Quotes
Send a client a priced offer, let them accept it online, and have it turn into an invoice and the services it orders.
A quote is an offer with a price and an end date. When the client accepts it, Tidemark Billing can turn it into an invoice, and into pending services for any product lines on it.
Create and send a quote#
- Go to Quotes → New quote.
- Choose the Client and Currency. Add a Title if it helps, for example "Website hosting and migration".
- Set Valid until. If you leave it blank, the date is your default quote validity, 30 days from today unless you changed it in Settings → Billing → Quote validity.
- Add line items. Lines added with Add from catalogue are linked to a product and billing cycle, and order that service when the quote is accepted. Other lines become one-off items on the invoice. The optional Service label is the label the new service gets, for example a domain name.
- Add notes and terms, then click Save draft or Save and send.
Sending gives the quote a number (prefix from Settings → Billing → Quote number prefix, default QUO-) and emails the client a link under the button Review quote.
Statuses#
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Not sent. Only drafts can be edited or deleted. |
| Sent | Waiting for the client. |
| Accepted | The client (or you, for them) accepted it. |
| Declined | The client said no. |
| Expired | It was sent but the valid-until date passed before anyone answered. |
| Converted | It has been turned into an invoice. |
A sent quote can be accepted until the end of its valid-until date. The billing run marks it Expired the day after. See Recurring billing for what else the daily run does.
What the client does#
The client opens the quote from the email link or from Quotes in the client area. To accept, they type their full name and click Accept quote. The typed name is recorded as the acceptance. They can also click Decline this quote.
When a quote is accepted, a message goes to your Contact email from Settings → General.
What happens on acceptance#
By default, accepting a quote creates and issues an invoice at once. The setting is Settings → Billing → Invoice automatically when a quote is accepted.
- Each product line becomes a service in the Pending state, linked to the invoice. When the invoice is paid, the service is provisioned.
- Other lines are copied to the invoice as they are.
- The invoice carries the quote number as its reference, and the quote's notes and terms. It is emailed to the client and due on your normal payment terms.
- The quote moves to Converted and links to the invoice.
If you turn the setting off, an accepted quote stays Accepted until you click Convert to invoice.
Staff actions#
From the quote page:
- Mark accepted accepts a sent quote on the client's behalf. It converts too, if the setting above is on.
- Mark declined records a no.
- Convert to invoice converts a draft, sent or accepted quote without waiting for the client.
- Resend email sends a sent quote again.
- Duplicate makes a new draft copy.
- Copy public link copies the link the client can open without signing in.
- Delete draft removes a draft.
Quotes for internal accounts create services at no charge. See Internal accounts.