Entering expenses from receipts

LeithG · ‎October 08, 2020

I recently started using the receipts function in QuickBooks Online to photograph and review receipts to enter them into the correct expense category. I've noticed a small problem with this process though.

Upon assigning the expense, it asks me for a Bank/Credit account. If I use an accrued liability account here, for example, I haven't paid the expense yet but am planning to later, some strange behaviour begins.

Initially, the liability and expense are appropriately updated, but if I then subsequently edit the expense to update a date, fix an amount or tax association, it requires me to enter a Payment Account at which point the original accrual / liability account entry is lost.

Is there another way I should be approaching this transaction instead when using the receipts function?

Rebecca R · ‎October 09, 2020

Hi lashedlifter,

Thanks for submitting feedback to our product development team. We want to make sure that you're able record your expenses as accurately and efficiently as possible, and make the most of cool features like receipt capture. I'd like to offer some further insight into the way that QuickBooks Online differentiates between Expenses and Bills.

QuickBooks Online Essentials and Plus offer the ability to add both an Expense and a Bill from the receipt capture feature. To enter a Bill this way, use the drop down menu for Document Type. If you're not seeing the option to select the document type, you might be using EasyStart. Upgrading to QuickBooks Online Essentials or Plus would give you the option to enter Bills as well as the Expenses that you're familiar with. After creating the bill in the Receipts feature, you can manage the transaction the same way you do other bills through the + New button, by using the Pay Bills option when you're ready to record the payment. This allows you to accrue bills for payment at a later date like you indicated.

If you're looking for a refresher on entering bills and bill payments and other supplier transactions, these are pretty comprehensive articles:

Thanks for being a member of the QuickBooks family!

View solution in original post

Rebecca R · ‎October 09, 2020

I'm glad my suggestions helped you out!

When making a Bill Payment you have the option to print a cheque, but if you don't select the Print later checkbox, QuickBooks will simply record the money movement from the Bank/Credit account that you select. So if you're paying your bills online directly from your bank account, this would be the way to go! You can also match a transaction from your bank feed

Drop us a line if there's anything else we can help with.

View solution in original post

JamesM · ‎October 08, 2020

Hi lashedlifter,

It's great to learn that you're taking advantage of the Receipts feature in QuickBooks. I'd be glad to share more information on this so you can get back to doing what you love.

QuickBooks is designed to help simplify the way you do work while you save time with its amazing features. Based on what you've described, you'd need to enter a Payment Account when editing the expense. I encourage you to check out this helpful article with more info on how to: Capture and categorize receipts and bills. For any methods which go beyond the steps in the article, I suggest leaving feedback for our engineers by clicking the Gear icon and looking for Feedback. I'll also leave this question open in the Community so other members can chime in and share their ideas.

If you have other questions, feel free to leave a comment below, I'll be one message away. If you prefer direct and immediate assistance, I recommend contacting our support team using the details below:

Schedule a Callback or Chat: click (?)Help in the upper right > type and enter "Contact support" into the QB Assistant > click Contact Us > explain your situation > click Let's Talk > choose Get a callback or Start a Chat. Support is available from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
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Enjoy the rest of your week!

LeithG · ‎October 09, 2020

Thanks James!

As suspected, it appears that QuickBooks assumes that expenses will be immediately paid rather than accrued for payment at a later date. I've done as you suggested and put some feedback in for the development team on this issue.

This also impacts how expense reimbursements happen during payroll too. (see the latest update through a heated conversation here: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-ca/expenses-suppliers/we-need-to-track-reimbursements...)

Being able to accrue rather than assume an expense is paid - attach an expense to a liability instead of a bank account - at entry would be super-handy in a lot of situations. This of course also leads to the ability to mark those expenses paid later when the liability is paid off.

Rebecca R · ‎October 09, 2020

Hi lashedlifter,

Thanks for submitting feedback to our product development team. We want to make sure that you're able record your expenses as accurately and efficiently as possible, and make the most of cool features like receipt capture. I'd like to offer some further insight into the way that QuickBooks Online differentiates between Expenses and Bills.

QuickBooks Online Essentials and Plus offer the ability to add both an Expense and a Bill from the receipt capture feature. To enter a Bill this way, use the drop down menu for Document Type. If you're not seeing the option to select the document type, you might be using EasyStart. Upgrading to QuickBooks Online Essentials or Plus would give you the option to enter Bills as well as the Expenses that you're familiar with. After creating the bill in the Receipts feature, you can manage the transaction the same way you do other bills through the + New button, by using the Pay Bills option when you're ready to record the payment. This allows you to accrue bills for payment at a later date like you indicated.

If you're looking for a refresher on entering bills and bill payments and other supplier transactions, these are pretty comprehensive articles:

Thanks for being a member of the QuickBooks family!

LeithG · ‎October 09, 2020

Didn't even notice this option; that's gooood.

Fixes the other thing too!

Thanks Rebecca!

LeithG · ‎October 09, 2020

Follow-up question; is there a way to pay a bill without paying a check? I do all my bill payments online.

Rebecca R · ‎October 09, 2020

I'm glad my suggestions helped you out!

When making a Bill Payment you have the option to print a cheque, but if you don't select the Print later checkbox, QuickBooks will simply record the money movement from the Bank/Credit account that you select. So if you're paying your bills online directly from your bank account, this would be the way to go! You can also match a transaction from your bank feed

Drop us a line if there's anything else we can help with.

LeithG · ‎October 15, 2020

@Rebecca R thanks so much; this has been a real giant help! I've converted a bunch of things to bills - like the expenses that get charged to my personal credit card where I allocate portions of rent, property taxes, utilities to my business from personal expenses as allowed by the CRA. Then once a month, I transfer the money from the business back to my credit card to pay those business portions of expenses and tie it all through bill payment.

This is absolutely life changing in managing my business expenses. Wish I'd known sooner the difference between Expense and Bill in the system!

Rebecca R · ‎October 15, 2020

I really appreciate this feedback, and I'm happy to hear that differentiating between Bills and Expenses in QuickBooks Online has been invaluable in running your business.

This is what we're here for, so if there's anything else I can help with don't hesitate to reach out!

jburley · ‎April 05, 2023

What I need to know is why when I save an expense I have entered it saves the previous expenses I have already saves. This duplicates the amount of expenses. Is there a setting or something I am not doing. After I enter the expense I hit save and new.

JamesM4 · ‎April 05, 2023

Hello jburley. I'd like to make sure I'm on the same page as you. Could you walk me through step-by-step on how you're saving the expenses on your account? I'd like to learn more about how the expenses are duplicating on your account.

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Entering expenses from receipts