Creating an Estimate

Overview

Estimates are quotes you send to customers before starting work. They outline what you'll do and how much it will cost, giving customers a chance to approve before you begin. Once approved, estimates can be converted directly into invoices, scheduled jobs, or recurring service agreements. After sending an estimate, BlueClerk prompts you to create a ticket or schedule a job to complete the work.

IMPORTANT: Draft estimates stay DRAFT when saved - When you click "Save" on a DRAFT estimate, it remains as DRAFT and does NOT auto-promote to SENT. This gives you full control over when your estimate becomes visible to customers. The estimate stays in draft mode until you explicitly mark it as sent.

NEW: Inline Ticket Creation - When you click "Create Ticket" or "Schedule Job" from an estimate, the ticket dialog opens right on the page instead of navigating away. The dialog automatically pre-fills the customer, property, and all line items from the estimate (filtered to items with itemId) so you can quickly convert the estimate into trackable work. Customer type determines which ID gets passed:

• Homeowner customers: Pass customerHomeownerId
• Builder/Business customers: Pass customerId (the customer company ID)

NEW: Convert Options Available Earlier - You can now convert estimates to invoices or tickets as soon as they're marked SENT, not just after approval. This gives you flexibility to start work or create invoices earlier in the process.

NEW: Duplicate Button - Click the duplicate icon in the top action bar to clone an estimate instantly. The duplicate is created as a DRAFT with a new estimate number, copying all line items and customer info from the original.

NEW: Send Button in Top Action Bar - The Send button has been moved to the top action bar alongside Save and Duplicate, making it easier to send estimates without scrolling.

Creating an Estimate

Starting a New Estimate

1. Click "Finance" in the sidebar
2. Select "New Estimate" from the flyout menu
3. Fill in estimate details:
   • Customer: Select from your customer list
   • Property: Choose the work location (auto-populated for homeowners)
   • Estimate Date: When the quote is issued
   • Valid Until: When the quote expires
   • Customer PO: Optional purchase order reference

Adding Line Items

Server-Side Item Search - The item picker now searches your catalog on the server and shows real-time loading feedback. Type to search, see a spinner while fetching, and get instant results from your full catalog - no matter how large.

1. Click "Add Line Item"
2. Search for an item in your catalog - spinner shows while loading
3. Or create a custom line item if the item doesn't exist
4. Enter quantity and unit price (pre-filled from catalog)
5. Add description and notes as needed
6. Add more line items as needed

Line Item Photos - You can now attach photos to individual line items from your Photo Library. These photos appear on estimate PDFs to show customers exactly what materials or work you're proposing.

Notes and Terms

• Private Notes: Internal notes visible only to your team
• Customer Notes: Notes that appear on the estimate PDF
• Terms & Conditions: Standard terms from your company settings

Totals Calculation

BlueClerk automatically calculates:

• Subtotal: Sum of all line items
• Tax: Applied based on your tax rate (respects customer tax-exempt status)
• Total: Final amount due

Profit Tracking - The estimate form shows real-time profit calculations when your line items have cost data. See gross profit, margin percentage, and cost breakdown as you build your estimate - helping you price competitively while maintaining profitability.

Saving and Sending

Save Draft

1. Click "Save" to save your work
2. Estimate stays DRAFT until you explicitly send it
3. Edit anytime before sending

Sending to Customer

1. Click "Send" in the top action bar
2. Review email preview with recipient, subject, and message
3. Confirm and send the estimate
4. Estimate status changes to SENT automatically
5. BlueClerk prompts you to create a ticket or schedule a job

Multi-PDF Attachments - You can now attach multiple PDF files to estimates when sending via email. This is perfect for including supplemental documents like product specs, warranty info, or reference materials alongside your estimate.

Per-User Email Signature - Each team member can now set their own email signature in their user profile. When you send an estimate, your personal signature automatically appears at the bottom of the email instead of a generic company signature.

Dual Delivery Channels - When sending an estimate, you can now choose to send via email, SMS, or both. The customer receives your estimate through their preferred channel, and you can include a custom message for each delivery method.

Editable Email Subjects - When sending an estimate via email, you can now customize the subject line before sending. The default subject "Estimate [EST-1234] from [Your Company]" can be edited to match your preferred wording or add customer-specific context.

Converting Estimates

To Invoice

Once an estimate is marked SENT:

1. Open the estimate you want to convert
2. Click "Convert to Invoice"
3. Review prefilled invoice - all line items, customer info, and notes are copied
4. Make any adjustments needed
5. Save and send the invoice

To Ticket or Job

After sending an estimate:

1. BlueClerk prompts "Want to create a ticket or schedule a job?"
2. Click "Create Ticket" or "Schedule Job"
3. Ticket dialog opens inline with customer, property, and line items pre-filled
4. Complete the form and save
5. Ticket is created and ready to schedule

To Recurring Service

For maintenance contracts:

1. Open the approved estimate
2. Click "Setup PM Schedule"
3. Configure frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
4. Set start date
5. BlueClerk creates tickets automatically when due

Estimate Status Flow

DRAFT → SENT → APPROVED → CONVERTED
               ↓
            DECLINED

Draft

Estimate is being prepared and hasn't been sent to the customer yet.

Sent

Estimate has been emailed to the customer and is awaiting their response.

Approved

Customer has accepted the estimate and work can proceed. You can now convert to invoice or create a job.

Declined

Customer has rejected the estimate. You can edit and resend, or close it out.

Converted

Estimate has been converted to an invoice, job, or recurring service. No further action needed.

Product Thumbnails

When building estimates, line items now show product thumbnail images next to the item name. This visual reference helps you quickly identify items in your catalog, especially when you have similar items with different specifications.

Tips

• Use catalog items whenever possible for consistency and accurate pricing
• Set valid-until dates to create urgency and protect against cost increases
• Add photos to line items to help customers visualize the work
• Review totals before sending to ensure pricing is correct
• Follow up after sending to answer questions and close the sale
• Track profit as you build estimates to ensure healthy margins
• Create tickets immediately after approval to keep work moving

Questions

Q: Can I edit an estimate after sending it? A: Yes, but any changes will be visible to the customer if they view the estimate again. Consider creating a new estimate or adding notes about changes.

Q: What happens to the estimate after I convert it to an invoice? A: The estimate is marked as "Converted" and remains in your records for reference. The invoice is a separate document.

Q: Can I send the same estimate to multiple customers? A: No, but you can duplicate an estimate and change the customer. Use the duplicate button in the top action bar.

Q: Do estimates sync to my accounting software? A: No, only invoices and payments sync to QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks. Estimates are sales documents that stay in BlueClerk until converted.

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