How to create an estimate

INTENDED SEARCHES: create estimate, add estimate, new estimate, send estimate

An estimate is used to propose work and pricing to a customer. It can include services, products, packages, custom line items, discounts, deposits, taxes, notes, images, terms, and billing settings depending on account setup.

Steps:

1. Open the customer record or the Estimates area.

2. Select the option to create a new estimate.

3. Choose an existing customer or enter lead customer information if creating for a lead.

4. Confirm the service address and customer information.

5. Enter the estimate date.

6. Confirm whether the estimate is taxable.

7. Choose the billing engine if available, such as standard billing or progress billing.

8. If using progress billing, choose the progress mode, retainage percentage, and milestones if applicable.

9. Add line items. Line items may include services, products, packages, or custom items.

10. For each line item, review item type, item selected, quantity, unit price, budget hours, recurrence/frequency if used, tax, discount, deposit, image, note, and total.

11. Add terms and conditions.

12. Review the estimate summary, grand total, deposit total, and remaining balance if shown.

13. Save the estimate or create and send it if ready.

Fields/options you may see:

- Existing customer.

- Lead customer name, phone, and email.

- Estimate date.

- Taxable setting.

- Billing engine.

- Progress mode.

- Retainage percent.

- Progress milestones.

- Services.

- Products.

- Packages.

- Custom service or custom line item.

- Customer custom field value.

- Quantity.

- Unit price.

- Budget hours.

- Recurrence type or frequency.

- Tax.

- Discount.

- Discount type.

- Discount amount.

- Deposit enabled.

- Deposit type.

- Deposit percentage.

- Deposit amount.

- Image.

- Note.

- Terms and conditions.

- Grand total.

- Send estimate option.

Before sending, check:

- Customer name and contact information.

- Service address.

- Taxable setting.

- Billing engine.

- Progress billing settings if used.

- Every service, product, package, and custom item.

- Quantity, unit price, and budget hours.

- Tax, discount, and deposit.

- Notes, images, and terms.

- Grand total and remaining balance.

Why this matters:

The estimate can become the source for approved work, scheduling, job details, purchase orders, billing, invoices, and customer expectations. Mistakes on the estimate can carry into the rest of the workflow.

Support note:

If you cannot find the option, cannot save the record, see different fields, or receive an error, contact support with the page, record name or number, what you clicked, what happened, and a screenshot if possible.