Quotation template

Make the proposed work and price easy to approve.

A useful quotation defines what is included, what it costs, how long the offer stands and what acceptance means.

Format: template
Sections: 03
Updated: 10 Aug 2026

In brief

A quotation template structures a proposed sale before work begins or an order is confirmed. It identifies the parties, scope, quantities, prices, taxes, assumptions, validity and acceptance terms. Once accepted, the agreed details can become the source for a project, schedule or invoice without being reconstructed from email.

Editable structure

Quotation field structure

Use this field structure as a starting point, then confirm the details required for your business and jurisdiction.

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01Seller and prospective customerEnter value

02Quotation number and dateEnter value

03Scope or item descriptionEnter value

04Quantity, rate and proposed totalEnter value

05Assumptions and exclusionsEnter value

06Validity and acceptance termsEnter value

Describe the boundary of the offer

A customer should be able to see what is included, what is excluded and which assumptions affect the price. Vague scope creates billing disputes later, even when the total looked clear at acceptance.

Put this into practice with Use the invoice template.

Keep price and validity together

State the currency, tax treatment, payment schedule and how long the offer remains valid. If quantities or rates can change, explain the trigger rather than leaving an open-ended total.

Put this into practice with Manage project billing.

Carry accepted terms into billing

Accepted scope, milestones and rates should remain connected to the invoice they produce. This reduces manual reconstruction and gives reviewers the context behind each charge.

Put this into practice with Create invoices in Invoicera.

Step by step

Use the sequence, then check the exceptions.

01
Identify the seller, customer and quotation reference.
02
Describe each proposed item, deliverable or milestone.
03
State price, taxes, payment schedule, assumptions and validity.
04
Capture acceptance, then carry the agreed details into billing.

Common questions

Clear answers without the detour.

What is the difference between a quotation and an invoice?

A quotation proposes scope, price and commercial terms before acceptance. An invoice requests payment after the agreed supply or billing event. Accepted quotation details can become the source for the later invoice, but the records keep different purposes and references. Do not relabel an accepted quotation as the final invoice without creating the required billing document.

What makes a quotation clear?

State the parties, precise scope, line-level pricing, assumptions, exclusions, currency, tax treatment, payment schedule and validity period. Explain what changes the price and what acceptance means. A customer should be able to distinguish included work from optional or excluded work before agreeing, reducing later disputes when the invoice is prepared.

Can a quotation include milestones?

Yes. A project quotation can define each milestone, the amount or rate attached to it, the evidence of completion and the condition that makes it billable. After acceptance, keep those milestone terms connected to the project billing record so finance does not reconstruct the trigger from email when the invoice becomes due.

How long should a quotation remain valid?

Set a validity period that reflects how long prices, availability and assumptions can reasonably be held. The right period depends on the work and market conditions. If the customer accepts after expiry, review rates, taxes, delivery dates and scope before confirming rather than carrying forward an offer whose underlying assumptions may have changed.

What happens after a quotation is accepted?

Record the acceptance and retain the agreed scope, quantities, rates, milestones, payment schedule and exclusions. Use those authorised terms as the source for later invoices. If the agreement changes, capture the revision and effective date before billing. This keeps the invoice explainable and reduces disputes caused by retyping or relying on memory.