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How to Customize QuickBooks Online Invoice Templates
How to Customize QuickBooks Online Invoice Templates

Learn How to Further Customize QuickBooks Online Invoices and Estimates With Your Own Templates

In our Ultimate Guide to QuickBooks Online Invoicing, we teach you how to edit QBO invoices and estimates using the standard QuickBooks invoice template generator.

For many QBO users, this is a great way to change the look and feel of their standard sales forms. You can change colors, typography, add a logo, and even add custom fields to all your sales forms.

But...

There’s a way to further customize invoices in Quickbooks Online.

You can actually create and import your own, custom-styled, QuickBooks Online invoice templates and estimates.

However...

There are a few things you’ll need to know to properly format your custom templates before you can import them. We cover everything you need to know in three parts:

  • Part I: Design a Customized QuickBooks Online Invoice Template Using Google Docs/Microsoft Word
  • Part II: Enable Import Style Feature in QuickBooks Online
  • Part III: Import Your Customized QuickBooks Online Invoice Template or Estimate

P.S. You’re also free to download and use one of our customizable free QuickBooks Online invoice templates.

Free Invoice Template Generators:

  1. QuickBooks Online Invoice Template Generator
  2. Xero Invoice Template Generator
  3. FreshBooks Invoice Template Generator
  4. Shopify Invoice Template Generator
  5. PayPal Invoice Template Generator
  6. Hubspot Invoice Template Generator
  7. Zoho Invoice Template Generator

Part I: Design a Customized QuickBooks Online Invoice Template Using Google Docs/Microsoft Word

For whatever reason, QuickBooks Online only accepts custom invoices and estimates so long as they're in a Microsoft Word Doc format.

Note: We prefer customizing and editing our sales forms using Google Docs. If you’re like us, then all you need to do to convert your Google Doc to a Word Doc is go to “File” and select “Download as Microsoft Word”.

Quick Start: How to Create a Customized QuickBooks Online Invoice Template

  1. Design your QBO invoice template or estimate.
  2. Apply angle brackets to data you want to map with QuickBooks Online fields.
  3. Use tables to layout your form’s contents.
  4. Create table layouts with simple rows and columns for the best results.

1. Design your QBO invoice template or estimate.

Note: QuickBooks Online only supports the following Microsoft Word font styles:

  • Arial Unicode MS
  • Courier, Courier Bold, Courier Oblique, Courier Bold-Oblique
  • Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Helvetica Bold-Oblique
  • Times Roman, Times Bold, Times Italic, Times Bold-Italic
  • Symbol
  • Zapf Dingbats

2. Apply angle brackets to data you want to map with QuickBooks Online fields.

Note: Do not mark the data that does not change (e.g., company name, address, and contact information). Be sure to use Microsoft Word tables in QuickBooks Invoice Templates.

3. Use tables to layout your form’s contents.

Note: Merged or split cells and tables placed inside of tables may cause unexpected problems.

4. Create table layouts with simple rows and columns for the best results.

Note: To avoid issues, do not add the following elements:

  • Audio
  • ClipArt, WordArt
  • Animated GIFS
  • Embedded files
  • Adding or updating hidden links or merging fields
  • Files over 2 MB
  • Non .docx file types or older Microsoft Word documents renamed as .docx files

Part II: Enable Import Style Feature in QuickBooks Online

Before you can import your own customized sales forms you need to enable the Import Style feature in QuickBooks Online. Enabling this feature allows you to import fully customized invoices and estimates.

Quick Start: Enable Import Style Feature in QuickBooks Online

  1. Click on the Gear icon from the QuickBooks dashboard and select QuickBooks Labs.
  2. Click on the Radio Button to turn the Import Style Feature on.

1. Click the Gear icon and select QuickBooks labs.

quickbooks-labs.png

2. Click the toggle for Import Style from Off to On.

toggle-import-style-on.png

Part III: Import Your Customized QuickBooks Online Invoice Template or Estimate

Once you’ve created your new invoice or estimate template, you can then upload it into QuickBooks Online. To do this, you’ll need to match some fields.

Quick Start: How to Import QuickBooks Online Invoice Templates and Estimates

  1. Click the **Gear icon **and select Custom Form Styles to begin importing your custom template.
  2. Select Import Style from the New style drop-down.
  3. Pick your form type as either Invoice or Estimate.
  4. Click Browse to upload your custom invoice template.
  5. Map your invoice template fields with QuickBooks when prompted.
  6. Correct any field mapping if needed.

1. Click the Gear icon and select Custom Form Styles to begin importing your custom template.

gear-icon-custom-form-styles.png

2. Select Import Style from the New style drop-down.

custom-form-style-import-style.png

3. Pick your form type as either Invoice or Estimate

form-type-invoice-estimate.png

4. Click Browse to upload your custom invoice template.

browse-docx-files.png

5. Map your invoice template fields with QuickBooks when prompted.

6. Correct any field mapping if needed.

Text Invoice Reminders - Get Paid Faster: How MessageDesk Improves Your QuickBooks Online Invoicing Workflow

Getting paid isn't easy. When an email invoice reminder doesn't cut it, you need a new way to reach your customers.

Text messaging is one of the most widely adopted, convenient, and preferred ways to remind people to pay their bills.

MessageDesk's integration syncs QuickBooks Online customers and invoices. It automatically pulls in and updates and this information while making it easy to text payment reminders.

Bottom line: MessageDesk makes it easier to manage all of your QuickBooks customer info. You can also text customers and even send invoice reminders.

Visit our learning center for information on how to get started with MessageDesk. You’ll find a quick start guide to texting, a features overview, and an explanation of what MessageDesk is.

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