Create and Send Estimates
Prepare quotes for customer review and approval.
Use estimates when a customer needs to review pricing before you invoice them. An estimate can describe the work, show pricing, collect approval, and later be converted into an invoice.
Create estimates before work begins when scope, price, or approval needs to be clear for both sides.
Create an Estimate
- Open Finance > Estimates.
- Select Create Estimate.
- Choose the customer account and contact.
- Add the estimate number, issue date, and expiry date.
- Add line items, taxes, discounts, notes, and terms.
- Add signature or approval details if needed.
- Save or send the estimate.
Before sending, preview the estimate as the customer will see it. Check customer, line items, taxes, discounts, notes, terms, expiry, attachments, and signature requirements.
Also confirm the estimate owner and related CRM context. Sales, delivery, and finance should be able to tell who owns follow-up, what work is being offered, and when the estimate expires.
Estimate Quality Checklist
Before sending, confirm:
- the customer and contact are correct
- the line items match the proposed scope
- optional items are clearly labeled
- taxes, discounts, and deposits are correct
- the expiry date is realistic
- terms explain what approval means
- attachments are intended for the customer
- internal placeholders have been removed
Set the Expiry Date
Use an expiry date when pricing is valid only for a limited time. This helps the customer understand when the estimate needs to be accepted or reviewed again.
If pricing changes after the expiry date, duplicate or revise the estimate and send the new version instead of asking the customer to approve an old link.
Send for Approval
Send the estimate when the customer should review it. Confirm the email address, line items, and total before sending.
Send only after the estimate is ready for customer action. If the estimate needs internal approval first, keep it as a draft until the team has reviewed it.
Send the latest version only. If you changed scope, pricing, expiry, taxes, or attachments after sending, resend the updated estimate and make it clear which link the customer should use.
Follow Up Before Expiry
Use the estimate list to review estimates that are sent but not accepted. Follow up before the expiry date when the customer still has time to ask questions or request changes.
If an estimate expires, duplicate or revise it with current pricing and terms instead of asking the customer to approve an old offer.
Internal Approval Before Sending
If estimates need sales, finance, legal, or delivery review, complete that review while the estimate is still a draft. Check margin, taxes, discount, scope, terms, signature requirements, and delivery capacity before sending the customer link.
Do not send a customer-facing estimate as a way to get internal approval. That can create a public offer before the team has agreed to honor it.
After the Customer Responds
If the customer accepts the estimate, convert it into an invoice when it is time to bill. If the scope changes, edit or duplicate the estimate before creating the invoice.
After acceptance, check status, signer details, accepted date, total, and attachments before starting delivery or billing.
If the customer rejects the estimate or asks for changes, review the reason, duplicate or revise the estimate, and send a clean new version. Do not convert a changed agreement from an old accepted estimate.