meanwhile, customer experience metrics are geared toward how well your company can retain customers and how likely they’ll recommend your business to others. Key measures of customer experience include: 

  • Customer retention rate. 
  • Churn rate.
  • NPS (Net Promoter Score).

Responsibility

Customer service is primarily the domain of your customer service managers and their team since they’re the ones interacting directly with customers. 

Meanwhile, your entire business plays a part in shaping the customer experience through its many touchpoints.

Why creating a great customer experience is vital to your success

Knowing how to make a great customer experience is important for your business. 

Why? Below are the top four benefits that arise from improving the customer experience. 

Understand your customers better

Listening to honest feedback and learning what customers want out are the keys to improving the customer experience. 

Learning about your customers means you can also provide more personalization on your touchpoints. For example, you can give special discounts on products they frequently buy.

Improve customer retention

A satisfied customer comes back for more business and is less likely to buy from your competitors. 

Another good reason to keep providing an enhanced customer experience is that many customers are likely to walk away from a company after one or two bad experiences. 

If you consistently deliver exceptional customer experience, you can build up enough goodwill that customers can forgive the occasional mistake.

Enhance your brand’s reputation

Consistently providing a great customer experience builds trust in your brand. If your brand is synonymous with great service and quality products, you can draw in customers with the strength of your company name alone.

This means more business, with fewer marketing efforts. 

Reduce your costs

Creating a great customer experience also helps you drive costs down. 

By analyzing customer engagement data, you can figure out which initiatives and marketing campaigns aren’t working and stop spending money on those efforts. This way, you can spend more money on the things that customers actually respond to.

What’s the impact of a poor customer experience?

If you don’t figure out how to make a great customer experience, your company will likely suffer down the line. 

Negative customer experiences can influence your business in many ways. Below are just a few. 

  • Damaged reputation: The first victim of a bad customer experience is your brand. All it takes is a flurry of negative reviews from angry customers to tarnish your name overnight. With a damaged reputation, new potential customers are likely to look at your competitors first.
  • Loss of current customers: A poor company reputation doesn’t just drive away new customers, but it also may cause your regulars to leave. If they feel that their needs aren’t consistently met, they may decide to do business with competitors instead.
  • Decreased profits: Losing customers means you lose out on sales. Naturally, fewer sales directly impact how much money you make.

What makes for an enhanced customer experience?

Before getting into how to make a great customer experience, you need to know what a good CX looks like. The key traits of a company with an enhanced customer experience are that it:

  • Listens to customers: You can’t provide a good customer experience without knowing what your customers need.
  • Asks for customer feedback and values their opinion: Asking customers for feedback is an excellent way to learn their needs and how they see your company. 
  • Has systems to collect and analyze feedback: If you’re taking feedback regularly, you need a system to do so. This way, you don’t have to craft reports from scratch every time you do a survey.
  • Knows how to improve its customer journey: By understanding your customers, you’ll understand the potential issues in your customer journey. With that information, you can start drafting up ways to deliver an optimal experience.

How to make a great customer experience

Now that you’ve learned the what’s and why’s, it’s time to understand how to make a great customer experience. 

Below are eight ways to improve your customer experience. Read on and implement the ones that are most appropriate for your business.

1. Prioritize the needs and wants of your customers

A customer-centric mindset is essential to keep customers happy. Your entire team should strive to deliver a positive experience in whatever way they can. 

If you can engrain this belief into your team and culture, creating a great customer experience becomes that much easier.

For instance, the customer service team should always be ready to answer customer inquiries — demonstrating that their concerns are your top priority. 

On the other hand, your sales team can come up with new products that address customer pain points.

2. Implement employee ideas on improving the customer experience

Your customer-facing employees deal with your target buyer every day — which means they’ve heard their fair share of comments and suggestions. 

You want to open the door for their unique insights on how to make a great customer experience. Whenever you hit a wall in figuring out how to make a great customer experience, talk to your employees for suggestions.

Not only does this help you better your customer experience, but it also shows employees that they’re valued, improves morale and engagement, and makes them even more willing to help customers.

3. Encourage customer loyalty

Creating a great customer experience in itself encourages customer loyalty. 

However, you can foster even more loyalty through other means, such as special offers for longtime customers or an incentivized referral program. 

After all, customers are more likely to promote your business if they can get a discount or a free product every time they successfully refer a friend to your company.

4. Use the right technology to create a great customer experience.

Technology is one of the keys to an enhanced customer experience. Tools like email software and social media give you a lot of avenues to connect and delight customers. 

For example, customer relationship management (CRM) software tracks your customer base’s purchase history and preferences. This allows you to formulate personalized offers and show customers that you know who they are and what they like to buy.

Below is an example of how a CRM tool like Method benefits businesses eager to strengthen their customer experience. 

5. Lead with an omnichannel approach

Taking an omnichannel approach means putting up a consistent customer journey across multiple mediums and touchpoints. 

This is especially important because people consume multiple types of online and offline media every day. 

Presenting a unified journey and message across different channels makes it easier for people to connect with your business.

6. Focus on customer journey mapping

An enjoyable customer journey makes for a better customer experience. 

Map out your customer journey so you are confident in the customer experience you’re offering. 

Then, ask your employees to test out the customer journey to identify what issues the customer may encounter before rolling it out to the general public. From there, collect customer feedback and continue to iterate on it!

7. Make your appreciation for customers known

People love to be appreciated. As a business, you can show appreciation to customers in many ways, including:

  • Free items, services or merchandise with purchases.
  • Personalized marketing materials. 
  • Tailor-made offers based on customer purchase history.
  • Establishing real connections with customers.

Whatever you choose, the main thing is to make customers feel like they’re contributing to the success of your company. When people feel important and valued, they’re more likely to engage with your brand.

8. Provide an enhanced customer experience with online portals

Online customer portals, like the one provided by Method CRM, make things easier for you and your customers. These portals enable customers to pay for your products and services and send messages to customer support easily with minimal help from customer service reps. 

Below is an overview of what portals can do for your business!

Most customers will feel empowered when they can make transactions at their own pace. Plus, you shorten your payment times in the process!

Improving the customer experience: 8 actions to take

Delivering a positive customer experience builds customer loyalty and satisfaction, which results in higher retention and more new customers. 

Want to know how to make a great customer experience? Take action now by:

  1. Prioritizing the needs and wants of your customers by listening to them.
  2. Allowing employees to suggest customer experience improvement ideas and then implementing them.
  3. Rewarding loyal customers with special offers and referral programs.
  4. Using the right technology to connect with your customers like Method CRM!
  5. Adopting an omnichannel approach to customer experience.
  6. Mapping out your customer journey and addressing any issues.
  7. Appreciating your customers through personalization and going the extra mile.
  8. Implementing online portals to make the customer journey easier and more enjoyable.

With these eight steps in mind, you’re bound to delight customers and win more hearts!

See how Method CRM strengthens your customer experience!

Image credit: Sam Lion via Pexels

How to enhance customer experience: 8 actions to take

Learn how to enhance customer experience and land more sales for your business!

How to enhance customer experience: 8 actions to take Read More »

Did you know — Customers are five times more likely to stop buying from a company due to perceived indifference than bad experiences? This highlights that it isn’t enough to provide a so-so customer experience. To retain customers, you need to know how to enhance customer experience. 

But how can you provide a positive customer experience? 

Read on for a complete guide on the top ways to improve customer experience. 

Before learning to enhance customer experience, let’s review what it is. 

What is customer experience?

Customer experience (CX) is how customers feel about their experience purchasing your products or services. 

It’s the sum of all customer interactions, from the first website visit to when they receive their order. 

Customer experience is a person’s holistic view of the business, so it’s naturally the responsibility of your entire company to improve it.

Customer experience is divided into two types:

  • Direct customer experience: This encompasses all interactions started by the customer. It covers the entire sales cycle, their experience with your product, and customer support team interactions.
  • Indirect customer experience: Indirect CX covers customers’ passive encounters with your company. These encounters happen through promotional materials, reviews, and word-of-mouth marketing.

How does an enhanced customer experience look? Here are four key traits of a company with a good CX:

  1. Adopts a customer-centric company culture where all employees are responsible for customer happiness.
  1. Implements well-designed touchpoints that satisfy the customer’s needs.
  1. Delivers quality customer experience consistently.
  1. Uses the proper customer satisfaction measures to gauge its customer experience quality.

Is customer experience the same as customer service?

Customer experience and customer service have the same end goal — to make customers happy. 

That said, customer service is just one part of the entire customer experience. 

Both are essential to business success, so the significant differences between customer service and customer experience are.

Process type

Customer service is generally a reactive process because the customers come to your company with questions or complaints. 

On the other hand, knowing how to enhance customer experience takes a proactive process. Your team needs to listen to feedback and research to understand what the customers want.

Duration of relationship

Customer service consists of isolated, distinct events. Most customer service calls start with a customer asking for help and end with the issue being resolved.

In contrast, customer experience is a long-term relationship that spans multiple interactions. As long as the customer keeps coming back, their customer experience continues.

For further learning, explore the differences between customer experience vs. relationship management.

How important is the customer experience?

A good customer experience is crucial because happy customers lead to a successful business. Here are some benefits you’ll get from knowing how to enhance customer experience.

Better understand your customers

Researching and listening to customer feedback are the top ways to improve customer experience. 

Analyzing and processing this feedback gives you a better understanding of your customer base, which helps create tailor-made marketing campaigns and special offers.

Increase customer loyalty and retention

A great customer experience makes for satisfied customers, positively impacting their loyalty. 

Loyal customers have a higher retention rate, meaning they’re less likely to leave your business and buy from a competitor. 

Fun fact: They also typically spend more than new customers!

Build your brand

Consistently delivering an exceptional customer experience builds trust and goodwill in your brand. 

If you’ve built up your brand reputation, people are more likely to forgive when you fall short of customer expectations.

Attract new customers

Loyal customers often become brand evangelists who recommend your product to their friends and family. Moreover, having a positive experience means they’re more likely to post great reviews of your company, further boosting your reputation. 

Drive costs down

Listening to customer feedback helps you identify which initiatives work and which ones don’t. By focusing on the ones that work, you can save a lot of money and resources while also bringing in more revenue.

How can you provide a positive customer experience?

Now that you know how to enhance customer experience, it’s time to action these insights. Here are the hallmarks of a company with an improved customer experience:

  • Listens to positive and negative customer feedback.
  • Analyzes feedback to understand the target audience.
  • Identifies and addresses issues throughout its customer journey.

How to enhance customer experience: Top tips

There are many ways to improve customer experience. Here are the top eight to do so.

Get to know your customers.

All excellent customer experiences start with the company understanding what the customers want. 

Research your customer’s demographics and preferences, then create a customer persona. Then, craft your customer experience to fit the needs of this persona.

One of the best and most convenient ways to gather feedback and data on customers is through customer satisfaction surveys. Ask customers to fill one out after finishing their purchase, or send them out as part of your marketing newsletter.

Get action ideas from your team.

Your customer service team deals with customers every day, so they’re bound to have some ideas on how to enhance your customer experience.

To enhance customer experience, hear them out and implement the ideas that sound viable.

In a work culture where ideas are valued and opinions are honored, employees develop new ways to improve the customer experience

If your team members are hesitant to share ideas, consider providing incentives like free lunch, cash bonuses, or extra upskilling opportunities.

Incentivize customer loyalty

It’s a fact that customer retention is cheaper than customer acquisition, which is why fostering loyalty is essential. 

Promoting customer loyalty makes them feel they’re an essential part of the company and rewards continuous support.

Some great ways to build customer loyalty are to:

  • Offer extra discounts for large or recurring transactions.
  • Implement a point reward or stamp card program.
  • Include free items for big purchases.
  • Start a referral program with discounts and other prizes.
  • Establish personal relationships with your regular customers.

Enhance customer experience with the right technology

Technology vastly improves your customer experience management. 

For example, active social media makes connecting with customers more accessible, while online survey tools help gather customer data. 

Different businesses use technology differently, so find out what kind of software or tools your business needs before implementing them. 

A customer relationship management (CRM) tool is universally beneficial. Thanks to its data-gathering capabilities, you can create personalized experiences and special offers that fit your customer profile perfectly.

Below is an example of how Method CRM improves customer experience.

Take an omnichannel approach

An omnichannel approach delivers a consistent brand experience through all your touchpoints. An excellent example of an omnichannel customer journey is:

  • While at a mall, the customer sees your product in one of your stores.
  • On the way home, they see an ad for your product while browsing on their smartphone.
  • Once home, they purchase your product through your desktop website.
  • If the customer chooses in-store pickup, they go to the store that’s closest to them.

Syncing your touchpoints may take effort, but a consistent approach makes the sales process easier for customers.

Make use of customer journey mapping

A customer journey map details all the steps a customer takes to purchase your product. 

Mapping your entire customer journey is a great way to gauge the experience and identify any issues that may arise.

Once you have a customer journey map, have your team test it to identify which areas need improvement. 

Address those potential issues and test the customer journey again, repeating the process until you finally come up with a perfect version. 

This is an excellent exercise if you are eager to enhance customer experience. 

Show genuine customer appreciation

While a simple “Thank you for your business” is an excellent way to appreciate customers, you need to go the extra mile to win their hearts. 

Here are some excellent customer appreciation ideas:

  • Send handwritten holiday cards.
  • Give customized gifts to celebrate recent life events.
  • Host customer appreciation nights to thank your most loyal customers.
  • Listen to and act on customer feedback.

There are more ways to enhance customer experience, but above all else, you need to be genuine. 

If none of the ideas above fit your customer base, feel free to develop your own.

Reduce friction with online portals

Long wait times hurt your customer experience. 

Fortunately, you can alleviate this through self-service customer portals – just like the one Method CRM provides. Below is an example of Method CRM’s portals in action.

These portals let customers make payments, fill in contact information, and purchase new products and services without calling a customer service rep.

Checklist: 8 ways to improve customer experience

An excellent customer experience is the best way to improve customer loyalty and drive repeat business. Here’s how to enhance customer experience long-term:

  • Know your customers.
  • Implement ideas from team members.
  • Reward customer loyalty.
  • Use technology to improve customer experience.
  • Adopt an omnichannel approach.
  • Map out your customer journey.
  • Show genuine appreciation for customers.
  • Use self-service online portals.

Many tools can improve your customer experience but Method CRM is built especially for you to learn about your customers and deliver tailor-made customer experiences.

Start your free trial of Method CRM today!

Image credit: Odua Images via Adobe Stock

How CRM increases customer satisfaction: Top examples

Better satisfy your customers with a customer relationship management (CRM) system! See examples here.

How CRM increases customer satisfaction: Top examples Read More »

Happy customers lead to better retention and repeat business. 

You need excellent customer relationship management (CRM) and customer experience to keep them happy. Read on to learn how CRM increases customer satisfaction and why it is vital to use this solution. 

How customer service has changed

Before we had telephones, people had to go to the store or write a letter to get customer service. However, the rapid development of communication technology and world events like COVID-19 have fundamentally changed the landscape of customer service.

These days, customers have high customer service expectations, demanding fast interactions through multiple touchpoints. 

Here are some recent customer service trends that are worth paying attention to. 

24/7 customer service

Many customers expect to receive customer support at all hours of the day. 

If they don’t, they may decide to buy from a competitor who offers 24/7 customer service. 

You can fulfill customer expectations by having a customer support team standby for night shifts or a chatbot to field questions.

Text-based customer support

72% of customers aged 18 to 64 think text-based customer service improves their experience. 

Most customers now prefer to send inquiries by chat, so your customer support team should be equipped with the appropriate tools and training.

Some businesses use chatbots to handle simple customer service inquiries to meet this need. 

In addition to reducing the number of human customer support reps needed, chatbots improve response times because they instantly reply.

Customer service with empathy

Even if customer service is rarely face-to-face these days, empathy and human touch are still essential parts of the process. 

Train your customer service representatives to empathize with callers to feel valued and become loyal customers.

It doesn’t take much to empathize with customers. Even simple things like asking how customers are doing or slowing down when giving complicated instructions help.

Increase self-service

People don’t immediately call customer support when they encounter a problem. Over 69% of customers seek solutions on their own first before contacting customer service. 

Adding an FAQ page to your website empowers customers to figure out answers independently and frees up your customer service channels. 

How ignoring a digital customer experience costs you

Digital customer experiences are the norm these days. 

Businesses should ideally have at least a minimum of websites, online storefronts, and social media. What’s more, CRM and customer experience go hand-in-hand for businesses of all sizes. 

Even if you run a purely brick-and-mortar business, expanding into the digital realm helps your business become more accessible to potential customers.

Here’s what might happen if you completely ignore digital customer experiences and don’t improve your customer service.

Slower response to inquiries

Social media and online customer service forms make contacting your company easier. You must depend on email and your customer call center if you don’t implement them. 

Lead gen forms are a feature most CRMs offer — making this another example of how CRM increases customer satisfaction.

More challenging time marketing to potential customers

Even if you’re a local business, purely physical marketing methods like flyers and posters won’t cut it these days. 

It would help if you had an online presence to increase your company’s reach. 

If you exclusively rely on offline marketing, you’re unlikely to get as many customers compared to a hybrid approach.

One example of how CRM improves customer experience is with the digital marketing capabilities they offer businesses. From email marketing to lead capture, these tools make it easier to digitally nurture your leads and customers.

Lose potential customers to competitors

Customer experience is the critical differentiator for customers. It’s often more important than price or product

When it comes to CRM and customer experience, there’s no doubt that you and your customers only stand to benefit from this combination. Here are a few ways how CRM increases customer satisfaction:

  • Faster service. Having all your lead and customer information shared with your team means customers do not need to repeat their needs to your customer service reps.
  • A personalized experience. With in-depth profiles of each customer, it’s easier for your team to provide the support that exactly meets their needs. 

If you don’t trust how CRM improves customer experience and makes the required changes, you’ll lose prospective customers to competitors.

How CRM increases customer satisfaction

Excellent customer management facilitated by CRM software is one of the keys to delivering positive customer experiences and fostering business growth. 47% of CRM users reported positive growth in their customer satisfaction rate. 

But how does CRM increase customer satisfaction? 

1. Keep in touch with your best customers

Communication is essential for an excellent customer-business relationship, and CRM helps facilitate that. 

CRM software records past customer interactions, so you know which customers you haven’t engaged with in a while. 

Even quick check-up messages through email or product updates through social media can go a long way in building a positive experience.

2. Collect and act on customer feedback

Listening to customer feedback and reading reviews is one of the best ways to find out what customers need. 

Send surveys through traditional and digital channels to learn what customers think about your product and ask for suggestions about how you can improve it.

Listening and acting on customer feedback also tells customers that your company values their opinion, improving customer loyalty.

3. Personalize your CRM and customer experience

CRM databases save critical customer information like purchase history and product preferences. 

Leverage this by creating personalized marketing campaigns based on your customer’s interests and preferences. 

Current customers are more likely to respond to offers if it’s about a product they already like or are interested in.

Great personalization also improves customer retention as customers are more reluctant to switch to competitors when they get a personal touch with your business.

4. Offer fast customer service

Fast response times are one of the essential elements of a great customer experience. 

Another example of how CRM increases customer satisfaction is that the software equips your customer support team with powerful tools to quickly resolve customer inquiries and complaints. 

Instead of digging through customer databases, your customer service rep only needs to pull up the customer profile and have all they need to address the issue.

5. Add convenience with online portals

Some customers prefer to do things themselves, which is where self-service customer portals come in.

Online portals let customers make payments, fill out key details, and order more products in one place. In addition to being more convenient for customers, it frees up your customer service reps to take on other customer inquiries.

Here’s an example of how Method CRM’s portals improve your operations and customer experience.

6. Better manage customer purchases

Another example of how CRM increases customer satisfaction is with the complete customer history records it provides. 

You can determine customers’ needs and proactively offer a relevant product or service. Use this opportunity to cross-sell or upsell, leading to more revenue and a happier customer.

Get the ultimate CRM customer experience with Method

Method CRM is CRM software that does it all. It makes customer relationship management a breeze through powerful capabilities like:

  • Sales data management.
  • Lead capture.
  • Opportunity tracking.
  • Comprehensive customer database.
  • Online customer portals.

Here’s a preview of what this CRM tool can do for you.

Recap: How CRM improves customer experience

How does CRM increase customer satisfaction? 

In short: It supports the delivery of outstanding customer experiences, increases customer retention, and brings more revenue to your business. 

Here are just a few ways a CRM helps you get more satisfied customers:

  • Stay in contact with your best customers.
  • Listen and act on customer feedback.
  • Personalize the customer experience.
  • Provide fast customer service.
  • Convenient online portals.

If you want to improve customer experience through CRM, look no further than Method CRM. 

Method CRM helps you learn more about customers and deliver tailor-made customer experiences.

Start your free trial of Method CRM today!

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