Quote screen
Quoting in ESC serves many purposes. Most importantly, it allows you to let customers know how much you will charge them to perform work they want done, but it also allows you to follow up with customers, keep track of closing ratios, order parts, create dispatches and invoices. The first step to unlocking all these benefits is to create the quote. There are a few ways you can start this process.
Creating a new blank quote
To create a new blank quote, click the Add New button or press Alt+N while on the Quote screen. Select the customer you are invoicing by typing their name in the customer field or use the pull down to search for them.
Important Note: If you have not previously done work for the person or company you are quoting you will have to add them to your database first using the Customer Information screen. You can use a Sort Code to note that they are only a prospect at this time if desired.
Creating a quote from a dispatch
To create an invoice for a dispatch, click the down arrow on the Add New button and select Create from Dispatch. This will display the dispatch search screen. Use this screen to select the dispatch you want to create a quote from and the information associated with the dispatch and the customer it is for will automatically be filled in.
Importing a mobile quote
Click the down arrow on the Add New button and select Import from Mobile to recall a quote that was created in the field using the ESC Mobile Client. When the search screen appears, click the quote you want to import. You can view the items and notes that will be imported at the bottom part of the screen to ensure you are importing the correct quote.
Click OK and all the information associated with the invoice and related dispatch and customer will be imported automatically. At this point you can change any of the settings you want before saving the quote.
Completing the Quote
Once the quote has been created notice the Status field. By default all quotes start in a Pending status. This allows your salespeople to run reports on their open quotes and change the status to Accepted or Rejected as the customer's response (or lack thereof) dictates. It can also be changed now if the customer has already approved the quote.
We recommend letting ESC assign the Quote number for you, although you can override this value with your own unique quote number at any time before saving the quote. Set the appropriate Department and Tax Code based on the kind of work being quoted and the customer's location. Enter the name of the person who quoted the job in the Sales Person field. You can also fill in any of the other fields in the middle section of the screen if you have this information, although at this point you generally will not.
Use the body of the quote to enter all the parts, billing codes and/or history codes that will be necessary to perform the work you are quoting. This is important because not only will it keep your quotes more accurate than just putting down a single line item with a price, you can also send these parts to the dispatch and/or purchase order when the quote is accepted. See this help topic for additional considerations you need to think about when quoting labor.
As you enter items in the body of the quote the price of each item will be displayed along with the average cost of the part. You can change the cost of the part at this time or even the markup to get the most accurate quote possible. Keep your eyes on the gross profit and cost totals at the bottom of the screen to make sure all costs are accounted for and that the quote will actually be profitable if accepted.
The description of each line item is fully editable so you can tell the customer exactly what you are doing and add any extra details that may help the customer decide to accept the quote. You may also uncheck the print box if you don't want the customer to see a particular line item.
Once the quote is complete, click the Save, Print or Email button to save the quote.
Next Step - Tracking Quotes
Related Topics