How to Use Proposals & Estimates

How to create a proposal or an estimate?

Navigate under Payments ➝ Proposals & Estimates. Click on New> Choose between creating a Proposal or an Estimate:

Document Variables

Document variables are placeholders that can be placed within a document and replaced with actual values when the document is executed. They offer dynamic content control and are crucial for templating and automation.

Efficiency: Using document variables, you can quickly replicate and tailor documents for various clients or scenarios without manually changing every detail.

Consistency: They ensure the same information is presented uniformly across different sections or documents.

Personalization: Document variables can be replaced with specific details related to the recipient, offering a more personalized and engaging experience.

Integration with Systems: Often used in conjunction with CRM or ERP systems to automatically populate documents with data stored in those systems.

Creating a Document Variable

A document variable is a placeholder that dynamically fills with specific content or data. It's used to standardize information across multiple documents or instances. Here's how you might create a document variable:

You can search for an existing Variable or create a new one with the + button:

1. Define the Variable Name

What Is It? The variable name is a unique identifier for the variable within the document.

Naming Convention: Often, variable names adhere to certain rules or conventions, such as avoiding spaces or special characters.

Example: If you were creating a variable for a customer's name, the variable name might be something like customer_name.

2. Set the Variable Value

What Is It? The variable value is the specific data or content that will replace the variable name when the document is generated or executed.

Data Types: The value could be text, a number, a date, or other data types, depending on what the variable represents.

Suppose you're creating a proposal template for various projects and want to use document variables to ensure consistency and efficiency. Here are the variables you might create: project_name: The name of the specific project.

client_name: The name of the client organization.

service_description: A detailed description of the services being offered.

total_cost: The total estimated cost for the project. delivery_date: The proposed delivery date for the project.

Utilizing the Document Variables in the Proposal Template

Here's an example of how you might structure the proposal using these variables:

Proposal for {{project_name}} Client: {{client_name}} Overview: We are pleased to submit this proposal for the {{project_name}}. The following details outline our approach, services, and terms. Services: {{service_description}} Cost: The total estimated cost for the {{project_name}} is {{total_cost}}. Timeline: We expect to complete the project by {{delivery_date}}. We look forward to working with you on the {{project_name}}. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Company]

Dynamic Customization

Using these document variables, you can quickly generate proposals for different projects by simply changing the values of the variables. Here's how you might set the values for a specific project: project_name: "Website Redesign." client_name: "TechCorp Inc." service_description: "Design and development of a new responsive website, including user experience design, coding, testing, and deployment." total_cost: "$10,000." delivery_date: "December 31, 2023"

Adding a Recipient in the Document

Adding a recipient in the document is vital for document management, tracking, and execution.

Direction and Ownership: Clearly states who the document is intended for, ensuring it reaches the right individual or organization.

Authentication and Security: In many systems, the recipient's information is used for authentication, allowing only the intended recipient to access, review, or sign the document.

Tracking and Notifications: Helps in tracking the document status and sending notifications related to document actions (e.g., viewing, signing).

Different States of a Document

Documents have states representing their progress or status in a flow.

Draft: Indicates the document is still being worked on and has not yet been sent or finalized. It's a stage where changes and revisions are common.

Waiting for Others: The document has been sent but is awaiting action, usually signature, from the recipient. It might be coupled with reminders or expiration dates.

Finalized: The document has fulfilled its intended purpose, such as being signed by all parties, and is now considered complete and unalterable.

Actions for a Document

Edit: Modify the content, format, or details of a document.

Clone: Create an exact copy of a document, useful for repetitive tasks or templates.

Delete: Permanently remove a document, often subject to permissions and organizational policies.

Mark as Completed: Manually set a document's status as finalized, indicating no further action is required.

Download PDF: Offers the ability to download the document as a PDF, preserving formatting and providing a universally accessible file format.