How to Create Customer Statements in QuickBooks Desktop

In QuickBooks Desktop, go to Customers > Create Statements, set your statement date and period, choose which customers to include, and click Print or E-mail. Pick the statement type — Balance Forward, Open Item, or Transaction Statement — based on how much detail your customer needs.

Here's a scenario every business owner knows: a customer calls and says, "I don't think I owe that much." You've sent the invoices. They've made some payments, maybe missed one, maybe paid the wrong invoice number. Now you're both staring at different numbers.

That's exactly what customer statements are for. An invoice says "pay this one thing." A statement says "here's your whole account — every invoice, every payment, every credit — and here's what you still owe." It ends the argument before it starts.

Let's walk through creating them in QuickBooks Desktop, plus the statement-type choice that trips people up.

What are the three statement types?

This is the first decision QuickBooks asks you to make, and it matters more than people think:

• Balance Forward: Shows the customer's previous balance, then the invoices and payments that contributed to the current balance for the date range. Best for customers with regular ongoing activity — it reads like an account summary.
• Open Item: Shows only open (unpaid) invoices from the last 365 days. Best for collections — it keeps the focus on what's still owed, without the noise of paid history.
• Transaction Statement: Shows every transaction in a specific date range. Best when a customer wants the full picture and asks, "show me everything."

When in doubt for a payment reminder? Open Item. It answers the only question that matters: what do you still owe me?

Before you start

• Make sure the customer's invoices and payments are entered and up to date. A statement generated from incomplete data will just create a second argument.
• Check that you have email addresses on file if you plan to email statements. Sounds basic — but it's the number one reason batch emailing fails.

How to create customer statements, step by step

Step 1: Open the Create Statements window

• Go to the Customers menu at the top.
• Click Create Statements.
• The window opens with your statement options all in one place.

Step 2: Choose the statement type and date

• Under Select Statement Type, pick Balance Forward, Open Item, or Transaction Statement (see the guide above if you're unsure).
• Enter the Statement Date — usually today's date or your month-end date.
• Set the Statement Period. You can pick a date range, or choose All open transactions as of Statement Date to catch everything unpaid regardless of when it was invoiced.

One tip: for month-end statements, use the last day of the month as your statement date. It keeps your statements consistent and makes them easy to match against your aging reports.

Step 3: Select your customers

• Under Select Customers, choose who gets a statement: one customer, all customers, customers with open balances, or a filtered group.
• Sending to everyone wastes paper and annoys customers with zero balances. Most businesses pick customers with open balances for routine statements.

Step 4: Set your additional options

• In the Additional Options section, decide what shows on the statement.
• Want invoice PO numbers visible? Check Print PO numbers on transactions — your customers will thank you, since it helps their AP department match your statement to their records.
• You can also choose whether to show aging information, which is handy for past-due reminders.

Step 5: Preview, then print or email

• Click Preview to check what the customer will actually see. Look at it with fresh eyes — does the balance make sense? Is anything missing?
• Then click Print to mail physical copies, or E-mail to send them digitally.
• If you email, QuickBooks sends each customer only their own statement. Nobody sees anyone else's numbers.

When should you send statements?

Most businesses send them monthly, right after month-end close. Some send them only to past-due customers as a collections tool. Either way, consistency matters — a customer who gets statements every month takes them seriously. A customer who gets one out of nowhere after six months of silence assumes you're desperate.

A good rhythm: invoices go out when the work is done, statements go out monthly as reminders, and phone calls happen when an account hits 45–60 days past due.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Generating statements before entering all payments. If last week's check hasn't been recorded yet, the statement shows a balance the customer already paid. That's how "I already paid that!" arguments start.
• Using the wrong statement date. A statement date in the future or an odd mid-month date confuses customers and makes your statements hard to reconcile with your aging report.
• Emailing statements with missing or wrong email addresses. QuickBooks will happily send them into the void. Verify email addresses in your customer records first — especially for customers who "never got the statement."
• Sending statements to zero-balance customers. It trains customers to ignore your statements. Filter for open balances and keep the list relevant.

Conclusion!

That brings us to the end of this guide on how to create customer statements in QuickBooks Desktop. We hope the steps explained above helped you generate clear, accurate statements and get paid faster. If you run into any difficulty while following the steps, consider consulting a qualified and experienced QuickBooks professional for further assistance.

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