How do I set up QB to automatically add a time charge to a recurring invoice? I have monthly invoices that go to customers but we bill for time if they need service

Thank you for joining the QuickBooks Community, tom 185. You can add those time charge by simply editing your recurring template. However there isn't a way to auto-add time entries to an existing recurring template.  The changes would be added to the template so it shows on all future invoices going forward. Here's how to edit the recurring template:

1. Go to Settings ⚙ and choose Recurring transactions.
2. Click Edit for the transaction that need adjustment, from the Action column.
3. Edit the template name, type, and the customer or payee name if needed.
4. Add or remove any product or service details in the Item details section.
5. Save template once completed.

For more information on what QuickBooks can do with recurring transactions, I highly recommend that you review this article.

Please let me know if you need clarification. I will be here to provide clarity. Take care for now! 

So if I have a recurring invoice that is being sent, I should just have it created then manually add the time charges and manually send the invoice? The recurring sending invoice template won't automatically pick up any outstanding charges?

Hi there thank you for your response, however, I'm still a little unclear

Do I need to have the invoices created but not sent? Then manually go into the invoices and add the time charges before I can send? 

What I'm asking is if there is a way to automatically add charges to a recurring invoice and then send the invoice on a schedule without having to manually do anything

Thanks for returning to this conversation, @tom185. I'm here to further give you details about your recurring invoice issue. 

In QuickBooks Online (QBO), adding the future time charges automatically to a recurring template is unavailable. You have to manually add it to the transaction. To add a new item to the recurring invoice, you can refer to the steps outlined by, SashaMC.

If the hours in the time charges are all the same, you can create a new invoice and add it before making it a recurring transaction. Then, you can disregard the other time charges that will be shown on the Add to Invoice drawer on the Invoice page. Let me guide you how:

1. Sign in to your QBO account and click the +New button.
2. Choose Invoice.
3. From the Customer drop-down select the customer's name.
4. The Add to Invoice drawer will appear. From there, add the Billable time you need to include on the invoice.
5. Click Save and then, select Make recurring.
6. Input the needed details and click Save template when done.

For your reference about the process, feel free to browse this article: Create recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online.

In QBO, it's easy to keep track of all your recurring invoices and the accounts linked with them. Viewing them can help you ensure they assigned the correct account. You also have the option to unlink or change the account associated with them.

If there’s anything else I can do to assist you with adding time charges on a recurring invoice, please post a reply below. I’m always available to help if you ever need one. Keep safe.

@tom185 

Another option, consider having a subscription management app with the metered billing feature. Metered billing is a pricing model in which the customer is charged based on their actual usage of a product or service. You can charge your customers a standard subscription fee for a plan with a set usage limit. Should a customer use more than what the base plan allows, metered billing charges them an appropriate per-unit fee for any overage, like the following one.

Hello everyone, it appears that QB online does indeed automatically add time charges to recurring invoices. Just add the time charge and wait for the day the invoice is scheduled to go out. The system will automatically add the charge to the invoice as long as "Include unbilled charges" is checked on the recurring template. I'm not sure why @DivinaMercy_N or @SashaMC did not know this information as QB employees but I just verified it on my QB account.

Sure enough a time charge that I had yet to bill for that was listed in my "Sales" section was added to a recurring invoice template for that customer for this month

Here is the reference I found online

https://plugin-qbo.intuit.com/qbo-ush/helpcontent/production/151/en_AU/QBO_Plus/Content/Topics/compa...

@tom185 

Did you try it on your QBO US version? I noticed the reference is for QBO AU version.

Correct US version. Im not seeing AU version?