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?
cvezeau-mobixlab
November 8, 2022
Question

Why do I get this message? "You need to activate this item before updating the quantity." I believe the item is active, so I don't know what to change.

  • November 8, 2022
  • 5 replies
  • 73 views
No text available

5 replies

JaeAnnC
JaeAnnC
Level 6
November 8, 2022

Thanks for joining the Community, @cvezeau-mobixlab.

 

I wish you didn't have to experience getting that error message. Don't worry, I've got the necessary fixes to help you get around the issue.

 

First, let's check if the item is inactive. To do that:

 

  1. Go to the Gear ⚙ icon and select Product and services.
  2. Click the funnel icon dropdown. Select All for the Status and click Apply.
  3. If the item has a Make active option under the Action column, it's inactive.
  4. Click the Make active option to reactivate it.



If the issue still persists even if the item is already active, we can perform basic troubleshooting steps. Let's either clear the browser's cache and cookies or log in through a private browser.

 

Here are the keyboard shortcuts you can use depending on the browser you are using.

 

  • For Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + P.
  • For Safari, press Command + Shift + N.
  • For Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + P.

 

I'm also adding an article if you want to organize your products and services: Group your products and services into different categories.

 

Click the Reply button below if you need further guidance with managing your products and services. You're always welcome to post here in the Community. 

kumleye
January 31, 2025

When i click the gear icon i only have the option to click Tags and that's it. 

GenmarieMQuickBooks Team
QuickBooks Team
January 31, 2025

I'd be happy to provide troubleshooting steps to help you access Products and services through the Gear icon, kumleye.

 

To assist you more effectively, may I know if you have already tried the basic troubleshooting steps that my colleague provided? If you haven't, I encourage you to start with those steps, as they are designed to help resolve common system issues.

 

If you have already completed the troubleshooting steps, I recommend reaching out to our Live Support Team to investigate the issue further. They have the tools to examine the problem and provide a personalized resolution.

 

Here's how to reach them:

 

  1. Log into your QBO account.
  2. At the upper-right screen of your QBO account, click the Help icon.
  3. Go to Search, then enter Contact Support.
  4. Click on the Contact Us tab.
  5. Choose whether you want a Chat with an expert or get a Callback.

 

Additionally, you can refer to this article for detailed information and steps in reactivating your products and services: Reactivate a product or service.

 

Moreover, you can also change product and service item types in QuickBooks Online to categorize the products and services for better tracking.

 

Keep us posted if you have additional questions or concerns regarding the QuickBooks Online features. The whole Community is always here to help.

RMC2009
April 3, 2023

I can NOT get this message to go away. Its frustrating because I can't close the Invoice

BigRedConsulting
BigRedConsulting
Level 15
February 1, 2025

Because QuickBooks Online is stupid and buggy.

 

There is, for example, no reason at all why an item not being active should matter one little bit. It doesn't for QuickBooks Desktop. That's just stupid.

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