Sending an estimate to the customer

What this does

Gets the quote in front of the customer and gives them a one-click way to answer. Sending by email also fires the estimate_sent automation event if you have automations that listen for it.

Before you start

The estimate must have a customer attached, and to email it the customer needs an email address on their record. The estimate should have its lines in; you can send again after changes, but every send is a new email.

Steps

Email. From the estimate, send it. The customer receives a branded email with the total and a button that opens their copy. Sending creates the share link if one doesn't exist yet.

Share link. Copy the link and paste it into a text or any other channel. The link opens the estimate without a login. Anyone with the link can view and respond, so send it only to the customer.

PDF. Download PDF for printing or attaching elsewhere. A PDF can't be approved from; the customer answers by phone or in person, and you record it.

What the customer sees

Their copy shows your logo, "Prepared for" their name, the vehicle, every line with prices, discounts in their own section, the total, and the Valid Until date if you set one. Two buttons: approve, or decline with an optional reason (price, timing, going elsewhere).

Once they've answered, the buttons are gone. An approved estimate tells them so; a declined one says the shop may send a revised version.

Common problems

"Estimate has no customer attached." Attach a customer and try again.

The customer says the link is dead. Links don't expire on their own. If it was regenerated, the old link stops working; copy the current one from the estimate.

They approved but the estimate still says Estimate. Refresh. If it still hasn't moved, they may have approved a different (duplicate) estimate; check their customer record.