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Use workflows to automate your business processes for QuickBooks Online Advanced

by Intuit13 Updated 3 weeks ago

Learn how to use automated workflows in QuickBooks Online Advanced to help keep you and your customers on task.

With workflows, you can automate everyday tasks, send reminders, and set up notifications. Choose from a list of existing workflows or create your own. Set the conditions to decide when and what should happen. From there, you can edit, copy, turn off, or delete workflows as needed.

Create a workflow using an existing template

There are 60+ workflow automation templates for you to choose from to help you streamline your business operations. 

  1. Go to Workflow automation and select Templates.
  2. Select the template you want to use.
  3. Give the workflow a name, or use the default name.
  4. Set the actions (what do you want QuickBooks to do) and conditions (when this happens) for your template.
  5. Select + Add another condition if you want to add more conditions. 
  6. Select Save and turn on to turn on the workflow.

You can use multi-condition workflow templates to create workflows that give you greater control and flexibility over your bills, invoices, and purchase orders. Whenever a non-admin creates one of these transactions, QuickBooks will automatically verify if it meets the template conditions and won't send it until it receives approval.

  1. Go to Workflow automation and select Approvals.
  2. Select the template you want to use.
  3. Give the workflow a name, or use the default name.
  4. Set the conditions (when this happens) for your template.
  5. Select + Add condition if you want to add more conditions and select Save
  6. Select Save and turn on to turn on the workflow.

How to use invoice approval workflows

How to use bill approval workflows

Create a custom workflow

You can create customised workflows to fit your specific business needs, allowing you to automate processes, improve efficiency, and ensure consistency across your operations.

  1. Go to Workflow automation and select Templates.
  2. Select + Custom workflow.
  3. Select the record for your workflow and the action to perform.
  4. Select Next.
  5. Give the workflow a name.
  6. Set the actions (what you want QuickBooks to do) and conditions (when this happens) for your template.
  7. Select + Add another condition if you want to add more conditions. 
  8. Select Save or Save and turn on to turn on your custom workflow.

Manage your workflows

You can edit, copy, turn off, or delete a workflow, giving you the flexibility to adapt and manage your processes according to your changing business requirements.

  1. Go to Workflow automation and select My workflows.
  2. Find the workflow you wish to edit.
  3. From the Actions column, select Dropdown arrow icon. dropdown, then select Edit.
  4. Make the relevant changes, then select Save or Save and turn on.
  1. Go to Workflow automation and select My workflows.
  2. Find the workflow you wish to copy.
  3. From the Actions column, select Dropdown arrow icon. dropdown, then select Copy.
  4. Review and make any necessary changes, then select Save or Save and turn on.

Important: Pay bill reminders and unsent invoice reminders are already set up for all new companies. If you need to change that:

  1. Go to Workflow automation and select My workflows.
  2. Find the workflow you wish to turn off.
  3. From the ON/OFF Dropdown arrow icon. column, turn off the switch.
  4. Select Disable.
  1. Go to Workflow automation and select My workflows.
  2. Find the workflow you wish to delete.
  3. From the Actions column, select Dropdown arrow icon. dropdown, then select Delete.
  4. Select Delete.

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