Create a quote
A quote always belongs to a customer and one of their properties. Choose those carefully when you create the quote, because they cannot be changed after the quote is created.
Before you start
The customer and property must already exist.
A standard quote needs at least one line item, terms and conditions, and a total that is not negative before you can save it. A quote that uses a document template configured without items or pricing needs no lines or total, but still needs terms and conditions.
Create the quote
Open the Quotes page.
Click New Quote in the top right.
Choose the customer and property.
Choose a template if one applies, or start from scratch.
Add line items, terms and conditions, and any discount or attachment you need. For a quote that uses a document template configured without items or pricing, the item and pricing fields are hidden as soon as that document template is selected; review its description, terms, custom fields, and attachments instead. The Description field supports rich text — bold, italics, underline, headings, lists, divider lines, and tables (see Format descriptions and terms with rich text).
If your business keeps more than one quote document template, pick the design for this quote in the Template dropdown; the preview updates to match. With a single template there is no dropdown — the quote uses it automatically (see Choose and customize your quote document template).
Review Quote validity (days). It starts with your business default, but you can change it for this quote.
Use the preview on the right to check what the customer will see. The Context tab beside it shows the billing details, property contacts, and customer facts — and, on a quote started from a deficiency task, that task's findings (see See property, customer, and deficiency context while quoting or invoicing).
Save the quote.
Saving assigns the quote number automatically and creates the quote in Draft. You can keep editing while it is in Draft, then send it for signature when it is ready.
If you leave before saving, Essential asks you to confirm, and keeps a copy of the new quote in your browser. The next time you click New Quote, select Restore to pick up where you left off (see Restore an unsaved quote or invoice).
You can also start a quote from the New shortcut at the top of any page. When you start from a customer, property, contact, or job page, Essential carries that context into the quote when it applies, so the customer, property, or related job may already be filled in.
Where to find it: Quotes page, New Quote button (top right)
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