Create and send an estimate

Create the estimate#

1. Go to Estimates and click New Estimate. From a job, use Create quote in the Quote & invoice card.
2. Choose the Customer. Add a Service Location if you have one, since tax is calculated from it.
3. Check the Expiration Date. It is filled in from your quote validity setting.
4. Under Line Items, click Add Item. For each line set the Type, Item Name, Quantity and Unit Price.
5. Optional: turn on Optional add-on on a line to let the customer decide whether to include it.
6. Optional: under Deposit request, choose Percentage of total or Fixed amount to ask for a deposit when they approve.
7. Add Terms & Conditions (the customer sees these) or Internal Notes (they do not), then click Create Estimate.

To offer Good, Better and Best options, open the saved estimate and click Add option in its detail panel.

Send it to the customer#

1. Open the estimate from the list and click Send to Customer.
2. Under Channel, choose Email, Text message, or both.
3. Optional: add a Cover message.
4. Click Send quote. The status changes to Sent, then Viewed when the customer opens it.

What the customer sees#

• Accept & sign: they type their full name, which is recorded as their signature with the time.
• Request changes or Decline, with a reason such as "Too expensive" or "Timing changed".
• If you asked for a deposit, a Pay deposit button appears after they accept.

Estimate statuses#

• Draft: saved, not sent. Only drafts can be edited or deleted.
• Sent / Viewed: delivered, and opened.
• Accepted, Rejected or Expired: the customer decided, or the expiration date passed.
• Converted: turned into a job.
• Awaiting Approval: your company requires an internal approval before quotes go out.

What if this fails?

"Add a usable contact method before sending."

The customer has no email or mobile number Ormi can use. Edit the customer, add one, and send again.

The customer accepted by phone, not online.

Open the estimate and click Mark as Accepted.

I need to change a sent estimate.

Only drafts can be edited. Create a new estimate with the changes and send that one.

Related tasks

• Turn an accepted estimate into a job or an invoiceEstimates, invoices and payments
• From estimate to paid invoice: the office guideEstimates, invoices and payments
• Add a customerCustomers and locations