Items are used when you’re billing for goods or products sold to your client. These items can be tangible, like parts, or intangible, like a hosting package. You’re also able to add sales taxes to your items so that they’re automatically added whenever the item is added to an invoice, and you can track your inventory by viewing how much is left in stock.
New Item
To create a new item, use these steps:
- Select the Items and Services section
- Next, select the Create New... button
- Then select Item
![New item screen with fields to fill out.]()
- Enter a Name for your item
- Include a Description if you’d like, otherwise, leave blank if it’s different every time
- If using Accounting, for Income Account, choose between Revenue, Billed Expenses, Discounts, Sales, Uncategorized Income, or any custom Income accounts
- If Advanced Accounting is activated, select the Add New Account button to create a new Income account instead
![Add New Account button while creating a new item.]()
- Choose between Parent Account or Sub Account
![Add new account with fields to fill out.]()
- If Sub Account is chosen, in the Group Under Parent Account dropdown, select the Parent Account you want this new sub account to be organized under
- Next, enter an Account Name
- Then enter the unique Account Number, which is automatically populated for you but can be overwritten
- If needed, add in details in the Description field
- Select Save to create the new account
- If Advanced Accounting is activated, select the Add New Account button to create a new Income account instead
- Add a Rate, or if the price differs every time, leave this blank
- Select Add Taxes to include up to two taxes every time it’s invoiced
- Check off the box next to Track Inventory if you'd like to keep track of your stock
- Once checked off, specify the number in the in stock field - this can be updated again anytime
![Checkbox next to track inventory with field to specify quantity of stock.]()
- Once checked off, specify the number in the in stock field - this can be updated again anytime
- Select the Save button.
Your newly created item will now be visible in your invoices and estimates for billing. New items can also be created while creating or editing an invoice, estimate or proposal.
Manage Items
To make changes to an item, use these steps:
- Select the Items and Services section
- Then select the Items sub-tab
- Select the item you’d like to edit, and a pop-up will appear
- Make any changes as needed and select the Save button to finish.
Notes:
- To delete an item, from within the Items and Services section, use the steps from How does archive or delete work? here
- Making changes to the item while on an invoice will not save over the original item’s details, use the Items and Services section to edit the original item instead
From the Items section, you can also update several items at once. Check off as many boxes next to any item as needed, and select the Bulk Actions button. From there you can select any of the below:
- Change Income Account - This will apply to new line items moving forward
- Archive - Move several Items into your archived items list to keep your active list clean
- Delete - Move several Items into your deleted items list
FAQs
I tried to create a new item, but an error says the name is taken?
Item names must be unique. If the name is taken, the item name already exists elsewhere in your Archived Items and Services section, or in the deleted section. You can use the steps in How does archive or delete work? here to access the section and either edit the name to free up the original one, or restore the item if it’s been deleted.
Can my inventory sync with my connected Integrations in my FreshBooks account?
When you integrate with 2Ship, Shopify or Squarespace, your inventory's count from these systems will automatically update the matching item's stock inside your FreshBooks account too.