The short versionThis article helps you decide what can be reviewed before a recurring invoice is sent in QuickBooks Online. If no draft exists, use the Recurring Template List to check the template, listed amount, and account name. Once QuickBooks Online generates a draft, open it from the customer’s Transaction List and inspect the invoice output for the invoice date, due date, payment terms, line items, and amounts without editing, saving, or sending it.

A recurring invoice is coming due. You want to know what the customer will see before anyone sends it.

Start with one question: Has QuickBooks Online created the invoice draft yet? A draft is a saved invoice that has not been sent.

QuickBooks Online does not document a dedicated read-only preview for a future recurring invoice it has not created. The documented review point is the generated draft.

Review boundary: Inspect records only. Do not edit or save the template or draft. Do not change the recurring schedule or Days in advance to create setting. Do not select Review and send or Send invoice.

Check the template for the setup. Check the draft for the invoice.

If no draft exists, check the template summary

Open Reports > Standard reports > Recurring Template List.

Confirm that the recurring template appears. Check its listed amount and the account name shown with the template. The account name identifies the account tied to that recurring charge.

If the account name is the one you expect, the template is tied to the expected account. If it is not, the template setup may need correction.

The Recurring Template List is not a customer-facing invoice. It does not show the full line-by-line invoice presentation. Wait for QuickBooks Online to generate a draft before checking the invoice date, due date, payment terms, or line items and amounts.

Once a draft exists, open the invoice

Open Customer Hub > Customers & leads. Select the customer, then open Transaction List.

Find the generated invoice and select View/Edit. This opens the invoice draft.

Next, open the invoice output, which is the version the customer would see. Use the instructions that match your invoice layout:

New invoice layout: Select Print or download to open the invoice output.
Old invoice layout: Select Print or Preview, then select Print or Preview again.

Inspect these details in the draft and invoice output:

Invoice date
Due date
Payment terms
Line items and amounts

The template list checks the setup. The generated draft checks the invoice before sending.

If you cannot open the report or invoice, ask your QuickBooks Online administrator to confirm your access.

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-08-28