Setting up recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online takes about two minutes and works on any QuickBooks Online subscription tier. You’ll create a reusable template that automatically generates invoices on whatever schedule you choose, whether that’s weekly, monthly, quarterly, or any custom interval. Here’s how to do it and how to get the most out of the feature.
Create a Recurring Invoice Template
The fastest way to set up a recurring invoice is to build one from scratch using the recurring transactions menu. Follow these steps:
- Go to Accounting, then select Recurring transactions.
- Select New.
- Choose Invoice as the transaction type and select OK.
- Enter a Template name that’s easy to identify later (something like “Monthly Retainer – Acme Corp”).
- Select a Type: Scheduled, Reminder, or Unscheduled (more on each below).
- For Scheduled or Reminder types, set the Interval to control how often the invoice repeats and when it starts.
- Choose whether to automatically send the invoice by email or mark it to print later.
- Fill out the customer name, line items, amounts, and payment terms just like a regular invoice.
- Select Save template.
That’s it. QuickBooks will now generate invoices on the schedule you set. You can find and edit all your templates anytime by going back to Accounting > Recurring transactions.
Turn an Existing Invoice Into a Recurring Template
If you’ve already sent an invoice and want to repeat it, you don’t need to rebuild it from scratch. Open the invoice, select the Manage ⚙ icon, then choose Scheduling. Toggle on Make invoice recurring, fill in the schedule details, and select Save template. QuickBooks pulls in all the line items and customer info from the original invoice, so you’re just adding the timing.
Choosing the Right Type: Scheduled, Reminder, or Unscheduled
When you create a recurring template, QuickBooks asks you to pick one of three types. The one you choose determines how much automation you get.
Scheduled is the fully automatic option. QuickBooks creates and (if you choose) sends the invoice on the dates you specify without any action from you. This is the best choice for fixed, predictable charges like monthly subscriptions, retainers, or rent. If the amount and customer stay the same every cycle, Scheduled lets you set it and forget it.
Reminder sends you a notification before the invoice is due so you can review it first. QuickBooks won’t create or send anything until you approve it. This works well when invoices follow a regular schedule but the amount might change slightly each period, like a service where hours vary.
Unscheduled saves the invoice as a reusable template with no automatic timing attached. You manually pull it up and create a new invoice from it whenever you need one. This is useful for complicated invoices you send to multiple customers or invoices that don’t follow a predictable calendar. It saves you from re-entering line items every time without locking you into a schedule.
Setting the Interval and End Date
For Scheduled and Reminder types, you’ll configure the interval, which controls the frequency. You can set invoices to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. You’ll also pick a start date for the first invoice. QuickBooks lets you set an end date or leave the template running indefinitely. If you’re billing for a 12-month contract, setting a specific end date keeps things clean and prevents an invoice from going out after the agreement expires.
Pay attention to the payment terms on the template as well. If you set terms to “Net 30” on a monthly invoice, each generated invoice will carry its own due date 30 days from the issue date. The terms you choose here also affect how autopay works if your customers enroll in it.
Enable Autopay for Recurring Invoices
If you use QuickBooks Payments (Intuit’s built-in payment processing), you can let customers enroll in autopay so their recurring invoices get paid automatically each cycle. To enable this, make sure online payments are turned on for the recurring template. Look for the Online Payment section when editing the template and select the payment methods you accept.
When your customer receives the first invoice, they sign in with an Intuit account (free to create), save a payment method like a credit card or bank account, and confirm the schedule. After that, every future invoice in the series is paid automatically with no action needed from either side.
There are a few limitations worth knowing. Autopay only works on recurring invoices totaling $5,000 or less per cycle. Payments process three days before the invoice due date. If the due date is fewer than three days away, or if the terms are “due on receipt,” the payment processes immediately. You can adjust the invoice amount between cycles, but only up to 150% of the original amount. If you change the frequency or payment terms, the customer will need to re-approve autopay. When a payment is declined, the customer gets an email notification to update their payment method, and once they do, the payment is retried right away.
Managing and Editing Templates
All your recurring templates live under Accounting > Recurring transactions. From this list you can see each template’s name, type, interval, next scheduled date, and customer. You can edit a template anytime to change the amount, line items, or schedule. If you need to pause billing temporarily, you can change a Scheduled template to Unscheduled, then switch it back when you’re ready to resume.
Deleting a recurring template stops all future invoices from being generated, but it doesn’t affect invoices that have already been created and sent. Those remain in your invoice list as standalone transactions. If a customer’s contract ends or they cancel service, delete the template so you don’t accidentally bill them again.
Tips for Cleaner Recurring Billing
Use descriptive template names that include the customer name and billing frequency. When you have dozens of templates, names like “Invoice” or “Monthly” become useless. Something like “Monthly SEO – Smith Co” makes it easy to find and manage later.
Review your recurring transactions list at least once a quarter. Stale templates for former clients or outdated pricing are easy to overlook, and a Scheduled invoice will keep going out until you stop it. QuickBooks won’t flag a template just because a customer hasn’t paid previous invoices in the series.
If you bill different amounts each month but still want the convenience of a template, the Reminder type strikes a good balance. You get the prompt to create the invoice on schedule, but you can adjust the total before it goes out. For truly variable billing, Unscheduled keeps the line items ready without any timing assumptions.