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LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Please stop "upgrading." I don't have time to keep trying to fix the problems the "upgrades" are creating. I do NOT want my clients' names to be included in the email cover letters. I un-clicked that option long ago. It's still un-clicked.  But the names are on EVERY cover letter/email I send with no way to remove them.

 

No matter what I do now, ALL clients get:

 

"Hi [last name, first name],! Here’s your invoice from [my company]!" (Yes, there's a comma AND an exclamation mark behind their names. That might not both many. It bothers me. 

 

They know I'm sending an invoice. They know their names. That line can be deleted. I just want our very brief cover letter - nothing else. I'm hoping this will be a simple fix. If it is, I've spent too long trying to find it.

 

It's even more embarrassing with clients who are sub-clients to a master account. It adds all the sub client info AND the master account info in that first line. It's been two days and every client I invoice is getting these horrible, unprofessional emails.

 

It's also moved MY cover letter (the one that was working for me) further down. I guess I cross my fingers that they will scroll down to what I'm trying to convey. (?)  This is very frustrating. I'm writing to you at nearly midnight because I don't have time to fix this during the day

 

The invoices going out now with the most recent changes by QB are completely embarrassing.

 

I have UN-clicked everywhere I can find to remove client names from the invoice / reminder cover letters. But the weirdly formatted names are on every invoice cover letter and cannot be removed before I send.

 

Please help me correct this before hundreds more go out with such an unprofessional appearance.

38 Comments 38
DivinaMercy_N
Moderator

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Hi there, @LadyRoxann. I can see the urgency of this matter. I appreciate you sharing detailed information about your concern with the email template of the invoice in QuickBooks Online (QBO). I'm to provide insights about this.

 

To prevent the greeting statement from showing when you send a customer invoice, you can uncheck the Use greeting box. Then, input a default message in the Message to Customer field. Please know that the changes will be applied to all sales form templates. Here's how:

 

  1. Select the Gear icon and choose Custom form styles.
  2. Then, click the Emails tab.
  3. From there, scroll down to the Standard email section.
  4. Uncheck the Use greeting box under the Subject field. 
  5. Input the email message in the Message to Customer box.
  6. When done, click Done.

 

Next, create an invoice and ensure to select the correct template. To do so, just select the More button and choose from there. 

 

For reference, check out this article: Customize invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online. 

 

The program also allows you to email or print multiple sales forms in QBO. 

 

I'm just around the corner to assist if you have other questions about managing your invoices. Have a good one and keep safe.

FSMBOATS
Level 2

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

This didn't address his issue at all.  I am having the same issue - Quickbooks has implanted unwanted (and inappropriate) salutations, improper punctuation, their own canned email (which leads customers to believe we take payments we do not, i.e. Venmo).  There is no way to get rid of these changes.  ADDRESS THE ACTUAL ISSUE HERE SUPPORT STAFF.  And stop updating the few parts of the program that are fine AS IS.

CharleneMaeF
QuickBooks Team

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

I understand that using the correct invoice message is vital when projecting a professional and trustworthy image, FSMBOATS.

 

Let me make it up to you by ensuring you can personalize your email message.

 

In QuickBooks Online, you can remove the greeting entirely from your email template and customize the subject line and the body content according to your preferences.

 

Here's how:

 

  1. Go to the Gear icon and then select Accounts and settings.
  2. Select Sales.
  3. Scroll down to locate the Messages section, then click the pencil icon.
  4. Uncheck the Use greeting box.
  5. Edit the Email subject line box.
  6. Enter the email message you'd like to add to the invoice.
  7. Place a checkmark in the Email me a copy box to receive an email.
  8. Add the other info, then scroll down to click Save.
  9. After that, click Done.

 

If you want to modify your sales forms, you can browse this article to learn how: Customize Invoices, Estimates, and Sales Receipts.

 

Additionally, I've added this article that'll help you gently remind customers about invoice due dates to receive the payment on time: Send Reminders Automatically or Manually.

 

Please let us know if you have additional questions or concerns about managing your sales transactions.  Keep safe!

FSMBOATS
Level 2

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

It has nothing to do with personalizing my message, the issue is with the email Quickbooks has decided to supersede mine with.  You know - the one you've given the user no control over?  Adding insult to injury, every Quickbooks moderator has acted as though they know nothing of what we're referring to.  At least get your punctuation under control if you're going to unilaterally add language to customer emails.  

GebelAlainaM
QuickBooks Team

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

I hear your sentiments, @FSMBOATS. I can see the importance of correcting the punctuation issue of the email received by your clients in QuickBooks Online (QBO). I'm here to point you in the right direction so you'll get an answer to your concern. 

 

Upon checking here on our end, we currently have an ongoing investigation about the same issue stated above. With that, I recommend contacting our QuickBooks support team so they can add you to the list of affected users.

 

Here's how:

 

  1. Sign in to your QuickBooks Online company.
  2. Go to Help (?).
  3. Select Contact Us.
  4. Enter your concern, then select Let's Talk.
  5. Choose a way to connect with us:

 

  • Start a chat with a support expert.
  • Get a callback from the next available expert.
  • Ask the community to get help from businesses like yours.

 

Please visit this helpful guide for managing invoice payments in the future: Record invoice payments in QuickBooks Online.

 

You can browse this article to learn more about the different types of support we offer at Intuit and its availability: Contact QuickBooks products and services support.

 

I'll be here if you have other questions. Let me know in the comment section, and I'd be happy to back you up. Have a wonderful day ahead!

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Thus far, no change and no fix. How much confidence would you have in a company that sends you an invoice that starts with, "Hi Smith, John - Master:Smith, John - 123 A St!," with a payment option my firm doesn't accept (Venmo)?

 

You have suggested the same steps to correct the problem twice. It does not work. (I want to reiterate that it was FINE less than three days ago.) The QB info is superseding my own note to my clients, added a salutation that I never wanted (or I would have clicked that option years ago), with incorrect punctuation. If my clients want to read MY email, they have to scroll past all of the embarrassing info QB has auto-added. I can't delete or modify it before sending. I can't NOT send my invoices. I thought to add a disclaimer, "Bear with us while QB attempts to fix the latest issue," but they won't see it. Unless they scroll and scroll and scroll.

 

Whatever you changed a few days ago? Undo it. Please. I keep discovering the new problems due to these upgrades in the middle of already full work days. This is the 3rd or 4th issue I've had to try to work around over the last month or two. Changed client views, extra clicks now to edit invoices and payments, the screen reverting back to the first client I open after I save an invoice (which seems to have been fixed), etc etc.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

This is still not fixed. Is anyone working on it? I'd hoped to see progress by this morning.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Have you had any luck? There has been no change with mine. I've posted again in the hopes that someone is working on it.

DivinaMercy_N
Moderator

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Hi there, @LadyRoxann. I'm here to share additional information about the email template issue in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

 

Currently, there is an ongoing investigation about being unable to remove the invoice email message (INV-87997) in QBO. Rest assured that our Engineering Team is committed to implementing a solution to this issue. Please know that this is a major priority for us and will remain so until it's fully resolved.

 

While we don't have an exact time when this issue will be resolved, I recommend contacting our Phone support team to add you to the list of affected users. Once your account is linked, you'll receive an email notification when an update is available. Here's how:

 

  1. Navigate to the Help menu and go to the Search tab.
  2. Select Contact Us and enter a brief description of your concern. Example: Unable to remove the message in the invoice email (NV-87997).
  3. Click Continue.
  4. Then, choose either Chat or Call option to connect with them.

 

I also added this helpful resource that you can use as a guide in managing customer payments: Record invoice payments in QuickBooks Online.

 

If you have other concerns managing your invoice template, please don't hesitate to leave a reply below. Have a good one, and stay safe. 

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

What is the status of this?  Has Quickbooks Fixed this issue?  Are you close to fixing this issue?  

jenop2
QuickBooks Team

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

We appreciate the time you took to contact us regarding this matter, mdmason.

 

Based on our records, the investigation (INV-87997) is still in progress. This means that our engineers are actively looking for a permanent solution to address the issue with the customer names when emailing invoices.

 

If you haven't yet, please contact our phone and chat support teams. They will request your contact details to include you in the list of affected users. Once you're on the list, we'll send you an email notification as soon as the issue is resolved.

 

Here's how to reach out to them: 

 

  1. Go to the Help menu in the upper-right hand corner to open the QB Assistant window.
  2. Type in "talk to a human", then press Enter.
  3. Click Contact Support Team, then provide a short description of your concern.
  4. Press Enter once again.
  5. Select No, I still need help, then choose Contact Support Team.
  6. Look for the Chat option and click on it.

 

These articles also provide further instructions on how to include additional details or personalize sales transactions:

 

 

You are always welcome to reply or contact us anytime you need assistance with QuickBooks. Our team is always available to guide and support you.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Thank you for the update.  Please make this a priority.  I've spent several hours on trying to resolve or work around this.  

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Same here. It's cost me hours of time I didn't have. If you figure out a workaround, will you post here? I'll do the same.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

I have a convoluted workaround.
 
1. Go to Account and Settings -->Sales -->Online Delivery
2. Make sure that the Additional Email Options for Invoices is set to Online Invoice.
3. Create all of your invoices but do not email them yet.  Make sure that the Online Payments for Cards and Bank Transfers are turned on when creating the Invoices.
4. Go back to the Account and Settings -->Sales -->Online Delivery options and set the Additional Email Options for Invoices to HTML.
5. Go back to the Invoices you just created and email them.  When you email them, they will have a View Invoice button in the email but otherwise the email will look fairly close to what you want without the marketing crap that Quickbooks is trying to insert.  The customer can click the View Invoice button and it will take them to a Payment page.  We added in some text to the email telling our clients to click the View Invoice button to pay.  
 
A couple of things to be aware of.  If the Cards and Bank Transfer options in the email gets turned off for an invoice, the email will not include a View Invoice button.  If only one of the Cards or Bank Transfer options is turn on, the email will not include a View Invoice button.
 
We are currently creating all invoices during the day then going back and emailing the invoices at the end of the day.  We only generate 5 to 10 invoices a day due to the nature of our work.  If you are generating hundreds of invoices, I don't see how these steps would be doable.
 
This is happening because Quickbooks has decided that they will use these invoice emails as marketing for their products.  As far as I am concerned, they need to be paying us marketing fees to use our emails to market their products.
 
AmySameday
Level 1

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Thank you, that helped tremendously!

KlentB
Moderator

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Thank you for sharing your experience, AmySameday. 

 

I'm glad to see that you found the workaround you were looking for in this thread. We greatly appreciate when experts actively participate and contribute to the Community's collective wisdom.

 

If you come across any further issues or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to assist you and ensure that your experience in QBO remains smooth and hassle-free.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

KlentB.  With all due respect, those steps are not a solution but a band aid to deal with the problem that Quickbooks has created.  Quickbooks is screwing with peoples ability to invoice their customers and Quickbooks doesn't care.  Everyone in these threads gets the same canned response from level 1 techs writing from a script.  The people complaining in the threads know more about the Quickbooks product than the techs do.   Your response is to call these convoluted steps a "Solution".  This is a serious issue.  Treat it as such and deal with it.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

AmySameDay.  You're welcome.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Still not fixed. Do you have an ETA? I send hundreds of invoices every day and **cringe** every single time. This is really embarrassing.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Still not fixed. Two weeks later. Do you have an ETA? I send hundreds of invoices every day and **cringe** every single time. This is really unprofessional and completely embarrassing. I would not trust a company sending me invoices formatted as horribly (and incorrectly) as every single one of ours is going out right now. Please handle this.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Sadly, Quickbooks doesn't care.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

It didn't even cross my mind that we'd still be seeing this two (+) weeks after I posted the question. This is a small thread, but I can't imagine we're alone in our frustration. This is bizarre. It is very embarrassing.

mdmason
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

For us, it appears that they have corrected the issue yesterday.  Our invoices went back to the correct formatting.  I have very little trust or faith with this company.  I'm waiting for them to revert back to the incorrect formatting.  Hope I'm wrong.

LadyRoxann
Level 3

Quickbooks Online now forces customer name (in really bad format with incorrect punctuation) to invoice email cover letters

Really?! I'm happy to hear that. No change for us. I send hundreds of invoices every day and cringe ever single time I see the mess we're sending to our clients.  We look unprofessional at best. Unintelligent at worst. "Hi, Smith John - Master - 123 A St!," (??? Somebody HAD to see that before they approved whatever changes/"upgrades" they made.

 

Thanks for letting me know. This is so bizarre. I posted this over two weeks ago. I'm looking for a different system. Once that allows us, the customer, a little more control over what we're sending. Really glad to hear yours are OK again.

 

Roxann

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