how do I use multiple subtotals in 1 invoice

Hi VDW_2019,

Thanks for reaching out. I can help with entering multiple subtotals on your invoice. With QuickBooks Desktop, it's super simple to enter as many subtotals as you need on your invoices so that you and your customers can clearly see whatever breakdowns you need. BRC has given you a great example, now here's how to do it.

In program, subtotals are treated as their own line items, meaning the first step is to make sure you have Subtotal set up as a line item in your account. Open up the Item List through the Lists menu and see if you have it there. If not, here's how to create it.

1. Click Item at the bottom of the Item List window.
2. Select New Item.
3. Use the Type drop-down to pick Subtotal.
4. Name the item (e.g. Subtotal).
5. Click OK.

Now let's add it to an invoice. Open up an invoice and start adding line items. When you get to the point where you want to add a subtotal, choose the Subtotal item you just created. Add the other items you'd like and when you come to the next subtotal point, add the Subtotal item again. Do this as many times as needed.

Give that a shot and let me know how it goes! Stop by again if you need more help. :)

Thanks LauraAB,

My issues isn't adding the subtotals themselves, but the subtotal itself only adds everything below the last subtotal (I do currently have subtotal in my list of items).  This is great for most of the invoice, but at the bottom of the invoice I would like to have an overall subtotal for the whole invoice, meaning a subtotal of only the subtotals, not every line in the invoice.  I guess I wasn't clear enough, my apologies.  BRC gave an answer but didn't explain how to get the subtotal to work to add the subtotals, I haven't figured that part out. 

Thanks in Advance,

Andrea

Hi BRC,

This is exactly what I want, but my subtotal feature only subtotals everything below the last subtotal, not the subtotals themselves.  How do I get it to total the subtotals?

Thanks in advance!

Andrea

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@VDW_2019 wrote:

Hi BRC,

 

This is exactly what I want, but my subtotal feature only subtotals everything below the last subtotal, not the subtotals themselves.  How do I get it to total the subtotals?

 

Thanks in advance!

Andrea

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Not possible in QB

the design is to provide subtotals, then the invoice itself totals those and provides that number in the total block on the footer.

The Subtotal of all the Subtotals is the Total at the bottom of the Invoice before the Taxes are added. 

Thanks Rustler,

My problem is the total for us includes taxes, and I require a line that has a subtotal without taxes, so wanted the extra subtotal before the total at the bottom of the invoice.

It seems this isn't possible, and I may need to just add a text field with that subtotal and put nothing in the column for dollar amounts.

Many Thanks

Andrea

Thanks impossible,

I just need a subtotal without taxes, so maybe I will just add a text field and do my subtotal and then add nothing into the column for cost...

Many Thanks

Andrea

This can be accomplished in the Customization Template for your invoice, 'Footer' tab.  You have the option there to check 'Print' next to Subtotal.  This subtotals your entire invoice, before taxes.  Unfortunately, it can only be seen on a printed invoice, not on the screen.  I've often wanted to see the subtotal prior to taxes while working on an invoice, myself.  Why Intuit has seen fit not to allow the 'Screen' checkmark to be checked is a mystery . . . ??? Hello, Intuit?

Hey Rochelley. Thanks for the reminder about the ability of check-marking the Subtotal option for print with the template customization. I'll pass on your feedback to our product development team for consideration. I know having the capability to see these things on your screen without having to print or use a PDF copy of the invoice is helpful.

I also wanted to share that BRC's steps of adding a second subtotal line after the previous one is working for me and giving me a subtotal of all the previous subtotals before taxes. Check out my screenshot below to see what I'm seeing. This not only appears on the screen, but would also appear on the printed version as well without using the subtotal checkbox in the template. It's not directly above the total with taxes portion of the invoice like it would be with the template option, but it's something that can be used as a workaround.

I hope that helps outline how to achieve this. I'm here if there are questions.

Right, I had forgotten about that completely - that you can subtotal at the end of the invoice and get a tally of everything on the invoice.  My only issue with that is that when you view or print that invoice, that subtotal line is mushed in right below all the other lines and it can be difficult to work out that it's a subtotal and not another line in the invoice.  I suppose you could space down a few lines and do it lower on the invoice, which I think would be the only workaround at this point.

Thanks for taking my query to the development team . . . it just seems really odd to me that the checkbox for the 'screen' Subtotal is already there, but is unusable.  I'm not sure what the reasoning was behind that move, but I hope that they enable the 'screen' checkbox because life is just better when it's visible in your working screen. :)

I hear what you're saying, for both points. The second subtotal is a little bit squished up there, but it is possible to skip a line to space it out a bit as you've suggested. I tried it on my end and it still brought up the subtotals as it needs to. As for seeing on the screen, I know it can be a bit of a pain flipping back and forth between a regular screen and a print preview to see what I need. I can just imagine how this would be for invoices and other forms like that!

Yes, I actually noted that in my post, that you could skip a few lines and place the final subtotal lower down on the invoice.  In my mind, QB should provide an automatic subtotal of every invoice, visible on the screen.  Skipping lines and placing another subtotal near the bottom of the invoiceIt is one solution, however inelegant it may be.

There is no pre-tax total at the bottom of my invoices.  There is an option to get one on the printed version of the invoice by editing the invoice template layout, but the 'screen' option is grayed out, not available.  I'm not sure why that is, but @LauraAB said she'd bring it to the attention of the developers.

I want it because I'm a visual person and I like to see all the details on the screen while I'm working.  I don't print invoices anymore; it's all handled electronically.  So I don't want to have to print or do a print preview to see the invoice subtotal.  And I don't want to manually add up the line items either.  It just doesn't make any sense to me why this wouldn't be a default in QB.  In fact, the option is there . . . it's just not been made available, for reasons that I can only guess at.

When setting up an item type, you can have subcategories.  Can you use the main category as ie. Labor and another category Service, then have the invoice create subtotals automatically for both main categories Labor and Service?  It's time consuming downloading data into QB, then having to add subtotals to every invoice when you can make a mistake.  I'm hoping there's an invoice template feature or QB setup feature that can accomplish this.

None of this seems to exist in Quickbooks Online.

If put 2 subtotals together the 2nd one has a total of 0.00, it does not consider the subtotal above it.  I see no options in the Design area for printing or not printing subtotals, just discounts.

Is this possible online?

Hi DexDexter. Thanks for joining the discussion. Unlike QuickBooks Desktop where you're able to add multiple subtotals, QuickBooks Online doesn't have that option at this time. I know how handy this would be, and how important it can be for your business. I'd be happy to pass your thoughts on to the product development team, and I'd encourage you to submit your thoughts to them as well. You can do that by clicking the Gear icon > Feedback.

If you're in need of any additional assistance, please reach out to our tech support team. 

Cheers.

After I add the new list item "Subtotal" it does not show up anywhere when I want to add it.   I would like to have on my Sales Receipt: 

items list (which is in Columns)

Subtotal for items

Tax

Total ------this is the only 1 I can find to add

Amount Received

Balance Due

Help!

So did you guys every fix this problem and allow us to check box the subtotal for screen view?