Hi there, @typicole.

Yes, you're right. Adding item details to the expense listing is unavailable unless your subscription is QuickBooks Online Plus, Essential, or Advanced.

If your subscription is not one of the three,  you're also right. You must go to the category section to manually add your desired item.

You might be interested in upgrading your plan in QuickBooks Online. You can visit this link: QuickBooks Online plans and pricing.

Feel free to reply to this post if you have item details-related concerns. I'll be willing to lend a hand. Have a wonderful day!