Set up automatic billing after quote acceptance

Check your company and access#

Use this workflow when quote automation is available in Settings → Finance & billing → Client invoicing. It starts off. If the page says automatic billing is unavailable, continue with the manual invoice workflow or ask an administrator to review availability.

The person enabling automation needs access to manage organization settings, manage quotes, view Finance and create invoices. Automatic email also needs invoice sending access. Use your own QuickBooks connection, or a company explicitly shared with you while you are an active workspace Owner. The chosen invoice actions must still be allowed. A workspace role alone does not grant access to a private connection.

Save the intended QuickBooks company and billing setup first. Use eligible accepted quotes with supported payment terms, currency and QuickBooks products or services. Taxable invoices, custom payment terms, foreign currencies, amendments or missing item mappings can require manual review.

Save the company and invoice defaults#

Saving these preferences does not create or send an invoice or change QuickBooks settings. The accepted quote still supplies its agreed pricing and terms. Each saved step refreshes the next step automatically; unsaved or unavailable prerequisites block enabling automation.

1. Open Settings → Finance & billing → Client invoicing. Start with step 1, Company & defaults. If it is already saved, select Edit company & defaults to review it.
2. Choose or change the QuickBooks company. Check the company name and ending digits, then select Use this company. If it is missing, ask the connector to review your access; do not connect a different business to continue.
3. Review Payment deadline, Invoice currency and optional Starting services. Use Check QuickBooks to check the company and available services.
4. Select Save & continue. Choosing a company in the dialog does not save the billing setup. Wait for the saved company summary before continuing to Invoice permissions.

Allow the intended invoice actions#

Automation setup requires saved invoice-creation permission and your own team access to create invoices. Saving permissions does not create or send an invoice; sending permission alone does not enable automatic emails. Automation has its own selection and confirmation in step 3.

1. In step 2, Invoice permissions, check the saved company and Choose what your team can do. Select Edit permissions if the step is already a compact saved summary.
2. If you have permission to manage integrations for this connection, turn on Allow the selected invoice actions. Select Create invoices. Select Send invoice emails only if invoice sending should also be allowed.
3. Review Who can use these actions? and the individual team permissions. Choose only the access you intend to grant. Confirm the company and actions, then select Save & continue.
4. Read the saved confirmation. If the company or permissions changed while you were editing, use Reload saved permissions and review the current setup before trying again.

Choose and save the automatic steps#

The saved workflow applies to future acceptances. It does not invoice older accepted quotes retroactively. Saving billing defaults above does not turn automation on.

Customer matching uses an existing client accounting link when available; otherwise it requires an unambiguous name and email match. Resolve ambiguous, inactive or wrong-currency customer records before continuing.

1. In step 3, Quote automation, find Choose what happens next. Resolve any prerequisite notice before selecting Use these QuickBooks steps when a quote is accepted.
2. Choose Create the customer if needed to allow a new customer when no safe match exists. Leave it off if billing must use an existing customer. Ambiguous matches stop for review.
3. Choose Create the invoice if you want the accepted initial charges invoiced automatically. Leave it off for a customer-only workflow.
4. Leave Email the invoice to the customer off when you want to review delivery later. Select it only if QuickBooks should email the invoice to the recipient recorded on the accepted quote without a separate approval. This option requires invoice creation and sending permission. Phased projects keep their approval-payment invoice unsent even when this option is selected.
5. Read the When a customer accepts summary and the saved company. Select the authorization checkbox only when those steps are intended, then select Turn on automation. When updating an enabled workflow, use Save automation changes. If the billing setup changed, review the company and choices again before using Confirm automation.
6. Confirm Automation on and the saved choices. Not saved yet means the selections have not taken effect; an already enabled workflow keeps its saved choices until you save. Review required or Needs attention means resolve the stated setup or permission issue before relying on automation. Use Reload quote automation settings if the saved outcome is unclear.

Check the accepted quote and invoice#

Sending confirmed by QuickBooks is provider confirmation, not proof the customer received or read the email. It does not mean the invoice is paid. If email was off, review and send the existing invoice separately when ready.

1. After a customer accepts a quote, open it in Quotes and check its After acceptance card.
2. While Waiting to start or Billing in progress appears, allow the current work to finish. You can return later and use Reload quote automation status. Do not create a second invoice while the result is unresolved.
3. Check each selected step and any confirmed customer or invoice record. Billing steps complete refers to the steps selected for that quote; an unselected email step remains off.
4. When Review invoice in Finance appears, open it and verify the customer, services, dates, amount, delivery state and payment state.

Resolve stopped or uncertain work#

• Needs your attention: read the stated reason and inspect the saved customer and invoice before taking another action. Resolve missing items, customer matches, connection or permission issues first. Use Retry remaining steps only when it is offered.
• Automation paused: the saved setup or access may have changed. Review the saved result and Review automation settings. If a manual invoice review is offered, retain the confirmed customer and original accounting company.
• Uncertain customer creation: find the existing record in the original QuickBooks company. An authorized teammate can enter the QuickBooks customer ID and use Verify customer result when offered. This checks an existing result; it does not create another customer.
• Uncertain invoice creation: use the offered Verify the saved billing result section and follow its instructions. Check the original QuickBooks record instead of creating another invoice.
• Uncertain invoice email: use Check send status when offered. This checks whether QuickBooks confirmed the existing send; it does not send the invoice again.
• An in-progress request may need at least five minutes before verification is available. If a result remains uncertain or a recovery action is unavailable, ask an authorized administrator for help before creating or sending anything else.

Turn off future automatic billing#

Turning automation off does not delete a confirmed customer or invoice, undo an email, or establish that an already started provider request did nothing. Check the existing result before continuing manually.

1. Open Client invoicing and find Choose what happens next.
2. Clear Use these QuickBooks steps when a quote is accepted, then select Turn off automation. You can still turn saved automation off when an earlier setup step needs attention.
3. Confirm Automation off. New accepted quotes use manual billing. Review any existing incomplete runs and saved records separately.