Creating a good-looking quotation
A good quotation is clear, explains what the customer gets and is quick to make. This is how you get that out of the order module.
1. Do not start from scratch
Create the order from a template in the order library, as a copy of an earlier order for the same customer, or from the booking (see From booking to order to invoice). Then most of it is already there.
2. Divide the quotation logically into blocks
Each block becomes its own heading on your document, with its own total. Choose a layout the customer recognises:
- per day: Tuesday 12 May, Wednesday 13 May
- per part: Room hire, Catering, Technology, Activities
- per choice: Option A: dinner, Option B: walking dinner
You change the order of blocks through the block menu (Move up / Move down); lines can be dragged.
3. Tell what the customer gets
- Put the introduction in the memo of the order: for whom, for what, what you understood of the request.
- Put the explanation of that part in the memo of a block, such as the programme of the day.
- Put what a package contains in the memo of a line.
Do this mainly in your products and templates, so you write it only once.
4. Check the amounts
If you change quantities or prices, clear the subtotal of that line so it is recalculated. See How do order lines, totals, discount and VAT work?.
5. Create the document
- Click the + in the Order output block and choose the template, for example Quotation.
- Choose Generate and preview and read through the document.
- Want to change the text for this customer only? Choose Change. You then edit the text of this one document. The template itself stays the same.
- Choose Generate and save. The pdf is kept as a document with the order.
- Choose Email and send the document to the customer or a contact person. The saved pdf is attached.
- A document uses the text of the template at the moment you add it. If you change the template later, add the document again to use the new version.
- Order data (lines, customer, amounts) is retrieved again each time you generate. If you change the order, choose Generate and save again before you email.
- If you choose Email without having saved the document, there is no attachment. Use Generate and save first.
- If no email address is found, i-Reserve reports: No e-mail has been found. Link a contact person with an e-mail address.
6. Have the customer sign and invoice
If the customer agrees, optionally have them sign digitally with Box Sign and turn the order into an invoice. See From booking to order to invoice.
Want the quotation to look even better? You arrange that in the order template.
