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Add product and service items to QuickBooks Online

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•873•Updated 2 weeks ago

Learn how to set up product and service items you buy and sell, but don't track as part of your inventory.

In QuickBooks Online, it’s easy to track how much you make and spend on each product or service. You can also enter these products and services you sell as items so you can quickly add them to sales forms. This gives you more detailed financial reports and helps you complete transactions faster.

Here's how to add services and products you don't plan to track as part of your inventory.

Note: If you want to track product quantities, add them as inventory items instead.

To watch more how-to videos, visit our video section.

  • Inventory: Products you sell and track quantities for. Inventory features are available in QuickBooks Online Plus and Advanced. Here's how to turn on and use inventory features.
  • Non-inventory: Products or items you buy or sell, but don't need to track quantities of. For example, nuts and bolts you use for installation jobs but don't sell directly.
  • Services: Services you provide to customers.
  • Bundle: Several products or services you sell together as a single item. For example, a gift basket.

Step 1: Add a new product or service item

You only have to create a product or service once. After you create them, you can add them to sales forms as many times as you need.

Tip: Already keeping track of your products and services in a spreadsheet? Save time and import them all at once.

  1. Go to Sales, then select Products & services (Take me there).
  2. Select New.
  3. Select Non-inventory or Service.
  4. Enter a Name for the product or service and an SKU, if you track them.
  5. From the Category ▼ dropdown, select the category that best describes your product or service. Learn more about item categories.
  6. If you sell the item, confirm the checkbox is selected for I sell this product/service to my customers. (If you don’t sell the product or service and want to track how much you spend on it, go to Step 2 below and start at item 3.)
  7. In the Description on sales forms field, enter a description. This is what your customers will see on their sales form.
  8. Enter an amount in the Sales price/rate field. Note: If you charge a variable rate for services, you can leave the Sales price/rate field blank. Then add the price when you fill out the invoice or sales receipt.
  9. Select the account you want to use to track the sale from the Income account ▼ dropdown. Tip: You can use an income account QuickBooks has already set up for you, or select + Add new to create a new income account. Learn more about adding accounts to your chart of accounts.
    Note: Changing an Income account mapping is not retroactive. The change will only effect future transactions.
  10. In the Sales tax section, sales tax is applied by default based on location. For more specific options, or to make the product or service nontaxable, select Edit sales tax. Then do one of the following, depending on the product or service:
    1. If the product or service is tax-exempt, select Nontaxable. Then select Done. 
    2. If the item has a special tax rate, use the Search field or Browse all to find and select a more specific product or service type. Then select Done.
  11. When you're done, select Save and Close.

Now you can add the product and service to your invoices, sales receipts, expenses, and other sales forms. You can also track it on your financial reports.

Step 2: Add a service or product’s purchasing info

If you want to track how much you spend on a product or service:

  1. Go to Sales, then select Products & services (Take me there).
  2. Find the product or service on the list and select Edit in the Action column.
  3. Select I purchase this product/service from a vendor.
  4. Add a description. This shows on bills, purchase orders, and other forms you send to vendors.
  5. Add the Cost. If the price changes, don’t worry. You can still enter the updated price when it’s time to buy supplies.
  6. Select the account you use to track the cost of things you sell from the Expense account ▼ dropdown.
  7. Select your preferred vendor.
  8. When you're done, select Save and close.

Step 3: Track and manage product and service items you sell

Once you’re all set up, you can easily track what you buy or sell. Here's how to get started:

Edit a product or service item

You can review and make changes to any of your product or service items from the Products and Services menu.

  1. Go to Sales and select Products & services (Take me there).
  2. Find the product or service you want to change.
  3. Select Edit in the Action column.
  4. Make your changes.
  5. When you're done, select Save and close.

Change a product or service item type

If you add an inventory item as a non-inventory item, or a service item as an inventory item by mistake, don't worry. Here's how to change an item's type.

Delete a product or service item

You can make items inactive so they don't show up on sales forms, lists, or financial reports anymore. This doesn't delete the item, it just hides it:

  1. Go to Sales and select Products & services (Take me there).
  2. Find the product or service you want to change.
  3. From the ▼ dropdown under the Action column, select Make inactive, then select Yes to confirm.

To reactivate an item later on:

  1. Go to Sales and select Products & services (Take me there).
  2. Select the Filter icon.
  3. From the Status ▼ dropdown, select All, then select Apply. This shows you all of your active and inactive items.
  4. Find the product or service that you want to reactivate.
  5. From the Action column, select Make active.

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