How to enter billable expenses?

Thanks for sharing your first concern in the Community, @doug-heattreatto. 

The billable expenses is only available in the Plus and Advanced version of QuickBooks Online. If you have a different version, you'll want to upgrade your account to enjoy this feature.  

Then, follow these steps to turn on the billable expenses:

1. Go to the Settings menu, then select Account and settings.
2. Go to the Expenses tab, then select Edit or click the pencil icon from the Bills and expenses section.
3. Turn on the following:

• • Show Items table on expense and purchase forms
  • Track expenses and items by the customer.
  • Make expenses and items billable.

1. (Optional) Set up the following:

• • Markup rate
  • Billable expense tracking
  • Sales tax charge

1. Bill payment terms.
2. Select Save.

Once done, you can now proceed to enter billable expenses in QBO.

In case the option is still not there, I'd recommend clearing your browser's cache to fix issues when using QuickBooks Online.

Visit us and post again if you have additional questions. I'll be here to guide you more. 

Hi Katherine (BTW, one of my favorite names!!!) :)

Unfortunately, that didn't work! :(

Please see the attached file. This is what I see when I select the Edit pencil on the Expense tab in the Account & Settings section. It does not have the options you mentioned.

Thanks,

Doug

Here's the screen shot just in case you can't see the attached file.

So when Katherine from QB said "The billable expenses in QuickBooks Online are available on all levels of subscription."  She was mistaken? Seems like a pretty essential feature for a bookkeeping software. How are we supposed to be reimbursed for expenses without this? I mean aside from switching to another software that's not trying to gouge its customers for basic functionality?

Thank you for that observation, @DCodeglia.

Yes, you’re right! The option to add billable expense is only available for QuickBooks Online (QBO) Plus and Advance. Nonetheless, my colleague, katherinejoyceO will update her answer to reflect the correct information. This also avoid other users in this forum to get confused with the features offered in each subscription.

On the other hand, if you’re currently using a QuickBooks Online Simple Start and Essentials, you might want to follow the steps provided by the peer above, Jen_D to upgrade to QBO Plus or Advanced. Otherwise, you can utilize a Journal Entry (JE) to do the following. Here’s how:

1. Click + New and select Journal entry.
2. On the first line, select an account from the Account field. Depending on if you need to debit or credit the account, enter the amount in the correct column.
3. On the next line, select the other account you're moving money to or from. Depending on if you entered a debit or credit on the first line, enter the same amount in the opposite column.
4. Check the amounts - you should have the same amount in the Credit column on one line and the Debit column on the other. This means the accounts are in balance.
5. Select Save and new or Save and close.

I also recommend seeking your accountant’s advice to ensure you entered the details correctly.

Moreover, here are some articles you can browse to categorize your transactions and reconcile your account:

• Categorize and match online bank transactions in QuickBooks Online
• Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online

If you have further concerns with billable expenses, you can always drop by to post them here. Stay safe!

This confusion seems to extend beyond the forums. I've seen several posts of users frustrated to learn this feature is not included in the "essentials" plan. I only learned about it after downgrading, because who would have thought such an essential feature would be omitted. Even the Quickbooks pricing comparison chart seems to hide this fact either entirely or through clever wording, which leads me to wonder if Quickbooks is aware that such a basic function should OF COURSE be included in any bookkeeping software at any price, and is trying to keep that information as buried as possible to bleed its users of another $30 per month. What bookkeeping software doesn't let you pin a receipt to an invoice? Ridiculous.

DC, I am in total agreement with you. I downgraded as well assuming this feature would remain,  but no it didn't. The automatic markup also was removed. These are essential bookkeeping functions and now if I want them I have to pay an additional $30 which is a lot for a budding business that isn't making much yet. I am already researching other accounting software before I become too invested in QB. 

Also, I was asked yesterday if I wanted free training when I expressed my displeasure in the online version over the desktop verison. When I received a call from the trainer today, the first thing they did was market the Advanced online version. Apparently they "failed" to tell me yesterday when I made the training appointment that the training was only available for Advanced version customers. I am extremely disappointed with QB today. Such a shame that a company with so much wealth continues to bleed business owners dry. I will not be using QB when I start my accounting business next year. That will be 2 businesses of mine that will not use this product. I will also no longer use TurboTax. 

I understand how important this feature works to your QuickBooks plan, @BFE.

At times, we roll out updates based on our customers' requests. Rest assured, we're taking note of your ideas and suggestions to improve your QuickBooks experience.

While it's still unavailable, I'd recommend sending feedback to our Product Development Team. Your suggestions and ideas will help us stay in tune with what our customers need, want, and expect. Here's how:

1. Sign in to your QBO account.
2. Go to the Gear icon.
3. Choose Feedback, then enter your comments and product suggestions.
4. When you're done, click Next.

In the meantime, I recommend visiting our Firm of the Future site. This is where we share recent happenings and future developments, such as updates to newly added features

For additional tips, while working with your expense and vendor transactions in the future, you can check some topics from our Help Article page.

Fill me in if you have any other concerns or follow-up questions. The Community always has your back.

Aaaaaaaaaand QB just raised their prices. Maybe they heard people were downgrading? 

Yeah, nothing like having features reduced and prices go up! They try to tell you that the price increase is to support other aspects of your service...aspects that really have nothing to do with basic accounting. It's infuriating.

I recently subscribed to QB online after using the desktop version for more than two decades. We are a law firm that is required by law to track expenses paid on behalf of clients and having the ability to do that is essential.  I noted that the online plan we had enabled up to 10 users to use QB, and I only need three, so I downgraded to the three person plan, only to find out that with the downgrade I lose that ability to invoice clients for expenses. Losing this feature unless I pay $30 extra a month more is ridiculous, and I am better off going back to my QB desktop version that I pay nothing for, and be able to track client expenses.  Shame on you QB.  

So I've paid the F* charge and it STILL doesn't do what it is supposed to do.  It appears that it is NOT possible to assign an expense as billable in the journal even if you pay a bazillion dollars a month to the Intuit.

And, @Maybelle_S - or anyone at Intuit that may by chance be listening - is there any update on making QB online actually functional at the basic (Simple Start) level? As it stands, it is little more than an Excel sheet with some buttons and colors for $30/month. No ability to bill expenses to a client without upgrading to "Essentials" at $55/month, which offers nothing additionally of benefit to a sole proprietor like myself? 

This is a brilliant way to lose long term (20+ years) customers like myself. Why not do the logical, simple thing and have "Simple Start" offer what one needs to run a small business - like billing customers - so they can grow and stay with QB as they do so? 

Thankfully, there are other, better options out there to choose from. I would like to stay with QB for ease, but am tired of being financially taken advantage of. 

Check out this article about the Pros and Cons of Billable Expenses.

Pros and Cons of Billable Expenses