> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.fieldpulse.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How to Create an Estimate
> Make an estimate from a customer, job, or the Estimates tab in FieldPulse, add line items, then send it and convert to an invoice once accepted.
> **Who uses this:** Admins and Team Managers hold the **Create & send Estimates/Invoices** permission, it is configurable for Service Agents, and Limited Agents do not have it. **Availability:** All regions.
An [estimate](https://www.fieldpulse.com/features/estimates-and-invoices) pulls line items, materials, and labor into one document you send for customer approval or present in person. Once the customer accepts, you convert the estimate into an invoice in one click, so nothing has to be re-entered.
## Overview
You can create an estimate in the web app or the mobile app. Either way, you link a customer, add line items, set the final details such as notes and tax, and save. FieldPulse opens the saved estimate as a record with a **Draft** status. When you are ready, you preview the estimate, send it to the customer, and convert it to an invoice after the customer accepts.
## Before you begin
* Every estimate links to a customer. Start the estimate from a job record or a customer record to carry that link in automatically, or start from the **Estimates** tab and link the customer yourself.
* Add the products and services you sell to your item list first so you can search for them while you build the estimate. You can also create a new line item without leaving the estimate. See [Setting Up Item List & Inventory](/inventory-materials/item-list/adding-items).
## On web
### Choose where to start
You can start an estimate from a customer record, the **Estimates** tab, or a job record.
* **Customer record** — select **Create Estimate**, or select the green **Actions** button and then **Create Estimate**.
* **Estimates tab** in the left-side menu — select **Create Estimate**.
* **Job record** — select the green **Actions** button, then **Create Estimate**.
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### Enter the essential information
1. Confirm the customer and the linked job. If you started from a job record, FieldPulse fills in both automatically. If you started from a customer record or the **Estimates** tab, link the related customer and job yourself.
2. To start from a saved layout, select **Import Template**. See [How to Use Estimate & Invoice Templates](/estimates-invoices/templates/using-templates).
3. Set the **Expiration Date**. FieldPulse fills in the default from **Company Settings**, and you can change it on this estimate.
### Add line items
1. Select the green **Add Item** button. A panel opens on the right side of the screen.
2. To add an item you already saved, search your item list, select the item, then select **Add to Estimate and Add Next Item** to keep adding or **Add to Estimate** if it is the last one.
3. To add an item that is not saved yet, select **Create New Line Item**. Enter the item name, item type, SKU, unit cost, unit price, quantity, and description. Decide whether to track inventory for the item and whether to tax it, and add item tags, a UPC (barcode), or a supplier if you use them.
4. Select **Save Item**, then **Add Item**. FieldPulse saves the item to your item list and adds it to the estimate.
5. Manage each line item with the icons at the right of its row — the eye icon controls whether the customer sees the item, the pen icon edits it, and the trash icon deletes it.
The same panel gives you other ways to build the item list.
| Option | What it does |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Add Estimate Option** | Creates more than one estimate option for the customer to choose from. See [How to Use Estimate Options & Add-Ons](/estimates-invoices/options/options-add-ons). |
| **Add Grouping** | Organizes line items into sections and controls whether the customer sees item names and prices. Drag and drop line items into the grouping. |
| **Insert Bundle** | Adds a set of services and parts you group together. See [How to Use Line Item Bundles & Groupings](/estimates-invoices/creating/line-item-bundles). |
| **Insert PO Items** | Fills the estimate with items from a purchase order. See [How to Manage Purchase Orders](/inventory-materials/purchase-orders/managing). |
| **Pricebook** | Adds flat-rate jobs from your Pricebook. See [Setting Up Your Pricebook](/add-ons/sales-suite/pricebook). |
| **Apply Markup/Margin** | Applies a markup or reaches a target margin, overwriting every item price on the estimate. See [How to Use Markups & Margins](/payments/commissions/markups-margins). |
| **Create Add-On Options** | Creates add-ons the customer can select on top of the standard items, such as an extended warranty, upgraded parts, or an extra service. |
### Set the final details
1. Add **Estimate Notes** by typing in the box. These notes appear near the top of the estimate PDF and save when you save the estimate. For notes the customer should not see, use the **Internal Notes** tab.
2. Attach files or photos on the **Files** tab with **Upload File**. See [How to Attach Photos & Files to Estimates & Invoices](/estimates-invoices/creating/attaching-photos-files).
3. Attach a contract on the **Contract** tab and pick the contract you want. See [How to Request a Customer Signature](/estimates-invoices/options/customer-signature).
You must attach a contract to collect a customer signature on an estimate you present in person.
To attach the same contract to every new estimate by default, turn on **Attach Contract to PDF** and choose the contract under **Company Settings > Estimates & Invoices > Preview Settings** — see [Setting Up Default Estimate & Invoice Settings](/estimates-invoices/creating/default-settings).
4. Review the subtotal and adjust the totals:
* **Add Credit Card Fee** — charge a percentage or dollar amount for paying with a card.
* **Tax (%)** — the default tax rate from **Company Settings** applies, and you can change it on this estimate. FieldPulse applies tax only to the line items you marked as taxed. See [Setting Up Automatic Tax Rates & Tax Override](/estimates-invoices/creating/auto-tax-rates).
* **Add Surcharge** or **Add Discount** — add or subtract a percentage or fixed amount from the estimate total.
5. Select **Save Estimate**. FieldPulse opens the estimate record with a **Draft** status. Select **Edit** to change anything.
### Preview, send, and convert
1. Select **View Estimate** to preview the estimate.
2. From the preview, send the estimate to your customer and customize how the estimate looks. See [How to Send Estimates & Invoices to Customers](/estimates-invoices/creating/sending).
3. When the customer accepts, select **Convert to Invoice** to move every detail from the estimate into an invoice record. See [How to Create an Invoice](/estimates-invoices/creating/invoice).
## On mobile
### Start the estimate
1. Select the **Sales** tab in the bottom menu, then select **Estimates**. You can also start an estimate from a job record, a customer record, or the **Actions** button.
2. Sort your existing estimates with the status menu at the top of the screen, then select **Create New**.
3. Select **Import Template** to build the estimate from an existing template, or fill in the details to start from scratch. To reuse this estimate later, turn on **Save as Template**.
4. Select the customer to link to this estimate. If the estimate connects to an existing job or project, search for it in the **Related Job** or **Related Project** field.
5. Add internal notes and tags, and adjust the **Expiration Date** if you need to. To change what FieldPulse fills in on every new estimate, see [Setting Up Default Estimate & Invoice Settings](/estimates-invoices/creating/default-settings).
### Add line items
Add items with **Add Line Item** to search your item list, **Insert Bundle** for services and parts you group together, or **Pricebook** for flat-rate jobs. The rest of the building blocks sit with them under the line items — **Add Grouping**, **Insert PO Items**, **Apply Markup/Margin**, and **Create Add-On Options** — and **Add Estimate Option** sits above them.
The mobile options also include **Granite Group**, which adds purchase order items from The Granite Group to the estimate. See [Setting Up The Granite Group Integration](/integrations/suppliers/the-granite-group).
### Add photos to line items
1. Open the estimate you are working on and select the green **Add Line Item** button.
2. Select the line item you want to add, then select **Add Image** before you choose **Add Item** or **Add Item & Find Next**.
3. Choose **Upload Photo** to pick an image already on your device, or **Take Photo** to capture a new one.
4. Title the photo, mark it up, add a description, and set the compression level and date/time stamp.
5. Select **Upload** in the top right corner.
The photo now appears under that line item on the estimate.
### Scan a barcode to add an item
1. Open a new estimate in the mobile app, scroll down, and select **Add Line Item**.
2. Select the **Scan** barcode icon next to the item search box.
3. Point your device camera at the barcode. If the barcode is not in your system, the screen reads **No results found.** — select **Create New Item**.
4. Enter the item name, item type, SKU, unit cost, unit price, and description. FieldPulse fills the scanned barcode into the **UPC (Barcode)** field. Save the item and select **Add Item** to save it to your item list and add it to the estimate.
If you scan a barcode that is already in your system, review or adjust the details and select **Add Item** to include it in the estimate. To make your own scannable labels, see [How to Create Custom Barcodes for Mobile Scanning](/troubleshooting/technical-specs/custom-barcodes).
### Save, preview, and send
1. Save the estimate to open the estimate record. Use the top menu to add related material to the estimate or view recent changes.
2. Select **View Estimate** to open the estimate the way your customer sees it.
3. Choose the view you want — **Dynamic Estimate**, **PDF**, or **Variant Proposal** — then select **Send** to email the estimate or **Present** to show it to the customer in person. See [How to Send Estimates & Invoices to Customers](/estimates-invoices/creating/sending).
4. Select **Settings** to change how this estimate displays, including the company profile, the attached contract and signature lines, which line item details appear, and the theme.
5. When the customer accepts, select **Convert to Invoice** to transfer every detail from the estimate into an invoice record.
## Estimate statuses
FieldPulse lists each estimate's status on the right side of its record on the **Estimates** page. The **Draft**, **Sent**, and **Accepted** statuses update automatically. You can set the remaining statuses yourself to track an estimate over time, and you can change the status from the estimate record. Sort your estimates by status with the menu at the top of the **Estimates** page. To build your own set of statuses, see [Setting Up Custom Estimate & Invoice Status Workflows](/estimates-invoices/creating/status-workflows).
## FAQs
### What is the Reference field on an estimate?
The **Reference** field is an optional free-fill field for a number or identifier from outside FieldPulse, such as a PO number from a supplier or a reference number your customer gave you. It is not required.
## Still need help?
Reach the [FieldPulse support team](https://www.fieldpulse.com/company/contact-us) at [support@fieldpulse.com](mailto:support@fieldpulse.com) or through the chat feature in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
## Related articles
* [How to Create an Invoice](/estimates-invoices/creating/invoice)
* [How to Send Estimates & Invoices to Customers](/estimates-invoices/creating/sending)
* [How to Add Labor to Estimates & Invoices](/estimates-invoices/creating/adding-labor)
* [How to Use Estimate & Invoice Templates](/estimates-invoices/templates/using-templates)
* [How to Use Estimate Options & Add-Ons](/estimates-invoices/options/options-add-ons)
* [Setting Up Default Estimate & Invoice Settings](/estimates-invoices/creating/default-settings)
Your estimate is working when it saves with a **Draft** status, the preview opens the way your customer will see it, and **Convert to Invoice** carries every line item into an invoice once the customer accepts.
## Related topics
- [How to Create an Invoice](/estimates-invoices/creating/invoice.md)
- [How to Create Estimate Reports](/reporting/raw-data/estimate-reports.md)
- [How to Create Your First Estimate or Invoice](/getting-started/quick-start/estimates-invoices.md)
- [How to Export Estimates and Invoices](/settings/data/exporting-estimates-invoices.md)