A Guide to QuickBooks Custom Reports – How to Get the Insights You Need

QuickBooks Online (QBO) provides several standard reports, but sometimes they don’t give you the exact insights you need. That’s where Custom Reports come in.

With QuickBooks Custom Reports, you can filter, group, and modify data to create reports tailored to your business. Whether you need a detailed breakdown of expenses, a specific view of sales performance, or a unique financial summary, customizing reports helps you make better decisions.

In this post, we’ll cover:

• What are Custom Reports in QBO?

• How to create and save a Custom Report

• Useful custom reports for small businesses

• Tips to avoid reporting mistakes

What Are Custom Reports in QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online allows you to customize standard reports by adding filters, grouping data differently, or changing columns. You can then save these reports to run them whenever needed – without having to reapply the settings.

Example: You want to track sales by product category instead of just by customer. By customizing the Sales by Customer report, you can add filters to see sales by item type, giving you deeper insight into what’s selling best.

How to Create and Save a Custom Report

Step 1: Choose a Base Report

➤ Go to Reports in QuickBooks Online
➤ Find a standard report that’s closest to what you need (e.g., Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, or Sales by Customer)
➤ Click the report to open it

Step 2: Customize the Report

➤ Click the Customize button
➤ Adjust the following settings:
· Report period – Choose a date range (e.g., last month, year-to-date)
· Rows/columns – Select which data fields to display
· Filters – Apply specific filters (e.g., only showing transactions from a certain vendor, location, or class)
· Grouping – Organize data differently (e.g., group sales by product instead of customer)

➤ Click Run Report to see the changes

Step 3: Save and Schedule the Report

➤ If the report looks correct, click Save Customization
➤ Enter a name for the report
➤ (Optional) Add it to a Custom Reports group
➤ (Optional) Click Set Email Schedule to have the report automatically emailed at set intervals

Now, your custom report will be available under Reports → Custom Reports whenever you need it!

Useful Custom Reports for Small Businesses

• Profit & Loss by Class or Location – See income and expenses by department or business location

• Expenses by Vendor Detail – Track spending with each vendor and identify cost-saving opportunities

• Accounts Receivable Aging Report (Filtered by Customer Type) – Focus on overdue invoices for a specific customer group

• Sales by Product/Service Summary – Understand which products or services generate the most revenue

• Cash Flow Report (Custom Date Ranges) – Get a more accurate view of cash flow over a selected period
  

💡 Tip: Tailoring reports to your specific business needs helps you analyze data more efficiently.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not saving customized reports – If you don’t save them, you’ll have to redo the settings each time

• Using too many filters – Over-filtering can cause missing data

• Ignoring report scheduling – Automate reports to save time and stay updated on key metrics

How We Can Help

We can help you set up and customize reports in QuickBooks Online to give you better insights into your business, ensure reports are pulling the right data, and schedule automated reports so you always have the numbers you need.

💬 Need help optimizing your QuickBooks reports? Contact us today!