Why does the cost amount line on the Active Estimates by Detail Line report return a zero even though costs have been entered in the item/product list.

Hello there, @BrendaFTS. Allow me to explain why the cost amount line reverts to zero, even though the cost has been entered in the item/product list.
 

To start, can you provide steps on how you generate the Active Estimates by Detail Line report? So I can further check this in my end since this specific report is unavailable in QBO. However, if you're referring to the Transaction List by Customer report, please know that the cost amount may show as zero on the transaction list report due to zero dollar balance sales not appearing on cash basis sales by customer reports in QuickBooks Online. This is by design to prevent confusion

For future reference, you can check these articles to help you get the most out of your financial reports and memorize it:

• Customize reports.
• Memorize reports.

Please inform me of any developments, @BrendaFTS. If you have questions, feedback, or concerns about the cost amount line on the report, or if you're referring to something else, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Community. I'll assist you in any way possible.

I made a custom report with these parameters:

Accrual Basis

Date: Range This fiscal year

Transaction Type = Estimate

Estimate = Active, Converted

Product Service = not empty

Open Balance does not equal 0

Columns:

Transaction Num

Transaction Date

Transaction Line Items

Estimate Status

Transaction Line Items: Customer

Transaction Line Items: Product/Service

Transaction Line Items Qty

Transaction Line Items Sales Price

Transaction Line Items Net Amount Line

Transaction Line Items Cost Amount Line this is the field/column that is blank

Transaction Line Items Open Balance

All the other columns are pulling data correctly.

Thanks

Brenda

Hi, Brenda. Thanks for getting back to us and providing additional detailed information.

When generating a Transaction list report in QuickBooks Online (QBO), the system is designed not to display the item cost, which is why it appears as blank.

If you require a report that includes the item cost, you can generate the Inventory Valuation Summary report. This report will display your transactions for each inventory item and illustrate how they impact quantity on hand, value, and cost. 

To access the report, follow these steps:
 

1. In the left menu, choose Reports.
2. Go to the Sales and customer section, and select Inventory Valuation Summary. 
3. Set the necessary filters. 
4. Click Run report. 

Once the report is generated, you can view the item cost under the Calc. AVG column.

If you need further assistance in managing your account, leave me a comment below. It's always a pleasure to help you, Brenda.

Unfortunately, this doesn't help me.

I need a report that tells me:

Estimate #, Customer, Date, Line Item, Qty, Sales Price, Cost with a calculated column that gives me the profit/margin on the line.

Example

Ideally I would be able to see the Cost and Margin Columns when entering Estimates before they are converted to Invoices.

An ideas on how to accomplish this?

Thank you

Brenda

Thanks for your continued engagement, Brenda. While QuickBooks Online (QBO) currently has limitations in displaying cost and margin information directly on estimates, I have some suggestions and workarounds that help achieve your goals.

First and foremost, I can see the benefit of this option for you and other customers. I encourage you to communicate directly with our Product Developers team using the Feedback option in your QBO. They're genuinely interested in hearing your input and highly encourage you to share your requests and suggestions.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open your QBO account.
2. Go to the Gear icon located at the top-right corner of your screen.
3. Under the Profile section, select Feedback.
4. Type in your suggestions and then click on Next.

In the meantime, I suggest creating a custom report, as previously mentioned by my colleague, to ensure you include all the essential columns for your analysis. Although the Cost column isn’t populating directly in estimates, you can reference item costs from the product/service list while crafting your estimates.

After generating your custom report, export it to Excel to add a new column for cost and margin.

You could also explore third-party applications to provide detailed cost and margin analysis. Visit this link to see available apps: QuickBooks App Store. Navigate to the CATEGORIES section and select an app that best fits your business.

For your future reference, I'll share the following articles to help you maximize the potential of your financial reports and streamline your reporting process:

• Customize reports in QBO
• Create and edit reports in Spreadsheet Sync in QBO
• Use custom fields in reports in QBO
• Memorize reports in QBO

I appreciate your input as it helps us improve our services to meet customer needs. If you have additional questions or concerns regarding reporting in QBO, please click the Reply button. Your experience is important to us, and I want to ensure you feel confident and supported as you navigate your QuickBooks settings.