4 year since your post and they still haven't figured it out.
I just recently transferred from quick books desktop to quick books online. I was happy and excited at first because the online version seems to have more features and more modern updated capabilities than I did in my desktop version. Long story short, this transition has been a nightmare from day one. After about two weeks of reading articles, online tutorials, and youTube videos, I finally got my service items list situated. I had to do this on my own because in my opinion quickbooks has horrible customer support for more experienced users. I tried customer support but most of the times I called they just kept transferring me from department to department and no one was able to fix my service items issue which in the end turned out to be a pretty simple fix.
I am assuming these types of estimating formatting problems are more specific to us construction contracting business customers. Probably due to the nature of us having to provide more detailed and itemized estimates. I have been using quickbooks for almost 20 years. In the early 2000's, it took them a few years to get their estimating settings to a somewhat decent workable format on the desktop version. I had to create my own workarounds to be able to produce a decent estimate in quickbooks back in those days. Now, I am screwed again! Feels like I reverted back to 2006.
Once again I am back to struggling and spending 3 times the amount of time to produce a simple estimate for my customers. All the custom column features we had on desktop version are gone in QBO. Their support reps say that there is a way to customize certain fields. Yes, there is but these fields are useless because they have noting to do with column customization in my itemized estimates. Quickbooks is good at selling but once you buy in and take a closer look it's never as easy as make it sound to be in their sales calls.
Like you pointed out, the fact that we cannot do anything about removing or hiding the total amount of the invoice has probably cost me a few jobs these last few weeks. This is the dumbest thing they have ever come up with. Like you said, as contractors we have to provide various options and line items. The most noticeable item on the whole estimate when you email it to the customer is the TOTAL INVOICE AMOUNT in big bold letters. It feels like someone punches you right in the face when you look at the estimate before emailing it out. I can imagine how my customers feel when they receive it. This is the first thing we noticed after transferring to Quickbooks Online after producing our first estimate in QBO. Also, I can't add separate markup items, and/or hide my itemized pricing when I send this to my customers. This is my pricing if my competitors see this I'm toast! There is a work around by turning off the itemized qty settings before sending out the estimate. But then you have to go back and turn it on so you can do the next estimate. This is such a waste of time.
So, I feel your pain brother. Unfortunately, we have a business to run and we can't wait until quickbooks figures out how to get it together. Once again I feel like I'm was back in 2006 trying to reinvent the wheel with my estimates. This is ridiculous and unacceptable in 2024.
Furthermore, if you are wondering why I don't just find another accounting program? Well, I'm kind of stuck. I had to move from desktop version because they are slowly phasing it out. Soon they will no longer provide their sub-par support and updates for desktop users and every year they keep jacking up the price. I used to pay about $350 a year for desktop version now I was at around $1,100 a year for the main license and one user. Desktop software programs have run their course now its time to adapt to online subscription apps. Quickbooks is pretty much the standard in small business accounting. If you don't use quickbooks you will spend more money and time trying to figure out ways to get around it. So, unfortunately I feel like I don't have very many options. In my opinion, customers such as myself should not be wasting time thinking about and looking for other accounting software options. The issues we have pointed out in this thread are not new never before seen issues. Quickbooks figured out estimating templates, for the most part, in their desktop version, roughly about 10 years ago. Makes no sense why they reverted back to such basic estimating features in QBO. I am sure I am not the only contractor going through the same frustrations. I am pretty certain that there are a lot of us going through the same unfortunate experience. If you figure out a solution let me know. I tried their MS Word suggestion but that is a perfect example of a workaround just to get QBO to do what it could already do in their desktop version. Why should we have to create additional templates in another program to be able to use a feature that we already pay for?
If you have any suggestions of third party apps let me know. I tried joist but then you run into issues when you import and transfer the date into quickbooks. Other options are just setting up a separate estimating program altogether but then you have to waste time with double entry of data. Either way this situation is a big pain in the rear. Believe me, I have spent hours trying to figure this out once again.
Oh and hey Quickbooks. don't act like you care by doing the typical customer service thing by responding to this comment and acting like you care. I am tired of your reps saying the same templated script and not actually providing solutions to these problems. You have an army of engineers and employees. Seriously, leave these issues to us mom an pop shops, put your money where your mouth is, and actually provide the services you so proudly sell. I have been dealing with you for almost 20 years. I think I have earned my right to my opinion and have pretty good ideas on how you can make improvement for us contracting businesses. Just fix your estimating features and do what we pay you for.
Feel free to email me or call me so I can give you some pointers since you guys can't figure it out. You will be surprise that not all of us are just dirty stupid construction guys.
