Create an estimate
Create, send, bill and convert estimates with a diagnosis or estimate fee into orders
→ Open the "Estimates" module · Open estimate settings
With an estimate you calculate the expected cost of a repair or service for your customer – including an optional diagnosis or estimate fee for producing the estimate. Like a proposal, the customer can accept or decline it online, and you then convert it into an order with one click.
An estimate is technically a variant of the proposal – with the same line items, addresses, statuses and delivery methods. The difference: on an estimate you can additionally store an estimate/diagnosis fee, bill it separately and decide whether it's credited on a later order. You'll find the guide to the classic price proposal under Proposals.
Create an estimate
Open the module
Navigate to Service → Estimates and click Create estimate.
Capture customer and key details
Choose the customer and fill in the title, estimate date and valid until. The shipping and billing address are pre-filled from the customer profile and can be adjusted. Under Notes / description of the problem you record internally what it's about – this field isn't visible to the customer.
Set chargeability & estimate fee
Enable Chargeable if producing the estimate is billed, and enter the amount for the estimate / diagnosis. Optionally enable Credit on order and set the creditable amount, which is credited to the customer if they place the order.
Save and add line items
Unlike a proposal, you don't need line items yet when creating. Save first and then, via Edit, add services and line items – e.g. labour time, spare parts or diagnosis costs – each with quantity, unit, price, VAT and an optional discount.
Using the header text and footer text fields you add intro and closing text that appears above and below the line items in the PDF. Dedicated text templates for estimates are available for this.
Bill the estimate fee
If an estimate is chargeable and a fee amount is stored, the Create estimate invoice button appears in the detail view. With it, SimpliServ generates an invoice for the diagnosis or estimate fee with the line item "Estimate / diagnosis" as a draft. If crediting is active, that's noted on the invoice line. After creating it, you switch straight to the invoice via View estimate invoice.
Only one open estimate invoice can be created per estimate. If the estimate has already been converted into an order, estimate billing is no longer possible.
Understanding statuses
An estimate goes through the same statuses as a proposal, which are logged in the status history:
- Draft – still being edited
- Sent – dispatched to the customer
- Accepted – accepted by the customer
- Declined – declined by the customer
Sending
Check the preview
Open the estimate and click Preview to view the finished PDF.
Print / send
Via Print / send you commit the estimate, download the PDF or send it directly by email. The subject and message are pre-filled from your estimate template and can be adjusted before sending.
Alternatively, use Send by email in the action menu.
Have it accepted or declined
Via Generate customer link in the action menu (three dots) you create a shareable link. The customer opens a public page through it and can accept or decline the estimate without logging in.
Convert into an order
In the action menu, choose Convert to order. SimpliServ creates an order from it with all line items and addresses and takes you straight there.
Estimate settings
Under Administration → Modules → Estimates you set defaults:
- Layout templates – via Open layout editor you design the header, body and footer of the estimate PDF.
- Default fee – the default estimate-fee amount and, optionally, the amount credited by default, which are pre-filled on new chargeable estimates.
- Default validity – the number of days after the estimate date automatically set as valid until on creation.
Related topics
- Proposals — the classic price proposal without an estimate fee; the estimate is a variant of it
- Create & process an order — the next step when the customer accepts the estimate
- Create an invoice — basics on the estimate invoice for the diagnosis or estimate fee
- Handle service requests — convert incoming requests directly into an estimate
- Shipment & order tracking — estimate actions on the public tracking page
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