When sending invoices from Hoops to QuickBooks Online, you may want to include:
job references
customer references
purchase references
internal order numbers
or other free-text information
Because of limitations within the QuickBooks Online API, reference information behaves differently compared to some other accounting integrations.
This guide explains:
where references are stored
where to find them inside QuickBooks Online
and the current limitations of the integration.
How Invoice References Work
Inside Hoops, SalesDocs include a Reference field.
When creating an invoice from a SalesDoc, this reference is automatically added to the invoice reference field during invoice creation.
When the invoice is sent to QuickBooks Online, this reference is transferred across through the QuickBooks API.
Where the SalesDoc Reference Appears in QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online does not provide a standard editable free-text reference field for invoices through their API.
Because of this limitation, the reference sent from Hoops is stored in the QuickBooks field: Memo on Statement
This field is hidden by default within many QuickBooks Online invoice views.
Viewing References in Your List of Transactions
To view references sent from Hoops:
Go to Sales → Transactions
Within the transactions list, the: Memo column will display the reference information sent from Hoops. You may need to select this column from your table settings
Important QuickBooks API Limitation
The Memo on Statement field is currently the only location within the QuickBooks Online invoice API that allows Hoops to send free-text reference information.
Because of this:
references cannot currently populate custom invoice reference fields
references cannot automatically populate PO number fields
references may not appear where users initially expect inside QuickBooks Online
This is a limitation of the QuickBooks Online API rather than Hoops itself.
Using References Effectively
Many businesses use the Reference field in Hoops for:
job numbers
customer purchase order numbers
internal tracking IDs
project names
production references
Because the reference is searchable within QuickBooks Online transaction lists, it can still provide valuable cross-system tracking between Hoops & QuickBooks Online.
Can References Be Moved to Another Field?
Yes — once the invoice exists inside QuickBooks Online, users can manually:
copy the reference
paste it into another QuickBooks field
or use custom QuickBooks workflows
However, this is not currently something that can be automated through the QuickBooks API.