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cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

 
Solved
Best answer December 03, 2019

Best Answers
ShiellaGraceA
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hi cloyd1,

 

I'd like to add some insight about the Product/Service category doesn't show up in your invoices.

 

To see the product/service category in your invoice, you can add it to the item details section. This way, you'll be able to see the category in your invoices. Let me walk you through how.

  1. Click +New.
  2. Click Expense.
  3. In the Expense page, scroll down to the Item details section.
  4. Select the product/service item and other expense information. Make sure to mark the Billable box and choose the Customer/Project.
  5. Click Save and close.

Once done, go back to your invoice and add the billable expense.

 

Otherwise, check the list of these items that have no category to verify if the field is blank or not.

  1. Click Gear.
  2. Click Products and Services.
  3. In the Find products and services field, type the product or item name.
  4. Click the Edit link.
  5. Click Save and close.

The screenshot will show how it looks like to add an item to your expense and in the invoice.

 

I've also added our page about income and expenses for additional resources.

 

Please know that we're always here to help if you have other questions.

 

 

 

View solution in original post

17 Comments 17
MaryGraceS
Moderator

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hello there, @cloyd1.

 

I can see that this is your third post about category not shown in the invoice. If you already enabled the Category box in the invoice template and checked the Product/Service column as suggested by my colleagues, you can perform basic troubleshooting steps to get this resolved. 

 

Please start with accessing your account through a private browser. You can refer to the shortcut keys depending on the browser you're using:

  • Google Chrome, press CTRL  Shift N
  • Mozilla Firefox: press CTRL  Shift P
  • Internet Explorer: press CTRL  Shift P
  • Safari: press Command Shift N

If you're able to succeed by following the steps above, switch back to your regular browser and clear cache. I also suggest switching to a different supported browser if all fails.

 

For additional reference, you can use the following link about how to categorize the products and services you sell, use them in transactions, and how they can help you with reporting: Group your products and services into different categories.

 

Let me know if you need more help. Just hit that Reply button below to post any other questions. Thanks.

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

I’m not being clear to you in my statement. See attached link which is the view my customer sees on the invoices. I put a Category as I’m entering the Expense or Bill from the vendor because QB will not allow me to complete the entry until I do . The invoices to my customer come from QB not my email. 
I’ve used the QB app and Chrome on two different computers. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/59zxwcep8av67om/no%20Category.JPG?dl=0

GraceC
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hello there, @cloyd1.

 

In QuickBooks category is used and was set as billable to the customer. This will not show up on your Invoices or sales receipt.

 

You have to turn on Show Items on expenses then use Product and Services on your bills and expenses. This way when you set this to billable it will show up what was billed as a product and service.

 

Category in Quickbooks Online is an internal record that isn't allowed to be shown on your customers. Only the user of QuickBooks Online can see this data and restricted to be added on your invoices and sales receipt

 

Also, you can always visit our Help articles page for QuickBooks Online to learn and read some related articles that can help guide you in your future tasks.

 

I'm here anytime you need help or if you have other questions. Have a good one.

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Thank you for your reply.

Since we can't talk and I can show a person exactly what is happening we shall just go back and forth with a different person each time.

Products/Services is not private. The header shows Category but ask you to enter a Product/Service as you enter a Vendor Bill. This Product/Service doesn't show on the invoice to my customer. The Product/Service for time does but not for Vendor bills or Expense.

See the attached which is identical to the Invoice QB pushes to the customer.

IamjuViel
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

I appreciate the screenshot you've provided, @cloyd1.

 

Looking at it, the mark-ups are not showing in your customers end when sending an invoice. Let me share some information on how it works.

 

First, mark-ups are amount added to the cost price of goods to cover overhead and profit. If you make an expense billable to your customer, this automatically adds a default markup % to the expense. This will not show up in your customers' end.

 

However, if you want your customers to see the markup, you can add the mark up as a service item.

 

Here's how:

  1. Go to the Gear Icon.
  2. Choose Product and Services.
  3. Click the New button.
  4. Select Service.
  5. Enter the item detail.
  6. Click Save and Close

Once created, you can add the markup as a line item in the invoice. Just a heads-up, you'll have to manually calculate the amount equivalent for the markup.

Keep me posted if you have other questions. I'm always here to help.

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Nope, doesn't display on the invoice to my customer still.

See attached where the description is entered.

I didn't ask for the markup to be shown just the Description to be shown on invoices.

AileneA
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

There's a setting to display the item description on your invoices, @cloyd1. I'm happy to show you how it's done. 

 

Here's how: 

  1. Go to the Gear icon. 
  2. Click the Custom Form Styles
  3. On the right upper corner, under New style drop-down arrow, choose invoice. 
  4. Click Content tab, under Columns mark check the Description.
  5. Press Done.

See screenshots below:    

 

aa.PNG 

 ab.PNG 

 

abc.PNG

  

The description shows more information about the items you sell. You can be as creative as you want to emphasize item branding to help you increase your sales. 

 

Wishing you more sales to come! We're just right here if you need help.

 

 

 

 

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

The "Billable Expense" Product and Services does not show on the invoice to our customers.

I have completed all the suggestions the group asked me to do.

Can you escalate to level 2 or 3?

SarahannC
Moderator

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

I'm here to provide further clarification, cloyd1.


The purpose of the category for the Invoice and the Product and Services are way different.

 

The category from the bill is associated with the account such as income and expenses that can be found in your Chart of Accounts.

 

While from the product and services is only used to classify the items or product and services.

 

The account is assigned to the item (product and services), not into the category. That said, whatever category you’ve made from the Product and Services will not show up in the invoice or bill.

 

Also, the category will not show in the product and services if you've created a new one from the bill or invoice. This is because of the different purpose of the feature.

Visit us again if you have further questions. We're always here to help you figure them out!

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

You were very helpful to tell me reasons it doesn't work. Is there any way you can tell me how to have a Produce/Service/Category/anything in QB that will show up on the invoices as Time shows on invoices.  The feed from Time entries flows right through to invoices in all aspects. Other expense do not. See attached.

We are still in the same place when I started this request. 

ShiellaGraceA
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hi cloyd1,

 

I'd like to add some insight about the Product/Service category doesn't show up in your invoices.

 

To see the product/service category in your invoice, you can add it to the item details section. This way, you'll be able to see the category in your invoices. Let me walk you through how.

  1. Click +New.
  2. Click Expense.
  3. In the Expense page, scroll down to the Item details section.
  4. Select the product/service item and other expense information. Make sure to mark the Billable box and choose the Customer/Project.
  5. Click Save and close.

Once done, go back to your invoice and add the billable expense.

 

Otherwise, check the list of these items that have no category to verify if the field is blank or not.

  1. Click Gear.
  2. Click Products and Services.
  3. In the Find products and services field, type the product or item name.
  4. Click the Edit link.
  5. Click Save and close.

The screenshot will show how it looks like to add an item to your expense and in the invoice.

 

I've also added our page about income and expenses for additional resources.

 

Please know that we're always here to help if you have other questions.

 

 

 

cloyd1
Level 2

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

That took 8 days for the support group to figure out what I was asking. I was trained to enter Expenses and Vendor bills in the Category area which was wrong if I needed this on customer invoices. I must go into the Item Detail. How do I turn off Category for Expense entry?

MJoy_D
Moderator

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

I’m glad that we’re able to address your concern, @cloyd1.

 

The category detail is an account that you choose from your chart of accounts; while the item detail is an item from the products and services that you purchase and sell.

 

If your invoice is for a products and services item; use the item detail so that you properly track your sales income and cost of goods sold by item.

 

At this time, the feature to turn off the Category for Expense entry is still unavailable. For now, you can visit the QuickBooks Blog to check for new updates and features that we have. 

 

I’m always here if you have any other questions. Let me know by leaving a comment below. Take care and have a good one!

Marineco
Level 1

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hi ShiellaGraceA,

I have the same/similar problem to the others in this thread. My invoice does not look like the screenshots you posted. Mine only shows "Service Date" and "Description" in addition to the other columns to the right of those (see screenshot). I am unable to add the Product and Service column to my invoice. I have edited the template multiple times, and the changes do not appear, but adding a Product and Service column is not a choice on the edit page anyway. 

 

My goal is to be able to invoice customers for different categories of services so our income will be separated into  various types. Currently, everything shows up in reports as "Sales." There are no choices when creating an invoice. 

 

Thank you for your help

LeizylM
QuickBooks Team

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Hi there, Marineco. 

 

I'll give some helpful information about adding columns to the invoice and how we can add the Product and Services section to it. 

 

Let's make sure to enable the Inventory tracking feature in QuickBooks.

 

Here's how: 

 

  1. Go to Settings  menu and choose Account and settings.
  2. Click the Sales tab.
  3. Select Edit ✎ in the Products and Services section.
  4. Turn on Show Product/Service column on sales forms.
  5. Toggle the Track inventory quantity on hand option to On.
  6. Click Save and Close.

 

You'll now have the Products/Services column or section on your invoice. 

 

Please know that you can personalize your sales forms that suites your business needs. You can use this article as your guide: Customize invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online.

 

Just in case you need related resources while working with QuickBooks in the future, you can also open the topics from our help articles.

 

You can count on me for other queries you may have with handling invoices in QuickBooks. I'd be glad to help you.

 

Marineco
Level 1

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

Thank you SO much! That did it!

userhudthudson
Level 3

Category doesn't show on invoices, 3rd request

It seems that you are creating expenses with the Category Details and not the Item Details.  The invoice does not have a column for Category.  The invoice has a column for Product/Service, which is entered as an Item Detail on the expense.  I ran into this issue a while back and started entering my expenses as Item Details.  You will need to set up a list of Item Details (like you did expense Categories).  Then when you add the expense to the invoice the Product/Service and all other expense details will be on the invoice.  Maybe someone already answered this question for you but I'm going to guess it wasn't anyone from QBO support.

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