BillFlow

Create a quotation

Start a quotation in the same editor as an invoice, and see how its numbering, due date and subject differ.

A quotation proposes prices before you bill. It is built in the same editor as an invoice, and it follows the same draft-then-issue rule.

Before you start#

You need a role that can edit documents: owner, admin, accountant, sales or operations. Viewers can open documents but not create them.

Start the quotation#

  1. Open the arrow beside Create in the top bar, choose More document types, then pick Quotation.
  2. Or press ⌘ K and run Create Quotation.

The Documents page's own Create button always starts an invoice, so reach a quotation from the top bar or the command palette instead.

Nothing is written to the database yet. The number shown while you set things up is a preview, not a reservation — the first autosave is what actually creates the draft.

How a quotation differs from an invoice#

A quotation shares the same editor, the same items table and the same totals as an invoice. What's different:

  • Its number uses the QUO- prefix, drawn from the quotation's own sequence rather than the invoice's.
  • There is no due date by default. A quotation is valid for a period rather than due on a date. Switch Show due date on in the Document Meta block if you want one anyway.
  • The subject line starts left-aligned rather than centred.

There is no "valid until" field on a quotation — express validity in your terms text instead. Wording like "This quotation is valid for 30 days from the issue date. Prices are subject to change thereafter." works well. Settings › Terms is where you keep terms like this so you can reuse them.

Same editor as an invoice, but with its own number sequence and no due date until you switch one on.

Fill in the quotation#

The customer field, the items table, discounts and per-line taxes all work exactly as they do on an invoice — see Create an invoice for how each one behaves. If you've saved terms under Settings › Terms, the Terms block on the sheet can insert one for you instead of retyping it.

Save or issue#

  1. Save Draft keeps the quotation without a number. The editor also saves on its own about a second after you stop typing.
  2. Save & Issue reserves the next quotation number, freezes a snapshot of the content and moves the status to Issued. On the quotation's own page, this same action is the Issue Quotation button.

Send it#

Download PDF to attach to an email, then Mark Sent on the document's page to record that it went out. Recording what the customer decided only becomes available once the quotation is Sent.

What happens next#

Once your customer answers, you record what they agreed to and can turn the accepted part into an invoice — see Record a response and convert a quotation.

Last reviewed