Manage quotes

Verified against commit 6c69a4b11 min read

Quotes help you present tree-care work, pricing, assumptions, and terms to a customer in one place. You can create a quote from scratch or from a reusable template, save incomplete work as a draft, send it to the customer, and keep reusable quote content up to date.

Getting there

  1. Open Quotes from the dashboard.
  2. To manage reusable content, open Quote Templates and choose the type you need:
    • Quote Templates for a complete reusable quote structure.
    • Quote Item Templates for reusable sections and price items.
    • Text Item Templates for reusable scope, methodology, or assumption text.
    • Quote Email Templates for follow-up email wording.

Creating, editing, sending, and managing templates requires quote write access. Staff can open a quote to read it, while managers and administrators can manage it. If you only have read access, the relevant action buttons are not available.

Key concepts

How to find a quote

  1. Open Quotes.
  2. Use the search box to search by quote number, title, client, or owner.
  3. Select a status tab such as All, Accepted, Draft, Sent, or Viewed.
  4. Use the table filters to narrow results by client, owner, status, total, created date, or expiry date.
  5. Select a row to open the quote.

The list shows the quote number, title, client, owner, status, total in NZD, created date, and expiry date. A quote with an open customer question is marked Awaiting reply. Select the copy-link control beside a quote to copy its customer-facing link.

For non-administrator users, the list initially shows their own quotes. You can change or clear the owner filter to see other quotes available to you.

How to create a quote

  1. From Quotes, select Create Quote.
  2. Optionally choose a saved quote template from Start from a quote template. This fills the form with the template’s saved content; you can still edit everything.
  3. Complete Details:
    • Quote title
    • Quote date
    • Expires on
    • Terms & conditions URL, if required. The link must be a valid HTTPS address.
  4. Complete Client & site:
    • Select a Client. You can add a client if the customer is not listed.
    • Check the contact name and contact email. Selecting a client can fill these from the client record.
    • Add the Job site address. The client’s office or postal address may be filled automatically; check it and edit it if the work site is different.
  5. Add work in Items. For each price item, enter a heading, description, quantity, unit price, and GST rate. You can add sections, optional items, photos, and attachments. A price item must have a heading before you can send the quote.
  6. Add scope and methodology in Text items (scopes & methodologies). You can type the content or add it from a text item template.
  7. Select Preview to check what the customer will see.
  8. Select Save draft if you are not ready to send, or Send quote when the quote is complete.

A draft needs only a client. Sending also requires the contact name and contact email, and the quote must pass the required-field checks. Wait for photos or attachments to finish uploading before saving or sending.

How to view a quote

  1. Select a quote from the list.
  2. Review its status, customer details, site address, sections, items, totals, assumptions, terms, and any acceptance information.
  3. Select PDF to open a PDF version.
  4. For a quote that has been sent, select Public link to open the customer-facing view, or use the copy-link control to share it.

The customer-facing view includes the quote content and a View your quote link when it is sent by email. If the customer has asked a question, review the question area on the quote and reply if you have permission to do so.

How to edit a quote

  1. Open the quote.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Change the details, client contact, site address, items, text items, assumptions, or terms link.
  4. Select Preview to review the updated customer view.
  5. Choose one of the save options:
    • Save changes saves the edits without emailing the customer.
    • Save & resend saves the edits and emails the customer that the quote was updated.
    • Save draft stores incomplete work and keeps the quote in progress.
    • Save as template saves the current quote content as a new reusable template.

Saving changes increases the quote revision number and does not send an email. Save & resend resets the quote to Sent and sends the updated quote. Do not use it for a quote that has already been accepted or declined; finalized quotes are not resent.

When you select Save as template, enter a template name. The saved template includes the quote’s items, text items, and assumptions.

How to manage quote assumptions

Assumptions are managed as reusable text items:

  1. Open Quote Templates.
  2. Select Text Item Templates.
  3. Select + New template to create one, or select an existing template to edit it.
  4. Enter a Template name and, optionally, a Description (optional).
  5. Add the content in Body. A template becomes one text item when added to a quote: the template name becomes the heading and the body becomes the text.
  6. Optionally add photos and attachments. These are copied to the text item when the template is added to a quote.
  7. Select Create template or Save changes.

To use an assumption template while creating or editing a quote, open Text items (scopes & methodologies) and choose the saved template. The copied content can then be changed for that quote without changing the reusable template.

The text item template list shows the description, number of text items, and last updated date. If archived templates are available, use the list’s archived view to find them.

How to manage quote email templates

Quote email templates control the wording used for follow-up emails about outstanding quotes.

  1. Open Quote Templates and select Quote Email Templates.
  2. In My template, edit Subject, Message, and Sign-off.
  3. Use Placeholders to copy available customer or quote fields into the message. The preview fills placeholders with sample details; a real email uses the quote’s details.
  4. Select Preview to check the message.
  5. Select Save template.

The email always includes the View your quote button and the quote link; that button cannot be edited. Your personal wording is used when you have saved a personal template. If you have not customised it, the company default is used. You can select Reset to company default when a personal template exists.

Administrators can also open Company default to edit the wording everyone starts from. Other users can view the wording they inherit but cannot change the company default.

Tips & things to know

FAQ

Can I save a quote without completing it?

Yes. Select Save draft after choosing a client. Contact details, dates, title, items, and assumptions can be completed later.

Does saving an edit email the customer?

No. Save changes only saves the edit. Use Save & resend when you want the customer to receive an update email.

Can I use a template and still customise the quote?

Yes. Template content is copied into the form and remains editable. Changes to the quote do not change the saved template.

Do text items change the quote total?

No. Text items are for scope, methodology, and assumptions. Only price items contribute to pricing.

Who can manage quotes and templates?

Managers and administrators can create, edit, send, and manage quote templates. Staff can view quote details when they have access, but write actions require the appropriate permission.

Can I edit the company email wording?

Only an administrator can edit Company default. Other users can customise My template for their own follow-up emails.

Why can’t I resend an accepted or declined quote?

Finalized quotes are not resent. If the customer needs a different proposal, create or duplicate a separate quote where that option is available.

Troubleshooting

I cannot save or send because uploads are still running

Wait until all photos and attachments finish uploading, then try again. The save and send controls remain unavailable while an upload is in progress.

The quote will not send

Check that a client, contact name, contact email, quote title, quote date, expiry date, and valid required item headings are present. Select Preview to highlight the section that needs attention. Also confirm that the contact email is valid and that each price item has a heading.

I can view a quote but cannot see Edit or Create Quote

Your access may be read-only. Ask a supervisor or administrator to grant quote write access, or ask an authorised user to make the change.

My client’s address is wrong

Selecting a client can automatically fill the job site address from the client record. Replace it with the actual work-site details before saving.

My saved quote shows old assumptions twice

Edit the quote and keep the content in Text items (scopes & methodologies). The editor supports older quote content by bringing it into the first text item; once text items are present, the older single assumptions text is no longer used for display.

The customer did not receive the updated quote

Confirm that you used Save & resend, not Save changes. Check that the contact email is correct, then try again if the quote is not accepted or declined. If the problem continues, contact your administrator.

A template is not available in the picker

Check that it was saved under the correct template type and has not been archived. Refresh the page and confirm that you have access to the template list. If it still does not appear, ask an administrator to check the template.

My email preview looks different from the real quote

The preview uses sample details to fill placeholders. The real message uses the customer and quote details associated with the quote. The View your quote button and quote link are always included.