OFFICE: Estimates
What is an Estimate?
An Estimate is a preliminary Invoice. A Static invoice enables you to send your Target an Estimate for approval and If they accept the Estimate you can automatically convert it into an Invoice.
In addition to this, you can also create a Dynamic Estimate which enables you to present a range of offerings to your Prospect/Client allowing them to choose which offerings they would like to accept.
IMPORTANT: Any Estimates created will be based on the Time Zone specified in your Company/Profile Settings, not the individual Profile Settings of the user creating it.
CLICK HERE to learn about Company/Profile Settings
How do I create an Estimate?
To get started, navigate to Office > Estimates. Click the +Add Estimate or the arrow next to the button to select the Estimate Type.
You can now select a Standard / Static or Offer Choice of items / Dynamic Choice.
Standard / Static Estimate
Fill out the fields to produce your Estimate.
Assign User(s): Choose the Contact who will be sent the Estimate for approval. You can select multiple Contacts; a unique Estimate will be generated for each.
You can duplicate the Estimate for multiple Contacts. If the checkbox is checked you will be prompted to assign the Estimate to a Circle(s) in addition to the User(s) you have selected. Like individual users, you can select multiple Circles.
Title: A name for the Estimate; the Contact WILL be able to see this title.
Valid Until: The final date that the Estimate can still be approved. The Estimate will expire the following day.
TIP: If the Estimate is not approved by the Valid To date it will expire. To resend your expired Estimate you must first update the "Valid To" date.
Converted Invoice Relative Due Date: The amount of days until the Invoice is due after the Estimate is converted. For example: if you put 5 in this field and convert the Estimate the Invoice will be due 5 days after the day it was converted. So if you converted the Estimate on the 20th the Invoice would be due on the 25th. But if you don't convert the Estimate until the 24th the Invoice won't be due until the 29th.
Internal Notes cannot be seen by the Contact and is for Staff reference only.
You can add the Items to be billed, as well as apply Discounts, Taxes, and Subscription Plans. Select pre-made components from the respective dropdown menus or you can create new ones to add by clicking the +Add New buttons.
A Summary module will update in real-time as you make your selections.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Items/Add-on's/Packages, Discounts, and Taxes.
CLICK HERE to learn about Subscription Plans.
Currency: Choose the Currency your Estimate will appear in.
Allow Partial Payment: This will allow a partial payment on the converted Invoice.
Disable Online Payments: When enabled, the Client will not have an option to pay online when an Open Invoice is generated. This will be applied automatically if you do not have a Gateway set up.
Use a third-party link to payment: You can set a custom third-party link for payment. Note: Payment will not be tracked and will need to be recorded manually.
Available Gateway(s): You can select multiple Gateways that you have created. A Gateway is required for the Contact to pay online.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Payment Gateways
Custom Fields: Any Invoice Custom Fields you create will show here. Check the box to include the field on the Invoice.
CLICK HERE to learn about Invoice Custom Fields
You can assign Automations to trigger when the Invoice is converted into an Invoice.
By default, the Automation Convert to Client will automatically trigger.
CLICK HERE to learn about Automations
The Estimate Number will be auto-generated in the field, or you can rename it to anything you'd like.
You can also choose to automatically generate the Invoice once the Estimate is approved. If unchecked, an approved Estimate will need to manually be converted into an Invoice.
You can send an email notification to the Contact when the Estimate is saved in Open status, and when the Invoice has been generated.
You can fill in Terms & Conditions and any additional Notes that will be visible to your Contact on the Estimate.
If you have entered text for these areas in the Estimate Settings, they will auto-fill here.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Estimate Settings
Attach Files: You can select File(s) or drag and drop them into the File Attachment box.
CLICK HERE for more info on File Attachments.
Once you are finished creating your Estimate, you can either Save as Open or Save as Draft.
Saving the Estimate as Open will make it active; it will appear under Billing > Estimates for the Contact(s) that it has been assigned to. Saving it as a Draft will save the creation process but will not be visible to the Contact yet.
Organization Address: This is info pertaining to your company.
"Bill To" Name: This is who the Estimate is assigned to.
"Bill To" Address: This is the address of who the Estimate is assigned to.
You can make use of the available placeholders to populate the correct information. If these settings are blank the Estimate will use the default global Estimate settings.
CLICK HERE for more info on Global Estimate Settings
Offer Choice of items / Dynamic Choice
Fill out the fields to produce your Estimate.
Assign User(s): Choose the Contact who will be sent the Estimate for approval. You can select multiple Contacts; a unique Estimate will be generated for each.
You can duplicate the Estimate for multiple Contacts. If the checkbox is checked you will be prompted to assign the Estimate to a Circle(s) in addition to the User(s) you have selected. Like individual users, you can select multiple Circles.
Title: A name for the Estimate; the Contact WILL be able to see this title.
Valid Until: The final date that the Estimate can still be approved. The Estimate will expire the following day.
TIP: If the Estimate is not approved by the Valid To date it will expire. To resend your expired Estimate you must first update the "Valid To" date.
Converted Invoice Relative Due Date: The amount of days until the Invoice is due after the Estimate is converted. For example: if you put 5 in this field and convert the Estimate the Invoice will be due 5 days after the day it was converted. So if you converted the Estimate on the 20th the Invoice would be due on the 25th. But if you don't convert the Estimate until the 24th the Invoice won't be due until the 29th.
Internal Notes cannot be seen by the Contact and is for Staff reference only.
You can add the Items/Add-ons/Packages options, as well as apply Discounts, Taxes, and Subscription Plans. Select pre-made components from the respective dropdown menus or you can create new ones to add by clicking the +Add New buttons.
Once you add your options, you can click the Tick Icon on the left side of the line item to make option compulsory (The Lock Icon will then show as locked).
All other items/Add-ons/Packages and Subscriptions that are not ticked will be optional.
A Summary module will update in real-time as you make your selections however this will change once the Target makes their choices.
Currency: Choose the Currency your Estimate will appear in.
Allow Partial Payment: This will allow a partial payment on the converted Invoice.
Disable Online Payments: When enabled, the Client will not have an option to pay online when an Open Invoice is generated. This will be applied automatically if you do not have a Gateway set up.
Use a third-party link to payment: You can set a custom third-party link for payment. Note: Payment will not be tracked and will need to be recorded manually.
Available Gateway(s): You can select multiple Gateways that you have created. A Gateway is required for the Contact to pay online.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Payment Gateways
Custom Fields: Any Invoice Custom Fields you create will show here. Check the box to include the field on the Invoice.
CLICK HERE to learn about Invoice Custom Fields
You can assign Automations to trigger when the Invoice is converted into an Invoice.
By default, the Automation Convert to Client will automatically trigger.
CLICK HERE to learn about Automations.
The Estimate Number will be auto-generated in the field, or you can rename it to anything you'd like.
You can also choose to automatically generate the Invoice once the Estimate is approved. If unchecked, an approved Estimate will need to manually be converted into an Invoice.
You can send an email notification to the Contact when the Estimate is saved in Open status, and when the Invoice has been generated.
You can fill in Terms & Conditions and any additional Notes that will be visible to your Contact on the Estimate.
If you have entered text for these areas in the Estimate Settings, they will auto-fill here.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Estimate Settings.
Attach Files: You can select File(s) or drag and drop them into the File Attachment box.
CLICK HERE for more info on File Attachments.
Once you are finished creating your Estimate, you can either Save as Open or Save as Draft.
Saving the Estimate as Open will make it active; it will appear under Billing > Estimates for the Contact(s) that it has been assigned to. Saving it as a Draft will save the creation process but will not be visible to the Contact yet.
Organization Address: This is info pertaining to your company.
"Bill To" Name: This is who the Estimate is assigned to.
"Bill To" Address: This is the address of who the Estimate is assigned to.
You can make use of the available placeholders to populate the correct information. If these settings are blank the Estimate will use the default global Estimate settings.
CLICK HERE for more info on Global Estimate Settings.
Can I further customize my Estimate?
Yes! You can add your logo, add a default prefix, and other customizations to your Estimate.
CLICK HERE for more information on Estimate Settings
What happens next?
Your Contact will be able to access the Estimate by navigating to Office > Estimates.
They can then View the Estimate by clicking on the name of the Estimate. Alternatively, they can use the Options menu button to interact with the Estimate.
If the Estimate is a Standard / Static Estimate, the Target will see a button to 'Approve' the Estimate.
If the they would like to approve it, they can click the Approve button located at the top left-hand corner.
If the Estimate is an Offer Choice of Items / Dynamics Choice the Target will see a grey circle with a tick next to any compulsory Items. They can then tick additional items/add-on's/Packages and Subscriptions that you have offered on the Estimate.
The One-Time and Subscription Charges/Totals will update in real-time as they make their selections.
The Target can then click the 'Confirm Choices' button to confirm the selection.
Once they click the button, a new button will appear asking them to confirm.
There is also a 'Start over' link underneath the button so they can reset the Estimate to change their selection.
Once approved, the Estimate will be available to convert into an Invoice (or will automatically be converted into an Invoice if specified).
Once converted, it will be listed under Office > Invoice for both the Admin side and the Contact. The Contact will then have the option to make a payment, just like any other Invoice.
TIP: If no discounts are included in the Estimate, the "Discount" column will not be shown.
What if I want the Client to see and approve the Estimate from outside of the platform?
If you don't want your Client to have to log in to see and approve the Estimate, you can simply provide them with a Estimate Link. When the Client goes to the Estimate via this method the viewing and approving the Estimate is still recorded in the platform.
To get the Estimate link, go to Office > Estimates, click the Options menu of the Estimate that is in Open Status and select Copy Estimate Link.
You can provide this link to your Client, such as through an email. The link will direct them to the Estimate and will appear just as it does in the platform.
You can test this link by opening a private or different browser and pasting it into the address bar. Please note that if you view the Invoice from this link it will show as viewed by the client however you can use the 'Mark Unseen' option to reset the Estimate to unseen.
