API glitch of Quickbooks Create Estimate [billable expense doesn't have an income account associated]

Questions
1

Hello, we run into a weird issue when trying to create an estimate via Quickbooks API, and our automation of creating invoices has fallen apart because of this.

for this request json, API works as expected and estimate is created just fine.
(docs I use: https://developer.intuit.com/app/developer/qbo/docs/api/accounting/all-entities/estimate)

{

“CustomerRef”: {

“value”: “725”

},

“BillEmail”: {

“Address”: “[email protected]”

},

“Line”: [

{

“DetailType”: “SalesItemLineDetail”,

“Amount”: 1290.91,

“Description”: “Test Line 1 - Ebook Sponsorship”,

“SalesItemLineDetail”: {

"ItemRef": {

 "value": "154",

 "name": "Ebook Sponsorship"

},

"Qty": 1,

"UnitPrice": 8290.91,

"ServiceDate": "2026-01-15",

"TaxCodeRef": {

 "value": "NON"

}

}

}

],

“TxnTaxDetail”: {

“TotalTax”: 0

}

}

When I change product with the same request

{

“CustomerRef”: {

“value”: “725”

},

“BillEmail”: {

“Address”: “[email protected]”

},

“Line”: [

{

“DetailType”: “SalesItemLineDetail”,

“Amount”: 3000,

“Description”: “Test Line 2 - Content Syndication Package”,

“SalesItemLineDetail”: {

"ItemRef": {

 "value": "112",

 "name": "Content Syndication Package"

},

"Qty": 1,

"UnitPrice": 32000,

"TaxCodeRef": {

 "value": "NON"

}

}

}

],

“TxnTaxDetail”: {

“TotalTax”: 0

}

}

it fails and i get this error

Bad request - please check your parameters

400 - “{\“Fault\”:{\“Error\”:[{\“Message\”:\“A business validation error has occurred while processing your request\”,\“Detail\”:\“Business Validation Error: An account you chose for a billable expense doesn’t have an income account associated with it. Before you save this transaction, you need to make that association, or the income won’t be reported correctly. Tip: Open a new browser window, edit the account and make the association, and then Save in this window.\”,\“code\”:\“6000\”,\“element\”:\”\“}],\“type\”:\“ValidationFault\”},\“time\”:\“2026-01-30T11:22:03.840-08:00\”}”

I’ve checked, both products have right income accounts associated and 100% identical in my inventory.

products

Did anybody run into the same issue?

I hope someone from Quickbooks team will see this issue and will get resolved.

Thanks

1 Like
2

this usually isn’t an API glitch,In QuickBooks, each item must be linked to an income account, even if it’s billable or worked before,I’ve seen this happen when switching products that look similar but are mapped to different accounts internally, I’d double-check the item Income account mapping in QBO, and also whether the account is active, re-saving the item or recreating it with an explicit income account usually fixes it.

3

There is a glitch in Quickbooks API. I got to the bottom of the issue, duplicating products and using new products in API works.

4

I’m not sure what the issue might be, hopefully the quickbooks team can fix this!

5

Solution

Edit Item 112 in QuickBooks:

  1. Go to Settings → Products and Services

  2. Find “Content Syndication Package” (Item 112)

  3. Click Edit

  4. Look for “Income account” field under the billable/expense section - it’s likely empty or missing

  5. Set it to your sales/revenue account

  6. Save

Your API call will work after this.