Estimates are quotes provided for customers to help them understand products and pricing. No payment is taken at this stage. This is primarily for the customer's information as they progress through the lifecycle of an order.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Estimate Menu
- Estimates
- Estimate Drafts
- Estimate Information
- Line Items Tab
- When creating an Estimate, there is a feature to add a Quick Product or a Line Item.
- Estimate Details Tab
- Destinations Tab
- Estimate Notes Tab
- Custom Fields Tab
- Files Tab
- History Tab
- Pricing Bar
Estimate Menu
To find all Estimates, navigate to Sales / Estimates.
The Estimates screen is comprised of two tabs which include all of your Estimates and Estimate Drafts.
Estimates
This tab includes a complete record of all Estimates in your system and is organized to provide you with needed information quickly.
a. Estimate Number - unique ID number for the Estimate. Numbering and prefixes can be changed within Settings / Sales / Numbering Options or Settings / My Business / Locations / under the Location Details Tab within a selected location.
Note: These changes only apply to future orders and will not change the prefixes retroactively.
b. Company/Contact - which business or personal account the Estimate is associated with.
c. Description - basic representation of what the Estimate contains.
d. Salesperson - which member of your team sells to the customer.
e. Created Date - the date the Estimate was entered into the system.
f. Follow-Up Date - the designated date you or your team have determined for a follow-up with the customer.
g. Total - total price for the Estimate.
h. Location - which location this Estimate was created in and will be managed through.
i. Status - an update on the progress through the workflow.
Note: Estimates can be found using the Search Bar or the Filter Icon. Once selected, the Filter Options tab can search using the Estimate Number, Employees, Company, Salesperson, Status or Location.
a. Filter Icon - Select this icon to bring up the Filter Options menu.
b. Filter Options - select items from the drop down menus or from the checkboxes. This will display all Estimates that fit the criteria.
c. Pin Icon - select this to make the Filter Option a default, meaning it will automatically apply when you open the Estimates menu. Once an item is Pinned, it won't be affected by the Clear Unpinned Button.
d. Clear Unpinned / Clear All - use these buttons to remove filters that have not been Pinned.
Estimate Drafts
This tab includes a record of all unsaved Estimates created within the previous 30 days with the following information displayed:
a. Company/Contact - which business or personal account the estimate associated with.
b. Draft Date - the date Draft was created.
Note: Drafts expire after one month. This date can be seen in red below the Draft Date.
c. Description - basic representation of what the Estimate contains.
d. Draft By - who created the Draft.
e. Total - the Draft's price.
f. The Search Bar and Filter Icon can be used from within the Drafts tab as well.
Estimate Information
Select an Estimate or use the Green Plus Icon to create a new Estimate in order to view the following information:
Top Bar - basic details about the Estimate.
a. Customer - includes the Company and Contact.
b. Estimate Description - basic representation of what the Estimate contains. This is customer-visible.
c. Estimate Origination - this explains how the customer found you. Select an option from the dropdown menu.
Note: Estimate Origination options can be managed by navigating to Settings / Sales / CRM Lists and selecting the Originations Tab.
d. Customer PO# - the unique ID number of the Purchase Order.
e. Salesperson - which member of your team sells to the customer.
Note: Items with a red asterisk are required fields. This can be managed by navigating to Settings / Sales / Estimate and Order Options, then selecting the Estimates tab.
Tools - these are located at the top right of the Estimate and include:
a. My Tasks - provides a quick way to create a list of items that need to be completed in conjunction with that particular estimate. To create a Task, select the green +New Task button.
b. Observing (Eyeball Icon) -set yourself or a team member to observe and track progress on the order. To set yourself as the watcher, toggle the Yes/No switch. To select another team member as an observer, select Add Observer.
c. Estimate Email Templates (Letter Icon) - send pre-created templates to customers. To edit these, select Manage Email Templates or navigate to Settings / System / Email Templates / Estimates.
Note: To use the templates, select the desired template. This will open a window to quickly send an email. Fill in the appropriate fields, then select Send Email.
d. Documents (Paper Icon) - view associated Documents. To edit Documents, select Manage Documents. For more information, visit Intro to Documents.
e. Ellipses - quickly Add a New Estimate, Convert to Order, Mark Ready for Approval, Mark Lost, or Clone the Estimate.
f. Estimate Status and Estimate Follow-up - provides information on the workflow and when the Estimate requires a Follow-up. Select the Blue Pencil Icon to edit the Follow-up Date.
Note: If an Estimate has been converted to an Order, the Estimate will have a Lock Icon. The Estimate can no longer be edited, but can be cloned.
Tabs - Within an estimate there are several tabs you can select from to bring up or enter pertinent information.
Line Items Tab
When creating an Estimate, there is a feature to add a Quick Product or a Line Item.
To add a Line Item, select + Add Line Item to open a popup with the following components:
a. Assemblies - a customized combination of Machines, Labors, and Materials.
b. Labors - different labors needed for a needed product to be created.
c. Materials - physical products sold by the business, or that will be used to create a product for a customer order.
d. Quick Products - pre-created products to be used in orders.
e. Favorites - any of the above components that have been selected by you. These also appear in the favorite column on the left.
Select a component, chose the individual items, and click Add. For additional information, visit Line Items Overview.
Note: Proofs can be uploaded through an individual Line Item under the Customer Tab.
Estimate Details Tab
Basic information about the Estimate including Billing Address, Roles, Sales Details, and Estimate Milestones.
Note: when the status of an Estimate is set to Approved, Lost, or Voided, these fields will not be able to be edited.
a. Billing Address - Use the dropdown to select the correct Address or select custom address from the dropdown to enter a new one.
b. Roles - employees assigned to specific positions for this Estimate. For more information, visit Employee Roles and Permissions.
Sales Details - additional details about the Estimate including:
c. Tax Group - how the Estimate will be taxed.
d. Make Order Tax Exempt - when this is checked, you will be required to input a Tax Exempt Reason and Tax ID.
e. Tax Exempt Reason - use the dropdown to select the reason this order will be tax exempt.
Note: Tax Exempt Reasons can be managed by navigating to Settings / Sales / Reason List / Tax Exempt.
f. Tax ID - identification number used by this company for tax purposes.
g. Sales Location - where the Estimate will be sold through.
h. Production Location - where the Estimate will be physically created.
Note: The Production Location and Sales Location may be different.
i. Estimate Milestones - dates and times for important Estimate events. These cannot be edited and will be automatically updated as progress is made.
Destinations Tab
How the product will be transported to the customer.
a. Use the Blue Pencils to edit the Dates.
Note: The Destination Status cannot be edited from within an Estimate because progress cannot begin until it has been converted into an order.
Multiple Destinations can only be selected if you have more than one Line Item to transport.
Estimate Notes Tab
Internal notes for you and your team to communicate about the Estimate.
a. Select + Estimate Note to add an additional note.
Custom Fields Tab
Special information fields created by you.
a. Multiple tabs indicate multiple Custom Fields.
Files Tab
Upload relevant documents. Use Folders to organize multiple Files.
History Tab
Information about the changes made to the Estimate includes:
a. Date/Time - time stamp of when the change to the Estimate occurred.
b. Action - activity on the Estimate.
c. Description - additional details on the action.
d. User - who affected the changes on the Estimate.
Pricing Bar
Includes pricing for the Estimate and can be expanded using the Green Arrow. Includes:
a. Subtotal - this is the total before any discounts destination fees, or tax.
b. Estimate Discount - can be a percentage or amount. Select Estimate Discount to edit the discount.
c. Destinations - any kind of fee that will be applied as part of shipping and delivery.
d. Pre-Tax Total - combination of Subtotal and Destinations, minus the Estimate Discount.
e. Tax - the amount of tax that will be charged on this order based on your settings.
f. Total - total amount owed.
Note: To change the Estimate to an Order, select Convert to Order. For information about Orders, visit Orders Overview.
No payments can be taken at this stage of the process.
