Creating an Estimate

An estimate (also called a quote or proposal) is a document you send to a potential customer outlining the expected cost of goods or services. It's not a binding transaction — no accounting entries are created until it's converted to an invoice.

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How to Create an Estimate

1. Go to Sales → Estimates
2. Click New Estimate
3. Fill in the details
4. Click Save

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Estimate Fields

Estimates have the same fields as invoices with a few differences:

Field	Description
Customer	The contact you're sending the estimate to
Estimate Number	Auto-incremented, unique per company
Estimate Date	Date the estimate is issued
Expiry Date	Date after which the estimate is no longer valid
Reference	Optional reference number
Line Items	Products/services with qty, rate, unit, discount, and tax
Notes / Terms	Footer text on the document

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Estimate Statuses

Status	Meaning
Draft	Saved but not sent. Can be freely edited.
Sent	Marked as sent to the customer
Expired	Past the expiry date and not yet converted
Converted	Estimate has been turned into an invoice

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Downloading the Estimate as PDF

Click Download on the estimate page. The PDF generates and downloads automatically, including your logo, address, and all line items.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does an estimate affect my accounts?
No. Estimates are non-posting documents — they do not create any accounting entries. Only when converted to an invoice do they affect your books.

Can I send an estimate to multiple contacts?
Each estimate is linked to one contact. For multiple recipients, duplicate the estimate and change the customer.

Can I edit an estimate after sending it?
Yes. Estimates can be edited at any status until they are converted to an invoice.

What's the difference between an estimate and a sales order?
An estimate is a quote you send to a customer for approval. A sales order is typically used after the customer has confirmed and you're preparing to fulfil the order.