@AnyKeyPC

 Ugh - I had the fear that this would likely be the only way to accommodate what I am hoping to achieve. Thanks for your response.

I don't understand how QB doesn't have an option for you to send an authorized form to collect a customer's credit card information only. And then that (in its encrypted form) can be saved under the customer profile within Quickbooks so that the vendor can process the charge automatically on the card each month (without having to send an invoice and chasing down payments, etc.).