Managers and Service Agents have the ability to create estimates for customers. Estimates can be created in different ways, but the most common method is from an existing job record.
You can also create estimates from a customer profile or from the ‘Estimates’ page found in your left side menu.
1) From the Team Schedule page, open the Job Record for which you want to create an estimate.
Alternate Method 1: Open the customer profile, click on the green action button, and select 'Estimate’ from the options.
Alternate Method 2: Open the ‘Estimates’ page from the left side menu and click the 'Create Estimate' button.
Within the job, click 'Actions' then 'Create Estimate'
2) If created via a job record, the Customer, and linked job will be automatically populated and un-editable. The estimate expiration date is set as a default by your administrator, but you can click on 'Expiration Date' field to change it.
3) Add line items
In the search bar that says 'Item', start typing the name of a line item to add it to your estimate. When you see the item you want in the list, click on it.
Fill in any missing info, then click the 'Add Item' button to add this item to your estimate.
Once the first item has been added, click the 'Add Item' button to add another line item. You can also click the eye icon on the right to choose whether that line item is visible to the customer or not, the pen icon to edit the item, or the trash icon to delete the item.
If the line item does not have a description saved, you can click the pen icon to edit it, then type your description in the 'Description' box. This can be used to describe the line item to the customer or provide extra information such as dimensions. You can also adjust the cost, selling price, quantity and enable or disable tax for that line item. Once you've made any necessary adjustments, click 'Save'.
To add another line item that is not already saved in the system, click in the Item search bar, then click 'Create new line item'.
In the Create Item box, enter the item name, type, SKU (if applicable), unit cost, unit price and description. Decide whether to track inventory on this item, and click 'Create Item' then 'Add Item'. This will save the item in your repository and add it to the current estimate.
4) Add Notes or Files and attach a Contract
Once you're finished adding line items you can add a note for the customer, attach files or add a contract to this estimate in the area on the bottom left.
To add notes, simply start typing in this box, it will automatically save at the end when you save the estimate. These notes are shown near the top of the estimate PDF.
Click 'Files' then 'Upload File' to upload files you want to attach to this estimate.
Click contract to select one of your default contracts to share with the customer when you email the estimate out. This is useful in getting sign-off on an accepted estimate.
5) Review the total, add a discount / surcharge and edit the tax rate for this estimate.
In the area shown, on the right side you can:
Add a credit card fee - This can be a percentage or dollar amount that you can charge your customers for paying with a card.
Change the tax rate - The default tax rate from your 'Company Settings' section is used by default, but it can be modified on a per-estimate basis. Only line items that are designated to be taxed will have tax applied.
Add a discount or surcharge - This will add or subtract a percentage or fixed amount from the estimate total.
Review the total - You will see the subtotal, tax rate and total (including tax if applicable) shown here.
6) Once your estimate is ready, click ‘Save Estimate'.
7) Preview the estimate for your customer
When your Estimate is saved, you'll be taken to the Estimate Record page. Review the estimate and make sure it all looks correct. Click 'Edit' if you want to change anything.
Click 'Preview' to generate a preview of the estimate.
8) Send the estimate to your customer
On this page you can review the estimate to make sure it looks good, click 'Email to Customer' to send it directly to your customer or select on of the other sending options under 'More Actions'.
When you click 'Email to Customer', a window will pop up to confirm the details of the email. You can change the 'From', 'To' and 'Cc' fields, as well as editing the email body. Your default email body can be set on this page.
You can also toggle on 'Include Signature Request' to ask your customer to sign off on the estimate if it's accepted and 'Include Payment Request' if you require upfront payment.
You can attach files to the estimate email by clicking 'Upload Additional Files'.
If you'd like your customer to receive a text notification as well as an email, you can toggle on 'Simultaneously Send SMS To Customer'.
Once you've prepared the Estimate email, click 'Send'.
Congratulations, you've just created a new estimate and sent it to your customer! If you need any help please email us at support@fieldpulse.com or live chat with us using the blue button in the bottom right corner.