QBO - Take a bill paid to a contractor and connect those details into an invoice.

Let me guide you on how you'll be able to connect an expense to an invoice, rockstarbookschi.

You can record and track billable expenses so your customer can reimburse them when they receive the invoice. To do this, you can turn on the billable expense by following the steps below:

1. Click the Gear ⚙ icon, then select Account and Settings.
2. Go to the Expenses tab.
3. From the Bills and expenses section, select Edit ✎.
4. Turn on the following:
   • Show Items table on expense and purchase forms
   • Track expenses and items by customer.
   • Make expenses and items billable.
5. (Optional) Set up the following:
   • Markup rate
   • Billable expense tracking
   • Sales tax charge
6. Bill payment terms.
7. Click Save.
   
   

Then, bill a customer for an expense. Here's how: 

1. Click + New.
2. Select the transaction (Bill, Expense, or Check) you want to create.
3. Select the payee.
4. In the Category column, select the expense account for transaction.
5. Enter the description and amount of the expense, then select the Billable checkbox.
6. In the Customer column, select the customer you want to bill for this expense.
7. (Optional) Enter or make sure the markup % is correct, then select the Tax checkbox or choose a tax agency if you want to charge tax.
8. Select Save and close.
   
   

Next, link the billable expense to your customer's invoice.

1. Click + New.
2. Select Invoice.
3. In the Customer ▼ dropdown menu, select the customer you created a billable expense for. This opens the Add to invoice window.
4. Select Add on the billable expense you want to charge to your customer.
5. Click Save and close.
   
   

In addition, QuickBooks Online (QBO) contains a variety of reports that will show your company's financial status. You can go through this article for your reference: Run Reports In QuickBooks Online.

Please touch base with us if you have any concerns with any of your expenses and invoice. We're always right here to make sure that we get you covered. 

Yes thank you.

To confirm: There is not a way to do this with an estimate first?

It's good to have you back, rockstarbookschi.

Let me share some information about estimates.

Creating estimates for your customers is like a quote or proposal for work to do. It looks the same as an invoice, but instead of charging them, you give them the information on your proposal of their costs. After the work is done, you convert the estimates to an invoice.
 

Also, you can only add the billable expense to an invoice, not with estimates.

I'm just a post a way if you need anything else. Keep safe!

Yes, aware of what an estimate is. Thank you.