PDF name of invoices are created with a random number different from the actual invoice number when I download an invoice

Yes, that is how PDF files are made.  How would Abobe know which invoice number you decided to use? 

Thank you for your reply.  I use Clearbooks for my other business and that's not an issue at all.  Even if you generate a pdf via google docs, you can generate it properly.  This cannot be the normal.  Anyone knows how to handle this?  

I used Clearbooks for my other business and there is no issue the pdf are generated properly.  Even in google docs, you can generate the correct format.  It is just a question of field allocation as a title.  Anyone knows how to handle this? 

Many Thanks,

Franck

Let me know if I’m getting it correctly, Franck.

You’d like QuickBooks to generate a PDF filename, depending on the transaction number of the invoices? 

If so, we’re unable to make changes to it within QuickBooks. This is how the system works. Though, we can eliminate and rename the random numbers by saving it to your computer.

Here are the steps on how to do it:

1. Open invoice.
2. Select Print or Preview at the bottom part of the page.
3. Click the Download icon at the upper-right corner.
4. Rename the file from a complex number to something you want.
5. Then, Save.

In case you are going to download QuickBooks reports as PDF, the report's name will be the file name of the PDF.

If you have more something to ask with me, you can post again. I hope your day is good. Take care!

That sounds much better.  My accounting system does that also.  Not quite sure if QB person is saying that, but hope so for you.

Unfortunately, it didn't work.  Any other solution you can see? 

Many Thanks,

Franck

Good Morning, @hello132. 

Thanks for reaching back out to the Community. The easiest way to remove all the random numbers off of your PDF name is to save the file and rename it by right-clicking on it. If this doesn't work, then I recommend contacting our Customer Support Team. They have additional tools to look further into your account to see how they can resolve this problem. Here's how to get in touch with them: 

1. Go to the Help icon. 
2. Tap Contact Us. 
3. Type in your question and press Let's Talk. 
4. Scroll down and choose to Get a Callback. 

It's that easy. I'm only a post away if you need me. I want to make sure that you're able to get this resolved as soon as possible. Take care!

HI Candice, 

Thanks for the advice.  I have spent 2 hours with your chat and the 2 customer representatives I talked to couldn't even understand that their answer didn't make any sense... So a bit reluctant in wasting more time ... A reply here would be best.  

I understand this wasn't an easy process for you, @hello132.

For now, the simplest way to generate a PDF file with no random numbers is by saving and renaming it. 

If you're unable to do it, I recommend contacting our support team so they can take a closer look at this: Contact Support.

Check out the QuickBooks Online section of this resource for the support hours to ensure your issue gets taken care of on time: Support hours and types.

Meanwhile, you can visit our blog for the recent QuickBooks news and updates: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/blog/.

Also, you'll want to customize your invoices to personalize their details. Here's an article for the steps: Customize invoices.

I'm around in the Community if you need more help with managing your invoices or anything else related to QuickBooks. Take care and stay safe always.

Hello,

This is really a QBO issue. As I said, it works perfectly fine with pdf generated by clearbooks, shopify and other systems I work with.  The issue is that QBO doesn't send the right information to name the file that's all that needs to be changed.  Just a field....

This is ludicrous.  What is the point of emailing something directly out of QB if I have to save it to rename it then attach it to the email?  Defeats the ENTIRE purpose of emailing directly out of the program.

Thank you for joining the conversation, FIClean.

I understand that renaming PDF files is extra work, so I also like the idea of ​​automatically assigning invoice numbers as filenames on PDF invoices. I encourage you to submit your feedback to our engineers, so they can consider making changes in future updates.

If you have other questions in mind, feel free to go back to this thread. I'm just around to help.

Why can't we simply start with a filename which defaults to the invoice number, but which can be edited? QBO generates PDFs and generates a name for the PDFs - why is it a problem to have an option that it looks for clues as to what the filename ought to be? If it's a quote, an invoice, a PO, obviously for filing purposes it makes great sense for those to receive as the filename "name of document".pdf

Guaranteeed the only reason for having a PDF is to send it to someone or store it elsewhere. That means a randomly-generated filename is absolutely useless and must be changed manually, every time. I'm really confused as to why the support team doesn't natively understand this mindset and why the question was treated as it was - very strange indeed, if you ask me.

If you ask me, the fact the system doesn't already do this is such a glaring shortcoming that I'm really taken aback that this is something that should require feedback! When the system was developed to produce PDFs, obviously a method of assigning filenames to the PDFs was also created - that this wasn't defaulted to the actual name of the document is stunning, and that "settings" interface allows us to set this is also stunning.

The present setup requires the user to rename every single downloaded file to get a usable, intuitive name. Honestly, I'm shocked. This is Microsoft Office and Server levels of bad.

I also cannot forward an invoice to my own assistant or to myself - I have to download first and then email a copy, which is how I discovered this flaw in the first place. 

This is meant to be a flagship accounting product?! I can't understand why people woulnd't ditch this for Wave, Xero, MYOB or anything else - and I'm on your side. Please tell the devs to implement this basic, basic stuff.

Hi there, AusAg.

Welcome to the QuickBooks Community. I can see how vital it is for your company to start with a filename that defaults to the invoice number. I'll ensure you can send a suggestion so it'll be forwarded to the Product Development Team. 

I suggest sending feedback by going to the Gear icon in QBO so you can request about having the option to assign invoice numbers as filenames on PDF invoices. 

Here's how:

1. Select the Gear icon at the top, then Feedback.
2. Enter your comments or product suggestions. 
3. Choose Next to submit feedback.

Once done, please know that any recommendations are sent to our engineers for consideration in future updates.

Lastly, I'm also adding this article if you need more help managing your customer's data in the future: View sales transactions.

I've got your back if you have more questions about managing your sales transactions and other QuickBooks-related concerns. I'm always around to help, AusAg. Take care and have a great day!

Hi ChristieAnn,

With the greatest of respect, I've already given the feedback to Quicken. It's up to your company now - if your product continues to have terrible shortcomings it will be abandonware very quickly.

Another one relevant to Australia is the frankly silly lack of support for line items having GST components other than 0% or 10%. When I import something, I don't pay GST to the supplier, but in a block to the government later. When I pay BAS liability, the same thing happens. But I can't enter a line item as GST. I have to put in two false entries to trick the system into accounting for the GST. The GST-free transaction has already been entered, and now to have QBO record the GST at all I have to enter a false tx of the same amount, with GST added this time, then another false entry with the same amount again, which is GST-free this time. This results in only the GST remaining.

This is convoluted and confusing, and should be totally unnecessary. The system ought to be able to handle a simple reality. Instead, GST only exists as some kind of add-on that must be associated with a "master" payment. "Poor" does not begin to describe how bad this implementation is.

Now I hope it's appreciated that I'm unimpressed by this. I don't feel inclined at all to submit paperwork or effectively participate in free beta testing. If Intuit wants QBO to exist in a few years, these things need to be fixed.

Why is it named that ridiculous name to begin with? Can't you populate the name field with INVOICE- and the invoice number as a default? That way when we download an invoice it has a filename that matches the invoice number.

BETTER YET! Why not give the user the option to change how the file exports when downloaded. That way they could have their company name, and invoice number so they are consistently the same every time an invoice is downloaded- with no extra work on the users part!! They are called Variables, and computers were made to use them! This is a simple solution and shouldn't need all this user feedback to be fixed... 

We are all hoping that in the next update, we have the ability to download and save a PDF with proper naming in place. Or else it is creating A LOT of extra work for the user to get the file correct for emailing, archiving or whatever else they need that invoice for.

PLEASE FIX THIS.