Add Estimates

Let's say that your client wants to know exactly how much you will charge them for your services, so they can compare with your competitors and decide whether they will do business with you.

The "Estimates" function will come in handy, as you can use it to add your services and charges and send it to your client.

To utilize the feature, enter "Estimates" from the main menu and click +Add.

1) Choose your client (contact)

First of all, you need to select your client. If the client is not an existing one, already available in your lists of contacts, choose the +Add client option and create your contact on the spot.

Once your client selection is complete, you will be able to proceed with selecting the rest of the fields.

2) Document type, Date (of issue), Number

In the next step, you have to choose a document type (Estimate, Offer, Proforma invoice etc). Review the available types in the related functionality ("Settings-> Document types").

Tip! Check for the ones that apply in "Estimates"

If no choice is made, Elorus will use the document type you set as default for estimates.

Date of issue is mandatory and you can select by opening the calendar (with a click on the field) or typing.

Estimates take part in Elorus's serial numbering. This means that you can also apply a numbering sequence.

3) Currency, Amount calculations, Item lines

The default currency is the one you set for your organization or client in question: you can change currency on the spot, if you wish.

From the “Amounts are ..” field you can determine how Elorus will calculate taxes and discounts for your products/services: if you select Tax exclusive, the amounts you enter per contact will be considered tax exclusive and any discount will be subtracted from this amount. Tax inclusive is the case where the price is after tax and discount, if any. For more information visit the related article.

You can have one or more item lines in your estimate. If the product or service you are planning to offer is already registered under your 'Items', you can select products by typing the initial letters in the field. The rest of the amounts will be automatically filled-in. You can also type in a product/service and the related amounts on the spot.

*The process shares many similarities to the one of invoices - you can always check the related "Add Invoices" article to get more detail on the fields to fill-in.

4) Template, Public notes, Terms & conditions

The Template you select sets the appearance of your estimates, along with the language, content and notes included in the estimate. The fields below can actually be pre-filled according to template settings.

Public notes can contain any additional information, such as the means of transferring the products.

Similarly, you can use the terms and conditions field to give further instruction to your customer in relation to the estimate, such as preferable time of acceptance.

5) Save your Εstimate

You essentially have two status options when saving: draft or issued.

In both cases, you can save and add another estimate, if you will. By clicking that, you will save the estimate (as issued or draft), while you open a new form to add your next estimate.

For the case of draft estimates, you also have the option to apply changes while you stay in the fill-in form with the help of the "save and continue editing" option. Should it accidentally close, you can find the estimate as draft so you can add the missing details (image below).