What is the Difference between Service, Inventory, and Non-inventory in QBO?

Bookkeeping
Vector 14 Stroke

You’ve gotten your business set up, you signed up with QBO, and now you’re ready to enter your Products and Services. After finally finding it (they hide it in the Sales tab), you go to put in your lawn mowing service, which is straight forward enough. The only thing to really check is confirming whether your state taxes services or not. Since you also sell concrete, you go to enter this but it’s giving you two options: Inventory or Non-Inventory.

Which should you choose?

It depends on the situation, to be honest. If you are selling it directly to clients and you want to track it, then the best option would be inventory. As long as you keep up with using QBO’s invoicing option and count your inventory every month, this should be a good option. You will be warned when your inventory count is low (a number that you choose, such as at 10 units), giving you the opportunity to reorder before you run out.

But let’s say that you actually use this concrete in client projects and don’t need to track it quite as diligently. You might also sell something that is difficult to track, such as small packets of screws. Well then, your best option would have to be non-inventory. With this option, you are able to have the item on your list of products and are able to add it to invoices if needed without the need to keep super accurate records for tracking purposes.

If you commonly sell items together, such as wood with your DIY class, then you are able to create a bundled item to include on your invoices.

There you have it, the four options available for you to enter in QBO. Make sure you pick the right one when getting started. Good luck!

Book Your Free Introductory Call

Book Your Free Introductory Call

Ready to get started? Contact us today and turn tax season into just another part of a thriving business strategy.

Want to learn more about how we can help your business grow?

a construction worker holding a drill

Related Posts

bookkeeping for general contractors

7 Reasons Why Bookkeeping for General Contractors Breaks Down at Tax Time

If you are a general contractor, tax season should not feel like an audit of your entire year. ...

Bookkeepers in Denver Colorado

Top 3 Bookkeepers in Denver, Colorado

Running a small business comes with enough moving parts without having to second-guess your numbers. Whether you are ...

Guide to First Year Construction Bookkeeping

The Ultimate Guide to Construction Bookkeeping In Your First Year

Your first year in construction is usually a blur. You are focused on landing jobs, keeping crews busy, ...

Stroke v2

Book Your Introductory Call

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetu adipiscing elit sed amet consectetur.
Sit amet consectetu adipiscing elit sed.