how do I change the "sample message" in the layout of an invoice form?

Question

I'm using Windows Quicken Classic Home and Business edition.  I've created an invoice in the design section but can't figure out how to just have the same message show up in the layout.  I can resize the message box, but how do I just what I want to say populate in every invoice for the customer's I want.  The other layout field I can't seem to do this with is the line item on the invoice.

Almost literally the only time I need to send out invoices is annually for our HOA dues.  I'm a volunteer and just want to simplify this so I can do it next year.

I already realized it was easier for me to make a customized invoice in Microsoft Word and then I did a mail merge to make PDF's to email to our 33 homeowners.  So for Quicken, I'm just trying to make this simple invoice (and not email it to them) so that when they do pay, I can easily send them a receipt and also record the payment in my books.

mshiggins · Answer

"Design Invoice Forms" is intended only for the format of an invoice, not its contents.

Regarding the "Message to Customer" box in invoices:

If you're not planning to send the invoices, what do you plan to use the "Message to Customer" for?

You can create (and save) as many customer messages as you like; but you will have to select the message you want each time you create a new invoice from scratch.

In an invoice (in an Accounts Receivable account), note the downward pointing error at the upper right of the "Message to Customer" box. Click that arrow, the click "New/Edit". There you can create new messages or edit existing messages. When you create a new Invoice, you click that down arrow and select the message you want to appear in that invoice.

Regarding invoice line items:

Quicken allows you to create a sort of master list of invoice items. You can create as many line items as you like in that master list, but you will have to choose which line item(s) to use in each invoice you create from scratch.

To create a line item, go to Business > Invoices and Estimates > View all Invoice Items.  In that dialog you can create, edit, or delete your invoice items. You can tell Quicken what Category to assign to the item, what the per-item-rate is, whether the item is taxable and more.

Once you have created a Quicken Invoice Item, you can choose that item for an invoice, by clicking the downward pointing arrow in the Invoice "Item" column in the invoice and selecting the item you want.

There might be a couple of ways to approach your problem, a bit more information might help.

You didn't say why you found it easier to create and send invoices outside of Quicken. Can you provide some details about your reasoning there?

Does every homeowner pay the same amount of HOA dues?

-JP

UKR · Answer

One way to do so is to go into the New Customer Invoice data entry dialog.

The Message to Customer box has a pulldown triangle.

Click it and you'll see a popup dialog with predefined messages. You can also add a new message or edit an existing one.

The "Sample Customer Message" as shown in the Design Invoice Forms process cannot be changed.

To save on typing time you can create a predefined Line Item with desired text, Category and Unit Price (Rate).

When creating new invoices just use the predefined Line Item by name.

Quicken Help! (Quicken for Windows)

If you're unsure about how to do something, you can find more information about a specific task, function, feature or report in Quicken Help.

To access Quicken Help simply press the F1 key from anywhere in Quicken (or click Help in the Menu bar, then click Quicken Help).

Once Help has started, use the Search tab to search using keywords, e.g., "buy security".

Some Quicken view screens may have a blue (or yellow) button with a question mark. Click it to get view - specific help.

A browser-based version is available here: https://help.quicken.com/display/WIN/Quicken+Windows+Help

After setting up your personal and business bank accounts in Quicken, to get started with setting up a small business start reading here: https://help.quicken.com/display/WIN/Business

This also contains some information about creating invoices and making recurring invoices for your next year's  invoices due.