Closing and estimate

I can share information about managing estimates in QuickBooks Online (QBO), Sharon119.

In QBO, an estimate is a non-posting transaction. This means it doesn’t affect your accounts or financial reports until it’s converted into a posting transaction, such as an invoice.

When you create an estimate for a client, it remains in a Pending state until the client approves it. Once approved, the status changes to Accepted. If the client declines the estimate, the status changes to Declined.

The status Converted is used when the estimate has been turned into an invoice. This is the key step to closing an estimate. When you convert an estimate to an invoice, you’re essentially finalizing the transaction. The goods or services have been or will be delivered, and the client is billed for them. 

For future reference, you may find below articles helpful:

• Copy an estimate to a purchase order
• Customize invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online

If you have follow-up questions about estimates in QBO, let me know by commenting below. I'm more than happy to answer it for you. Have a nice day.

I understand everything that you said, but that does not answer my question as to why you can't close and estimate anymore.  The customer has not accepted, nor declined the estimate so we would like to close it so it no longer shows as a pending estimate. We pull an open estimate report often so that we can check status of work being done and it can get annoying to have all of the ones pending that no longer need to be there. Please answer my question and don't tell me to give my feedback because it doesn't seem to be helping.

Hi Sharon119. Let me answer your question about why you're unable to close an estimate in the new updated layout.

In the new interface, the option to close the estimate is unavailable. If you decide that you don't want to do the work, it's better to change the estimate status to Declined rather than delete it. This keeps a record of the estimate on your accounts for good bookkeeping.

However, if you don't need or want to keep a record of the estimate, simply delete it. To do this, click the Delete button on the estimate form to completely remove the estimate from your books.

Here's how:

1. Go to Sales.
2. Select the Estimates tab.
3. Find and select the estimate.
4. Select More Actions.
5. Choose Delete and then select Yes to confirm.

From the Manage option, just click the Actions dropdown and click Delete. For more details about creating estimates in the new layout and how to customize its display, see this article: Create and send estimates in QuickBooks Online.

I have some helpful resources that will guide you through the new layout and assist you in accurately recording the payments you receive from your customers:

• See what’s new with estimates and invoices in QuickBooks Online
• Record invoice payments in QuickBooks Online

I'll be right here to continue helping if you have any other questions or concerns about estimates. Have a great rest of the week.

Still seems RIDICULOUS that you take away an option that makes sense. They customer HAS NOT DECLINED the work I just want to close the transaction.

My estimate was not declined or converted to an invoice due to back ordered items. 

I need to close the estimate short due to back ordered items no longer wanted by the customer. I need to close it short. Not delete it. not covert it, and not delete it.  what do you suggest i do now that you took the option away that works well for this purpose?

I recognize that you wanted an option to close estimates, @dcooley529.

Closing an estimate isn't directly available as an option as we transition from the old to new invoice and estimate experience. There is a workaround to update its status similar to closing it.

Here's how: 

1. Go to the Sales menu in the left panel, then select Estimates.
2. From the Estimate tab, click the dropdown, then select View/edit to open the estimate.
3. Open the Manage icon, then under Edit default settings, click the dropdown, and select Converted to close it.

Here are some helpful articles to help you link your estimates to invoices and guide you in recording the customer's payment.

• Convert an estimate into an invoice
• Record invoice payments 

Feel free to get back if you have other questions about estimates. We'll do our best to assist. Stay safe.

But the estimate HAS NOT been converted and if I mark it that way and am looking at it in the future to possibly reopen it I will skip over it thinking there should be an invoice to go with it and there won't be one because the estimate has not been converted to an invoice.That's just stupid to take away the closed option.  I am not sure who was polled regarding the new invoice experience but I AM NOT impressed with it so far.  To many features have been taken away and is all I get told when I question something we need is to give Feedback without getting a real way to take care of our issue

I am not looking for an "easy way" to close the estimate. I'm looking for the correct way and this isn't it. Please send me the link to leave feedback on the new invoicing experience. 

Hello there, dcooley529. We recognize your insights regarding the new invoicing experience. I'm here to help you deliver them to the appropriate place to ensure you're heard.

QuickBooks has released an update to improve customers' invoicing experience to enhance business productivity. While some options have been added, some are also currently unavailable. These changes can indeed affect each experience when creating invoices and estimates.

Therefore, I recommend sending feedback directly to our product engineers. Your ideas and suggestions can be weighed down to be considered in future product updates, ensuring they meet different business needs.

Here's how:

1. Head to the Gear icon.
2. Select Feedback.
3. Share your product improvement ideas.
4. Click Next to submit.

Moreover, you might want to scan these resources to have a guide when converting estimates into invoices or you decide to further improve the form for more effective business communication:

• Convert an estimate into an invoice in QuickBooks Online
• Customize invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online

We're here to lend a hand if you have additional questions regarding the new invoicing experience or other concerns related to QuickBooks Online.

Since the closed option was RIDICULOUSLY removed as an option, if I mark an estimate declined will I be able to reopen in and use it in the future if the customer decides to have the work done?

Thanks for getting back to the thread, and I appreciate the workaround you think of, @Sharon119.

Yes, you can still reopen or Edit the status of the declined estimate whenever you want. Doing this is a good way instead of deleting if your customer decides they don't want you to do the work. This keeps a record of the estimate on your accounts for good bookkeeping.

I'm attaching this article for future reference in case you're ready to convert the estimate to an invoice and on how to manage invoice payments: 

• Create and send estimates in QuickBooks Online
• Record invoice payments in QuickBooks Online

Keep me posted if you have clarification or additional questions about handling estimates and other sales transactions in QuickBooks. I'm always here to help you. 

I too share in the frustration of QB removing the "Closed" status for estimates and I am in total agreement with all of the prior comments shared. This in fact is not an improvement at all but a limitation to all of the users of QB online. What would be wrong with re-instating the feature of being able to close an estimate without converting it to an invoice or any of the other options previously stated that are not as good as simply "closing" the estimate? There's an acronym K.I.S.S. Let's keep it simple.

I'm having the same problem, I for one HATE this new up date, but what not just give us the chose as CLOSE!!! I myself do not know why they can't just do simple as just giving us the CLOSE 

I undertand this is not YOUR issue but Quickbooks Online, how ridiculous is this that I can't close the estimate. How ridiculous they didn't make the font darker, ridiculous that everything like the DUE on the invoice is way to small you can't see what your entering, but the one time I finally get a rep call me, they want to sell me more from QBO. lol Shame on QBO

I totally agree, this is crazy I can't close the estimate but I can' Convert is into a invoice to close it. 

It is absolutely ridiculous that I cannot choose to close an estimate once a project is complete and related invoices are paid.  As a small business, we rely on the list of accepted estimates to know what's in our workflow and financial pipeline and I rely on the list to know which estimates still have a balance due if they are "converted" to make sure that invoices are sent.  Because I cannot close these invoices, you have just made our report on open estimates and balances null and void and I've wasted so much time reviewing these estimates over and over to remind myself which are actually still open and which are closed since I have no way to annotate that.

I finally resorted, in total exasperation, to deleting any estimates that are actually closed so they are not still on my list and causing confusion.  Your "update" and choice to not just LET US CLOSE ESTIMATES THAT ARE CLOSED means that I lose any project information that was in that estimate that I wanted to hold onto.

Thanks, Quickbooks, for yet again complicating something that is actually pretty simple.