With Elorus, you have the ability to issue estimates to your clients by following the same process with issuing invoices. It is worth mentioning that while the adding process as well as the management options available are similar to the ones of the invoice, the estimate provides with special functionalities to accommodate your offerings toward clients.
These functionalities are discussed below so you can make the most of the "Estimates".
Functionalities
Key invoice functionalities such as marking an estimate as accepted, rejected or invoiced are described below. To see how you can email, archive, delete, edit estimates (and much more), read how to manage estimates.
Accepting / Rejecting estimates
Inside every estimate's preview page, you have the option of changing its status depending on whether the customer has accepted or rejected it.
From the (...) button, provided the estimated is in "issued" state, you can select "Mark as accepted" or "Mark as rejected".
Accepting/ rejecting an estimate through the client portal (client action needed)
Through the client portal and the permalink of each estimate, the customer has the option of rejecting or accepting it.
If they click on an estimate through the client portal or the link you sent them via email, they will see the following options at the top of their screen:
- By clicking on "Accept", provided that the client agrees to the estimate, a window is displayed in which they can, optionally, leave a comment (for example, delivery in 15 days).
Once they click on "Accept", the status of the estimate will change to "Accepted" and you will receive an email reading "Customer [Name] has accepted Estimate # 2. The comment was: Delivery in 15 days".
Also, in the list of estimates, you will notice that the estimate's changed status is also visible.
Beyond that, you can invoice the estimate through your account and proceed with the sale as usual.
If the customer has changed their mind before accepting it, you can change the estimate's status to "Rejected" through its preview page. Select (...) and click on "Mark as rejected".
- If the client rejects the estimate from the client portal, its status changes to "Rejected" immediately, while at the same time you receive an email notification for this action along with the optional customer feedback. Create invoice within "...More" has been disabled.
And in this case, if the client changes their mind, you can change the status of the estimate to "Accepted". From its preview page, click on the (...) button and select "Mark as accepted".
Finally, if you wish to change the status to "Issued", you can click on "Mark as issued" through the (...) button.
Invoice your estimates
When an estimate is "Issued" , this means that it is official and ready to be sent to your client. As soon as your client receives and accepts the estimate (whether they have indicated acceptance in client portal or simply replied positively to your email), you have the ability to convert it into an Invoice by the press of a button.
From the estimate's preview page select "(...)-> Create Invoice" .
The add invoice form will be pre-filled with the details of your estimate. If you wish, you can make changes on the spot: for example change templates, include (more) notes, add withholding taxes etc. Save the invoice and handle the document as usual.
At the same time "the estimate has been invoiced" link appears as a link on the estimate. Click it and you will be transferred to the invoice's preview page.
Νote: You can easily create Shipping notes and Proforma invoices via the Estimates menu. Click here for instructions.