How to create a draft invoice for approval?

I can guide you create a draft invoice for approval, Nicole.Lim.

You can create an estimate for this one. Here's how:

1. Click Plus icon (+) at the top.
2. Under Customers, select Estimate.
3. Add the Customer's name. 
4. Verify the Estimate Date, then enter the Expiration Date (optional).
5. Enter the Service Date, Product/Service, Description, Qty, Rate, Amount & Customer message.
6. Once done, click Save.

For more details about estimates, you can check out this article: https://community.intuit.com/articles/1145302.

Once the estimate will be approved, you can convert it into an invoice. You can follow the detailed steps in this article: Convert an estimate into an invoice in QuickBooks Online.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you have more questions. I'd be glad to answer them. Thanks!

is there a way to create a draft invoice with Quickbooks online version.  I don't see the options listed below in my version

Let me share this insight on how to draft invoice @Capermartin,

Aside from creating an estimate, you can also consider creating a recurring transaction to set the invoice as a draft. Let me show you how.

To create a recurring invoice, here's how:

1. Go to the Create ⨁ icon.
2. Choose Invoice under Customers.
3. Enter the necessary information.
4. At the bottom, click the Make recurring option.
5. Then modify the Recurring Invoice.
6. In the Recurring invoice page, choose Unscheduled from Type drop-down arrow.
7. Hit the Save template.

To manage the recurring transactions, here’s how:

1. Go to the Gear ⚙ icon.
2. Choose Recurring Transactions under the List section.
3. Locate the created recurring invoice you want to manage.

Also, adding this article if you wanted to customize and make designs to your invoices: Customize your invoice emails.

If you have other questions, feel free to reply to the comment section below. We're always here to help.

I do not want a recurring invoice.  I wish to create an invoice but not have it post initially.  At a later time, I wish to review it "approve it" and then have it post.  The invoice in question is not a recurring invoice but a specific one time invoice

Thanks for your response, @Capermartin.

An estimate acts as a draft invoice. It is a non-posting transaction (it doesn't affect your books) where you can add or edit details before turning it into an invoice.

The steps above don't send the invoice directly to the customer. You can use the recurring template like a draft and customize the details.

You can use the given steps provide by @RCV, for Estimate transaction as a workaround or you can also refer to these links on how to set up and utilize estimates in QuickBooks:

• Set up and use estimates.
• Convert an estimate into an invoice.

Keep me posted if you have any other questions. I'm always ready to assist you. Have a great day!

We have this same issue/roadblock with QBO. I wonder if you found a work around yet that actually works? This is the only issue keeping us on desktop and we really need to figure it out.  Thanks for any advice!

Thanks for joining us here, rvitullo.

In QuickBooks Desktop, we can only create an Estimate that will serve as a draft Invoice. This, can be turned into an invoice later.

Here's how:

1. From the Customers menu, select Estimates/Create Estimates.
2. Select a customer on the Customer: Job drop-down menu.
3. Enter the necessarily required field.
4. Click on Save and close.

I'll take note of your feedback concerning the draft invoice. That way, our engineers might consider adding the feature on future updates. 

I encourage you to visit our QuickBooks blog page to keep with the recent news and product release.

• Product Updates.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. We're here to help.

The simplest solution would be to allow us to have the option to mark an invoice as 'DRAFT', rather than jump through the hoops of creating an estimate or recurring invoice. Simply an invoice that has been created but not sent should be a DRAFT by default like every other document creating process.

Thanks

Thanks for joining the thread and sharing your suggestions, @Retina Design.

Having the option to mark an invoice as 'DRAFT' is a great idea to add to our program. 

Our developers based the adding of features on the number of requests they received from customers like you. If you haven't done this yet, I'd recommend doing so. 

Simply follow these steps to send your feedback within your QuickBooks Online company file:

1. Select the Gear icon at the top and click Feedback.
2. Enter your comments or product suggestions.
3. Click Next to submit feedback.

Please take note that the more request they will get, the likely it'll be implemented in the future.

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.

If you have any other concerns, feedback, or questions, don't hesitate and come back to the Community. I'm always here to help you. Have a great day.

@Retina Design @rvitullo 

You may have a workflow app to create an approval process of an invoice. When the draft is approved, it will trigger QBO to send the invoice automatically to the client.

Thanks but the suggestion but all I want is to be able to create a draft invoice within quickbooks ahead of time, then make minor alterations when it’s ready to be sent. Nothin complicated, just create an invoice/document in draft form just like an email for example without involving anyone or anything else.

@Retina Design 

Do you need like this one?

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/manage-invoices/how-set-up-an-invoice-approval-wor...

It is available on QBO Advanced only at the moment.

https://quickbooks.grsm.io/US

https://quickbooks.grsm.io/us-promo

You may also create the draft in XLS as a workaround and utilize an importer tool.

https://transactionpro.grsm.io/qbo

.

Thanks for the suggestions but I just want the invoice to be marked as ‘draft’ and not count down from the temporary created date. As I said earlier, just the same as a draft email that is waiting to be sent. Not automatically, not waiting for approval from a third party, no external link to workflow, just a simple ‘draft’ or ‘pending’ status.

QBO doesn't have the feature yet. We may find it on another accounting app.  We are able to save it as a draft to be edited later (Save as Draft) or send it to our customer’s email address right away (Save & Send).

When you say

         “We are able to save it as a draft to be edited later (Save as Draft)”

That’s what I want to do but it should be marked as ‘DRAFT’ for later editing

Thanks.

It appears to be possible to create estimates as drafts. What I have yet to figure out yet is what incantations must be performed in order to view or find any hint of that stuff anywhere. 

As a general usability feedback for Quickbooks I'd recommend placing functions belonging to the same feature set somewhere within the same vicinity of each other. For example, if there is an ability to create invoices then somewhere nearby there should be an option to view those invoices. 

While I do enjoy the rube goldberg puzzle design of your software and get that it's profitable for the accounting and tax prep industries, sometimes I just need to be able to get my client an estimate they're waiting on without the necessity of 90 minutes of research into what incantations must be performed to do the thing all other software just does. 

For example, when I click "post" below, this forum will take me to the page where my post is. When I click "save" on an invoice in my other accounting app it takes me to a list of said invoices. Quickbooks disappears your work and tells you to upgrade. 

Thanks for sharing your insights and feedback about the invoice preferences in QuickBooks Online, @timbert.

I want to help you with your experience in the program.

There are several sections in QuickBooks where you can find invoice transactions. You can use the QuickBooks finder, or go to customer profile, and reports. See this link to learn more about looking up QBO entries: How to search for transactions in QuickBooks Online?

Also, when you say "Quickbooks disappears your work and tells you to upgrade", does it happen when you process invoices? Are there any task in QBO that gives you this prompt? Also, I want to know what type of service you have with us so we can look into this.

For now, when looking for the entries you're looking for, use the linked article above to look for them. Otherwise, if you need a different preference, let our developers know by clicking the (?) Help menu and sharing your request from there.

Please come back here anytime if you have other questions or concerns with QuickBooks Online and its processes. I'll be right here to help.