Sending Forms with QuickBooks

QuickBooks allows you to send a variety of forms through e-mail.  You have the flexibility of  choosing from three methods; your own Web Mail account, Outlook or QuickBooks e-mail. This article will summarize each of the methods and walk you through the set up of each.

Email Overview

You can email forms and reports directly from QuickBooks using:

• Outlook
• Outlook Express
• Thunderbird
• Web Mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail
• QuickBooks E-mail - Note:  This is only available to users who subscribe to one or more of these services:
  • QuickBooks Payroll
  • Intuit Merchant Services
  • Accountant's Copy File Transfer
  • QuickBooks Enterprise Full Service Plan
  • QuickBooks Billing Solutions
  • QuickBooks Pro Plus and Premier Plus

Set Preferences for Sending Forms

If you want to send forms, including invoices and sales receipts, directly from QuickBooks you should begin by setting up the QuickBooks preferences:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences.
2. Click the Send Forms icon from the list on the left of the Preferences window.

On the My Preferences Tab

Auto-check the "Email Later" checkbox

When you set up a customer, you can set the "Preferred Delivery Method" to E-mail to tell QuickBooks that the customer prefers receiving forms by email. Don't forget to set up a valid e-mail address for the customer also.  If you want QuickBooks to automatically mark all forms (invoices, sales receipts, and so on) to be emailed to those customers, select the Auto-check the "Email Later" checkbox.

Send E-mail using

Choose which e-mail program you want QuickBooks to use. If you have Outlook, Outlook Express, or Thunderbird installed as your default email program, QuickBooks automatically uses it when sending email. You can also set up web mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail/Live to work with QuickBooks. If you have a subscription service that includes QuickBooks E-mail, it may also be a choice for you.

Web Mail

To use a web mail service:

1. In the Send email using section, select Web Mail.
2. Click the Add button. QuickBooks opens the Add Email Info window.
3. Enter your email information.  You may need to know the SMTP Server Details for your Email Provider, including Server Name and Port number.
   • Enter your full e-mail account name in the Email Id box, such as "me@hotmail.com".
   • If you select Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail/Live as the E-mail Provider, QuickBooks will automatically fill in the Server Name and Port for you.
   • If you select Others you will have to fill in the Server Name and Port.  The Default Port is 25.  If you have trouble connecting with that Port, contact your E-mail Provider for an alternative.
4. Click OK.

Outlook

To use Outlook, select Outlook from the My Preferences tab of Send Forms.  If you are already using Outlook on the computer with QuickBooks, you shouldn't have to enter any settings.

• Have Outlook open.
• When you are in a Form and click E-mail to send it, an Outlook message window will open.  You can modify the E-mail as if you created it from scratch.
• You will see the form you want to send listed as Attached to your e-mail.  You can add other attachments as well.
• The To address should already be filled in for you if the customer or vendor is set up with one.  Or you can add or change the To address.
• Once the e-mail is sent, a copy will be in your Sent folder

QuickBooks E-mail

To use QuickBooks E-mail, select QuickBooks E-mail.  QuickBooks E-mail is only available to users who subscribe to at least one of these services:

• QuickBooks Payroll
• Intuit Merchant Services
• Accountant's Copy File Transfer
• QuickBooks Enterprise Full Service Plan
• QuickBooks Billing Solutions
• QuickBooks Pro Plus and Premier Plus

If you use this method it is recommended that you enter your own e-mail address in the Bcc field because you don't get a copy or record of the email that was sent. You don't have a Sent folder that you can look at. To set up the Bcc e-mail address:

On the Company Preferences Tab

1. Click on the Company Preferences tab of the Send Forms set up.
2. Create an Email Template for each form in the "Show" drop down menu.  Choose the forms you want to have a Bcc e-mail address.
3. Click OK after setting up each form.  You will have to do one at a time.  They can each have a different Bcc address.

Email Forms and Reports

Forms such as an invoice or purchase order will be sent to your recipient as a PDF file attached to the email.

When you email a report, you have the option to send it to your recipient as either as a PDF file or an Excel file attached to the e-mail.

Change the Default Email Message for a Form

When you email an invoice, statement, estimate, report, paystub, or other form, QuickBooks creates an email message to accompany the form. You can customize this message for each type of form you email.

To perform this task

1. Open the Send Forms preferences.
2. Click the Company Preferences tab.
3. Click the Show drop-down arrow and select a form type.
4. Select the template in the list that you want to be the default for this form.
5. Click Edit. The Edit Email Template window opens.
6. At the top of the window, select the Default checkbox.
7. Edit the template as needed.
   To add a variable field to your email template, such as an invoice number or due date, click the Insert Field drop-down arrow and select a field. QuickBooks automatically replaces the field with the correct information in each email you send.
8. Click Save.

Changing Your Company's Email Address

If your company's email address changes, be sure to update it in the Company Information window. This ensures that QuickBooks enters the correct "From" address when you send forms by email.

To perform this task

1. Go to the Company menu and click My Company.
2. Enter the new email address in the Email field.
3. Click OK.

Sending forms via e-mail is very useful.  First it saves printing and postage costs.  Second it saves you time from preparing items to be mailed and mailing them.  Third it helps the environment with less paper being produced.  Finally it gets the document in front of the recipient quicker which leads to quicker response time. 

With the various option QuickBooks provides to send forms through e-mail you should be able to find a solution that works for you.

Use these preferences to tell QuickBooks which email program to use. If you have Outlook, Outlook Express, or Thunderbird installed as your default email program, QuickBooks automatically uses it when sending email. You can also set up web mail services such as Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, or Hotmail to work with QuickBooks. In some cases, you can use QuickBooks E-mail too.

Note: Later, if QuickBooks asks for your password when sending an email or form, enter the password for your email, not your password for QuickBooks. If QuickBooks won't accept your password, be sure you're entering the correct password for the selected email account. If you're still having trouble, please ask your email provider for help.

Web Mail

To use a web mail service:

1. In the Send email using section, select Web Mail.
2. Click the Add button. QuickBooks opens the Add Email Info window.
3. Enter your email information
4. Click OK.

Outlook

To use Outlook, select Outlook.

Be sure that your email program is set up properly and your profile is correctly configured. Refer to Outlook's help for details.

• Typically, you configure profile settings through the Windows Control Panel. If you consult Outlook's help for assistance, search for the term "profile" to view the most relevant topics.

QuickBooks E-mail

To use QuickBooks E-mail, select QuickBooks E-mail.

Note: QuickBooks E-mail is available only to certain QuickBooks users.

QuickBooks E-mail is only available to users who subscribe to 1 or more of these services:

• QuickBooks Payroll
• Intuit Merchant Services
• Accountant's Copy File Transfer
• QuickBooks Enterprise Full Service Plan
• QuickBooks Billing Solutions
• QuickBooks Pro Plus and Premier Plus