Associate existing invoice with project

Hello there, @chuck27p. Thanks for reaching out and providing a screenshot.

I'm here to help associate your existing invoice with a project in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

Once you add a paid invoice to your project, the invoice disconnects from the attached payment and the invoice status changes to unpaid. That is why it clears out all info and associations once you link them. When that happens, you'll have to reconnect the payment to the invoice to avoid accidentally charging your customer twice.

To do this, let's ensure that the automatically apply credits feature is turned off. After that, to add the paid invoice to a project, here's what you'll need to do:

1. In the left menu, select Get paid & pay.
2. Choose Invoices.
3. Locate and select the paid invoice you want to add to a project.
4. Under the Action column, click the dropdown button.
5. Select View/Edit.
6. Choose the Customer ▼ dropdown.
7. Select the project. 
8. Click Save.

Once done, reconnect the payment to the invoice. For more details on this process, see this article: Add existing invoices to QuickBooks Online Projects.

In addition, to learn more about projects, I suggest visiting this resource: Set up and create projects in QuickBooks Online.

Please don’t hesitate to comment below if you have any other concerns or questions about projects. The Community is always here to provide you assistance. Take care!

QBO clears out everything. It goes to a blank invoice screen and my association with the estimate is gone. There's nothing to save... this doesn't make sense.

So, I find the invoice, open it, click the client/customer dropdown and change it to the project listed under the client as seen here https://rareview.d.pr/i/vaWs9j. I get the popup warning, and then my invoice is cleared out completely https://rareview.d.pr/i/rluFcN. So I would have to recreate every single invoice at attach it to an estimate, and then attach it to a payment. Is that what you are suggesting? That's unrealistic. Unless I'm missing something. 

Thanks for sharing with us, @chuck27p.

I'm here to share details about the lost estimate while adding and linking invoices to projects in QuickBooks Online.

It isn't a problem since an estimate is a non-posting transaction, and it does not post to the accounts and has no effect on them.

When you generate an invoice from an estimate, the estimate closes and, once saved. Furthermore, the invoice represents a complete sale.

You can read through this article for more detailed instructions: Set up and send progress invoices in QuickBooks Online.

Feel free to add your comment below if you have other questions about managing and converting your estimates. I'm just a few clicks away.

Ok, well the invoice still clears out, so I have to type in the details, qty, price, etc. all over again for every single invoice I do this to? Is that your suggestion? 

Do you have a real, working solution? Can you provide video instruction? 

Hi, @chuck27p.

Allow me to join the conversation and help you associate an existing invoice with a project without clearing the line items. 

Modifying the customer's name of an invoice into a project will normally remove the connected transaction. Since the invoice was converted from an estimate, the line items get cleared as well.

As a workaround, we can delete the invoice and associate a project with the estimate. With this, we'll have to convert the estimate again into an invoice and then receive the payment. We can now save the paid invoice with the associated project without clearing out the information.

I've attached screenshots together with the steps. 

First, let's delete the invoice:

1. Go to Sales and select Customers.
2. Click on the customer's name. 
3. Under the Transaction List tab, look for the invoice and click the drop-down icon under the Action column. 
4. Choose Delete and click on Yes. 

When done, let's open the estimate and associate a project under the customer's name. We'll have to create an invoice from the estimate then: 

1. In the Transaction list tab, locate the estimate and double-click.
2. Choose the Project on the Customer drop-down.
3. Hit Save.  

          4. On the same Estimate, click on Create invoice.

          5. Once done, select Save. 

Right after, we now have to click on Receive Payment on the Invoice we've just created. With this, we're able to create an invoice from an estimate associated with a project without clearing all the line items. 

In addition, feel free to browse through this article to personalize your reports such as sales reports with the details that matter the most to you: Customize reports in QuickBooks Online. 

You're always welcome to post here if you need further assistance in managing your sales transactions. I'm just a reply away. Have a great day!