How do I associate an expense to a customer so I can see a P & L by customer?

Hi there, John.

To associate an expense with a customer in QuickBooks Online, you first need to enable the Track expenses and items by customer setting. This adds a Customer column to your expense forms, allowing you to tag each expense line to a specific customer.

Here’s how to enable customer tracking for expenses:

1. Go to the Gear icon and select Account and Settings.
2. Click the Expenses tab on the left.
3. In the Bills and expenses section, click the pencil icon to edit.
4. Check the box for Track expenses and items by customer.              
5. Click Save, then Done.

Once done, you can now assign customers to your expenses:

1. Go to + Create and select Expense.
2. You'll now see a Customer column next to Category, Description, and Amount.
3. For each line item, click the Customer dropdown and select the customer this expense relates to.
4. Click Save and close.            

Once you've associated expenses with customers, you can run the Profit and Loss by Customer report to see them. Here’s a visual reference:

If you have any other questions or need assistance with QuickBooks, feel free to click the Reply button below.