both customer and vendor

I'm here to clear things up for you, @Derick. I recognize you need to use the same name into your customer and vendor. We can utilize the vendor's information for a customer in QuickBooks Online. Please follow my lead, and I'll help you through the process.

Firstly, QuickBooks Online won't permit identical names for vendors and customers to detour duplicate transactions.

With that, we can enter customer names slightly different from each other to avoid errors and confusion.

For example, if your vendor's name is Paul Santos, you can enter the same name, one keystroke different from the Vendor Name. You can input Paul Santos 1 as a customer.

I've added these steps for your guide:

1. Set up a new Customer name.
2. Go to Get paid & pay and select Customers.
3. Select New Customer at the top right.
4. In the Last Name field, enter Paul Santos 1
5. Add the rest of the contact information.
6. Select Save.

I've added this screenshot below see results:

I'm ready to offer additional details on customer and vendor-related subjects. If you require further information, feel free to continue this conversation, and I'll make sure to respond shortly.

Thank you for your response.  

Your solution is essentially what I backed in to by default. 

I established a "new" customer using the branch number (it is a franchisee) and duplicated information.

So... I guess the problem is solved, if not in the way I would have hoped. 

Thanks again.

It's great to see you back in the Community, derick.

I'm delighted that my colleague's solution was able to address your concern (the vendor's name will be used as a customer). This motivates us to continuously strive to provide the best solutions that our customers need, ensuring the best QuickBooks experience possible.

Don't hesitate to drop by the Community if you still require further assistance with managing vendor or customer information. I'm always available to lend a helping. Have a wonderful day ahead, derick.

I have the same problem. I need to make several vendors customers as well. This solution is not very satisfactory. Why do I need to give the same contact a different criteria. I just want one contact that can be either which is available in other software packages.

Any suggestions?

Hello JANMEAD, thanks for posting on this thread. This is currently the only workaround when having a customer who is also a supplier. We do take on your feedback in regards to this issue and we will pass it on to the team. 

I have a related issue.  I have a person that is both a customer and also a vendor.  I enter expenses to the vendor account and income to the customer's account.  Yet when I view the Income by Customer account, it is still attributing the expenses to the Customer account and not the vendor account, thereby misrepresenting our total net income. 

One issue could be that I have another user in QB who originally entered these expenses to the Customer account and not the Vendor account.  I went back and changed the Payee to the Vendor account, but it still shows incorrectly on the report.  Any idea how to fix this?

I acknowledge the urgency of your concern regarding misrepresenting your total net income due to your experience as both customer and vendor in QuickBooks Online (QBO), @Financial User.

Please make sure to check or uncheck the Billable box. When entering expenses, choose the correct vendor to ensure accurate reports, especially if there are accounts with the same name as a customer and a vendor. I'll add a screenshot for your guide to be sure you got the correct information in your report. Here's how:

1. First, click Reports, and on the right side of your page Search bar.
2. Search for Transaction List by Customer.
3. Under Payee, choose the correct customer's name.
4. Select the customer's name under Vendor, then Save and Close.
5. And after run reports to see the correct reports. 

In addition, learn how to handle bills to be paid later and bills to be paid immediately using bills, checks, or expenses and how to create custom reports in QuickBooks Online using modern view, you can check these articles: 

• Customize reports in QuickBooks Online using modern view
• Learn the difference between bills, checks, and expenses in QuickBooks Online

If you still need help managing customer and vendor issues, please drop by the Community. I'll be here to assist you.

It is absolutely stupid how QB does this and for no reason.