- How do I change a quote once it has been accepted and a job created?
- Can I have more than one quote on a job?
- How would I handle a variation or a change request?
- Can I link my quote to an existing job?
- Can I link an existing quote to a lead?
- Can I create a lead from an existing quote?
- Should I break a job into several quotes or manage multiple quotes on one job?
- How can I create a quote if I don't know what cost items will be used in completing the job?
How do I change a quote once it has been accepted and a job created?
- In the main menu, select Jobs > Jobs and drill down on the job number of the job with the accepted quote or estimate.
- Select Job Actions > + New quote. This will copy all the job's currently existing tasks and costs into a new quote.
These tasks and costs may be different from what was originally copied into the job from the quote or estimate that the job is based on.
- Modify the quote as you require, then Issue & Accept it.
The latest accepted quote will become the master quote on the job. All new invoices (based on quoted/estimated value) you generate on the job will refer back to the master quote.
Can I have more than one quote on a job?
Yes you can. But if you create multiple quotes on the job then it is only the latest accepted quote (the so-called "master quote") that will be referred to when creating an invoice based on the quoted value.
How would I handle a variation or a change request?
If you have a variation on the job or a change request, your options are:
1. Create a brand new job, with a separate quote.
Creating a new job and quote provides more visibility than adding variations to an existing quote, and allows you to invoice jobs independently or together.
Start by adding a custom field called Project Id (or similar) to the job and enter a common Project Id value on the original job and any subsequent variation jobs.
Then use the report builder to create a custom report using the Job Report Type. When you run the report, use the custom Project Id field to select jobs with a matching Project Id value.
2. Update the existing quote with the added variations
To update the job's existing quote to include variations:
- In the main menu, select Jobs > Jobs and drill down on the job number of the job with the accepted quote or estimate.
- Select Job Actions > + New quote. This will copy all the job's currently existing tasks and costs into a new quote.
- Add variations or change the scope of the quote.
Make sure that you keep original quote details and just change or add to them, as, once accepted, this will become the new master quote that will be used for invoicing this job.
Consider using LabelsIn WorkflowMax tasks, a label allows you to use the same task multiple times. The label is automatically appended to the task name. For example, in a specific job, designs are required for a brochure, flyer and a handbook. So, a label can be used to identify the Design task for each item: "Design - Brochure", "Design - Flyer" and "Design - Handbook". on your tasks to reflect 'variation XX' so each variation can be easily identified. If applicable, include 'variation XX' in cost item descriptions as well.
Consider creating a Job phase for each variation. Job phases essentially create a view of a subset of the job, letting you view and report on each variation.
- Issue & Accept the quote.
Can I link my quote to an existing job?
No, it isn't possible to link a quote to an existing job. You will have to cancel the quote and create a new quote by selecting Job Actions > + New Quote from within the job. When you accept the new quote it will become the master quote, updating the job with any new details in the quote.
Can I link an existing quote to a lead?
Yes you can. From within the Lead, select Options > + Add Existing Quote.
Can I create a lead from an existing quote?
Yes, you can. From within the Quote, select Options > Create lead from quote.
Should I break a job into several quotes or manage multiple quotes on one job?
If a job is underway and the client requests further work or changes to the original quote, is it best to redo the quote, or create a new one? Well, that depends.
You can create a new quote by selecting Job Actions > + New Quote from within the Job. This will pull through all the current detail on the job and put it into a new quote, with a new number. You can then edit the original items or add new items. When the quote is accepted the detail will update the job, and become the job's master quote.
If the new work could be considered a separate project, then it is better to create a new quote from scratch, and therefore a new job (when the quote is accepted). You can then create a single invoice for the client in the Invoice Manager (+ Create New Invoice > + Progress Invoice). When you select the client and the Job Invoice option, you will get a list of jobs that are available to invoice. Selecting multiple jobs at this stage will put them on the same invoice.
You could also create a "custom field" for the jobs, and in any subsequent jobs you could add a reference to the original job number. That way you could add this reference manually to the invoice, or create a report for jobs where the "Master Job" field = the original job number. Please refer to the articles on Custom Fields for detailed instructions on how to do this.
How can I create a quote if I don't know what cost items will be used in completing the job?
Set up various non-specific costs at a quote stage and estimate the cost, then as you add costs to the job you enter in the name of the non-specific item rather than the actual invoice detail. For instance take a construction job, you might have the cost items of footings, framing and roofing. When you get an invoice for concrete, you would enter Footings as the description and then use the notes to detail out what the cost item is. This way you can look at your financial summary report at any point to show Estimated costs vs Actual costs on a job and also refine your quoting process on future jobs.