Creating Professional Estimates

Send winning estimates that help you close more jobs.

Creating a New Estimate

1. Navigate to Estimates from the main menu
2. Click New Estimate or the + button
3. Select or create a customer
4. Add your line items with descriptions and pricing
5. Set deposit requirements and validity period
6. Review and click Save as Draft or Send

Tip: Configure your default settings in Settings > Estimates (estimate prefix, validity period, deposit defaults, tax rate) before creating your first estimate.

Adding Line Items

Break down your pricing clearly:

Field	Description	Example
Item name	Work or materials, in one line	"Labor - Deck installation"
Description (optional)	Extra detail shown under the item name. Tap Add description on the line to open it.	"Frame, deck boards, rails, and cleanup"
Quantity	Units or hours	24
Unit	Measurement type	Hours, Sq Ft, Each
Rate	Price per unit	$65.00
Amount	Auto-calculated	$1,560.00

Best practices for line items:

• Keep the item name short and put the scope of work in the description
• Group items by phase or category
• List materials separately from labor
• Mark optional items clearly

---

Setting Deposit Requirements

To require upfront payment:

1. Open the estimate's deposit section
2. Choose a deposit type:
   • Percentage: e.g., 50% due upon acceptance
   • Flat Amount: e.g., $500 deposit required
   • None: no deposit required
3. The deposit amount displays prominently on the estimate

---

Setting a Validity Period

Create urgency by setting an expiration:

1. Choose Expiration Date for a specific date
2. Or select Valid For and enter number of days (7, 14, 30)
3. Avoid "No Expiration": material costs and availability change over time

---

Adding Terms and Conditions

Include your standard terms:

• Payment terms
• Warranty information
• Scope limitations
• Change order policy

These appear at the bottom of the estimate document.

---

Selecting a Customer

Choose who receives the estimate:

1. Existing Customer: Search and select from your database
2. New Customer: Create a customer record during estimate creation
3. Contact details auto-populate from the customer profile

---

Understanding Estimate Statuses

Track where each estimate stands:

Status	What It Means
Draft	Saved but not sent: fully editable
Sent	Emailed to customer
Viewed	Customer opened the portal link
Approved	Customer signed and accepted
Declined	Customer rejected
Expired	Past the validity date

Note: "Viewed" status tracks when customers open the portal link. Forwarded emails or privacy-enabled email clients may not trigger this status.

---

Converting an Approved Estimate to an Invoice

Once your customer approves:

1. Open the approved estimate
2. Click Convert to Invoice
3. Review the invoice: line items, taxes, and terms carry over automatically
4. Send the invoice to your customer

The invoice links back to the original estimate. If a deposit was paid, that amount is already reflected.

---

Duplicating an Existing Estimate

Save time on similar projects:

1. Open an existing estimate
2. Click Duplicate
3. Update customer and project details
4. Save and send

---

Best Practices

1. Respond quickly: Send estimates within 24 hours
2. Be detailed: Itemize clearly to build trust
3. Follow up: Don't wait for customers to respond
4. Set expirations: Create urgency to decide
5. Include photos: Attach visual references for clarity

---

Previous: Recurring Invoices Next: Digital Signatures & Approvals