Hi scottmbowles,

As of now, QuickBooks Online doesn't have an option to design an estimate without a total amount. 

As a workaround, you have the option to create and import your own form style using an MS Word. Let me show you how.

First, we need to turn on this feature. Here's how:

    1. At the top right corner, click Gear icon.
    2. Select QuickBooks Labs.
    3. Scroll down the screen and toggle the switch for Import Style to On.
    4. Select Done.

Then, design your own template in an MS Word file. Once done, you can import it to QuickBooks. Here's how:

    1. At the top right corner, click Gear icon.
    2. Under Your Company, choose Custom Form Styles.
    3. Click the New style drop-down.
    4. Choose Import style.
    5. Click the drop-down under Select a form type, choose estimate.
    6. Click the link Download a sample, and make your own import form style.
    
After uploading the form style, you can print the estimate without the total amount.

Also, I suggest sending feedback to our engineering team by going to the Gear icon, then selecting Feedback. This way, they can consider adding this feature in our future updates.

Please let us know if you have any other concerns. Have a good one.

I would just like to add, that this is a very important tool in the service industry. While my business is still new (within its first year). I find it frustrating and offensive that apps like Joist offer this simple toggle switch yet a company like Intuit can not seem to integrate a solution. 

I also want to be able to add a small contract, and or other notes other than the generic line item layout. When estimating a job, I do not want them to feel like they are looking at some crazy bill.
If I am putting in an estimate at a high rise apartment building with 10 floor plans.  And they want pricing on painting, cleaning, and or tile/flooring. It looks VERY unprofessional to make that list then at the bottom it has a 6 figure number and i have to explain how there's no way to send an estimate without it . 

Now i realize I can integrate Joist with quick-books and so on, but this is basic functionality that needs to be implemented ASAP. 

If i grow at the rate I am, I will need to find a different service that can handle my needs without 5 to 10 add-ons. And i spoke with a representative with Oracle Suite just a week ago.

Intuit, I hope your looking at your customers needs. 

Agreed. It makes no sense that this simple customization is not allowed.

Also you should integrate google fonts so we have a few more design choices.

Thank you for joining the thread, @Tom P.

I can see the importance of having a feature to create an estimate without a total amount. However, you can create your own template in an MS Word file and import it to QuickBooks. You can follow the steps provided by @Mark_R. 

For now, you can visit the QuickBooks Blog to check for new updates and features that we have. 

Stay in touch if you have other concerns by leaving a comment below. I'm always glad to help in any way I can.​ Have a great rest of the day. 

Thanks for bringing this to the Community's attention, TFB2277.
 

You're using the correct EZ Map Field for adding a purchase order field to your custom template. There's also a number of other things you'll have to do for it to be configured properly.
 

I'll help you go over some important configuration processes for customizing forms:
1. When setting up your .DOCX file, be sure to indicate which fields you'd like data to be mapped to by marking them with opening and closing brackets ("<" & ">"). Use our QuickBooks Online EZ Map Fields Catalogue to find out which ones to use.
2. Don't mark data that doesn't change. Details like your company name, address, and contact info stays the same.
3. For Intuit to upload your style successfully, you'll need to use one of our supported fonts:

• Arial Unicode MS
• Times Roman, Times Bold, Times Italic, Times Bold-Italic
• Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Helvetica Oblique, Helvetica Bold-Oblique
• Courier, Courier Bold, Courier Oblique, Courier Bold-Oblique
• Symbol
• Zapf Dingbats

4. Table Fields must always be placed inside tables.
5. Table Fields in your first non-header row of a table will be repeated until all rows in the estimate are rendered. All other rows are ignored.
6. Scaler Fields can be placed inside tables or text boxes. However, Scaler and Table fields should never be a part of the same table.
7. Formatting of your first non-header row repeats on all rows.
8. Avoid the following elements as they can cause issues with importing:

• Audio
• ClipArt, Word Art
• Animated GIFS
• Embedded files
• Adding or updating hidden links or merging fields
• Files over 2MB
• Non .docx file types or older MS Word documents renamed as .docx files

Now you'll be able to configure your file correctly. If you encounter an error while uploading, here's how to fix it:

You can find additional information about configuring custom forms styles in the following resources:

• Import custom form styles for invoices or estimates
• Importing Custom Templates into QuickBooks Online

If there's any other questions, I'm just a post away. Have a great day!

I too am frustrated by the inability to remove the "total" line.  Our new version of QBO doesn't allow us to import forms.  What do I do?  I open the completed estimate in Adobe, then use the fill and sign feature. Select the big "dot", select the dot color as white, (or whatever the ground color on your form is), and then just play with the size or use multiple dots to cover the word total and the amount!  Then print or save before sending. Crappy that we have to do this but it works!

Can I design an estimate that does not have an each line-item breakdown, just the final total at the bottom... has this been updated?  we would prefer to only use a total for estimates