Consulting Type/Category associated with Customer Job to pull into Detailed Transaction Report

I'll make sure you can effectively categorize your consulting projects by creating custom fields in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), Jen.

You can create custom fields through the Item List or the Customer Job setup.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Lists menu and choose Item List.
2. Double-click any item on the list to edit it.
3. Click Custom Fields. Then select Define Fields. 
4. In the label column, type a name for your custom field.
5. In the Use column, check the box to enable the custom field.
6. Select OK to save the custom field.

Once you have defined your custom fields, you can include them in reports. When customizing a report, ensure that the custom fields are selected to be displayed. 

Also, you can utilize the Classes feature in QBDT to categorize jobs. This allows you to assign classes to transactions and jobs, which can be included in reports.

Yes, it is possible to set up Consulting Types/Categories associated with customer jobs in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) to pull into the Transaction Detail Report. I've added a screenshot for your reference.

For additional information on customizing the data of your reports you can utilize this article: Customize reports in QuickBooks Desktop.

I'm always prepared if you have more questions or concerns about customizing reports or categorizing projects in QBDT. Kindly leave a comment below, and I'll promptly lend a hand.

Thank you very much for your assistance!

In looking into the instructions you provided with adding the custom fields to the Items, I don't think that will work the way we are envisioning.  We already have multiple Items for consulting (different rates) and one rate could be assigned to different categories.

Unfortunately, I am unable to see any screenshot you provided for reference.

I have uploaded a PDF to show an imitation of 2 different invoices for 2 different customer jobs.  They use the same Items but one job we would want to categorize as "Human" and the other as "Animal".

Is there a best practice to do this at the customer job level?

And that would pull into a column added into the Transaction Detail report?

Thanks again!

You can add a custom field directly to the customer or job's profile, Jen. I'm here to provide step-by-step instructions to ensure it will populate your reports.

In QuickBooks Desktop, you can add custom fields to add categories to your customer or job. To populate these details on your report, you'll want to specify how and when to use it during the setup process. Here's how:

1. Head to the Customers menu, then Customer Center.
2. Double-click on the customer or job you want to modify. If you want to add a new one, select New Customer & Job.
3. Proceed to the Additional Info tab and choose Define Fields.
4. Enter a name in the Label column.
5. Tick Cust under Use for: columns, then Trans and List under Required on: columns.
6. In the What kind of data column, pick the User's multi-choice list... or the Edit multi-choice list to update an existing one.
7. Enter one choice per line and hit OK.
8. Once back in the Set up Custom Fields for Names window, select OK.
9. Review and add other necessary data for your customer or job from the remaining tabs.
10. Click OK to save your changes.

Once you run your report, customize it to add a column for the new custom field you created. Here's how to do it in the Transaction Detail Report:

1. Click the Reports menu.
2. Select Custom Reports, then Transaction Detail.
3. You'll be prompted to the Modify Report: Custom Transaction Detail Report window.
4. Specify the appropriate Report Date Range and check the custom field under Columns.
5. Decide how you want to sort your report in the Sort by drop-down.
6. Hit OK.

Moreover, memorize your reports in QuickBooks to save their current settings. This will keep you from going through the same customization process again.

You can always communicate with us in this thread for other questions about adding custom fields and running reports in QuickBooks Desktop. We're here to share additional information and resources at any time.

Thank you!!  I think we're making progress but I'm still not seeing the final results.

I have added the Custom Field -> Consulting Categories, and assigned a category to our Job Name 2024.101.

I have added the Consulting Category column to the Transaction Detail List, but the category assigned in the Custom Field is not populating?

Is this due to the the Job already being invoiced and you can't go back and add the data now?

Is there anything/any place that additionally needs to be updated/populated?

I've attached a couple of screenshots of the Custom Fields added and the Transaction Detail Report.

Thank you, again!

We're pleased to hear that progress is being made, jenchriste. I understand you're still looking to see the final results of your invoices with specific custom fields. I'm here to help you navigate the process.

When creating a new custom field, please note that it will only apply to future invoices. Any previously created invoices will not reflect these changes. This is why you can see the custom field in the report, but no corresponding data for older invoices.

To make sure the custom field appears correctly in your report, be sure to check the correct fields as you click the Define Fields option and add the created custom field to your transaction. This will ensure that all the necessary data is properly captured and included in your report.

Here's how: 

Step 1: Make sure to tick all the boxes that are required to move forward in the process

1. Go to the Customers menu, then click the Customer Center option. 
2. From the Customers & Jobs, double click the customer's name. 
3. Navigate to the Additional Info, then hit Define Fields. 
4. If you already created a category for your customer, ensure to review if you put a check mark, then press OK. 

Step 2: Include the created Custom Fields in the transaction

1. From the Home screen or the Customers menu, hit Create Invoices.
2. Choose a customer from the Customer: Job field. 
3. Click the Formatting menu, then choose the Manage Templates. 
4. Select your template, then click OK. 
5. From the Basic Customization window, click the Additional Customization. 
6. Within the Additional Customization, tick the created custom field, then click OK. 

You can also refer to these screenshots for more visual reference:

Afterward, you can run a report and customize it accordingly to see the information you needed. 

Regarding your older invoices, you can assign them to a class for easy tracking or create a new invoice transaction to ensure they appear in the report with the correct details.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns along the way, and we'll work this out together to get everything ironed out. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Thank you very much!  I met with the team this week, and I think we find this solution to be acceptable for what we are looking for!

I have one follow up question...Is there a way to make the Custom Field for the Consulting Category a mandatory field to complete when setting up a new customer job?  Since this will be a new process and the reporting data will rely on that information, we don't want to miss it before the job is invoiced.

Thank you!

I’m really glad you reached out, and it's wonderful to hear that you found a solution with your team, Jen. Yes, there's definitely a way to make the custom field for the Consulting Category a mandatory field. I’d love to guide you through the Custom Fields tab so you can mark it as required for setting up a new customer job in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Just a quick heads up: The information you enter in the Consulting Category will automatically populate for the next customer/job. So, you'll want to double-check that and make any necessary adjustments.

Here’s how to do it:
 

1. Go to the Customers menu and click on Customer Center.
2. Double click the customer's profile, click the Additional Info tab, and hit Define Fields.
   
   
   
   
3. On the Custom Fields window, ensure to check the Required on List column for Consulting Category.
4. Once done, click the OK button. 
   
   
   

If you have any questions along the way or need a bit more guidance on using Custom Fields in QBDT, just give me a shout in this thread. I’m here for you and always happy to help!