Skip to main content

SUMMER SAVINGS 90% OFF QuickBooks for 3 months* Ends 8/27

Buy now
Switch to QuickBooks and 70% off for 3 Months
Talk to Sales: 877-683-3280
Hours
Mon - Fri, 5am - 6pm PST
Sat - Sun, 7am - 4pm PST
Product support & help
Need help signing in?
elyrsofficial
New Member
October 5, 2026
Question

What is the best way to record shipping costs for inventory purchases in QuickBooks Online?

  • October 5, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 5 views

I’m trying to clean up how we record inventory purchases in QuickBooks Online and would appreciate some advice on the correct workflow.

We purchase products from different suppliers, and the supplier invoice does not always include the full cost of getting the inventory to us. Sometimes we also pay separate shipping, freight, or import-related charges.

At the moment, we’re recording the supplier invoice and the additional shipping charges separately, but I’m not sure whether this is the best way to handle it from an accounting and inventory-cost perspective.

Should these additional costs be recorded as regular expenses, or is there a better way to make sure the total cost of the inventory is reflected accurately?

I’d also like to make sure this doesn’t create problems with the Profit and Loss or inventory valuation reports later.

What workflow do other QuickBooks Online users or accountants recommend for handling these types of inventory-related costs?

Best Regard: ELYRSOFFICIAL| Bamboo Medical Scrubs

1 reply

Jelayca VQuickBooks Team
QuickBooks Team
October 5, 2026

Currently, QuickBooks Online (QBO) doesn't have a dedicated landed-cost feature, but you can use a clearing account as a workaround to include these costs in the inventory cost rather than leaving them as regular expenses.

 

First, record the separate shipping or freight bill using a clearing account. Then, open the original inventory bill and add the applicable portion of the shipping cost to each inventory item. Enter the quantity received, update the item's total amount to include its share of the shipping cost, and let QuickBooks calculate the new per-unit cost.

 

On the same supplier bill, use the Category section to select the clearing account and enter the full shipping amount as a negative value. This clears the amount previously recorded in the clearing account while adding the shipping cost to the inventory.

 

You can always consult your accountant for further guidance on handling this to verify the accuracy of your financial records.

 

Alternatively, you can explore third-party apps that integrate with QBO and are designed to help manage landed costs and allocate shipping or freight charges across inventory items.

 

Feel free to comment back if you have further questions. I'm always here to help.

Need QuickBooks guidance?
Log in to access expert advice and community support instantly.
Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement