Quoting¶
The Quoting section is where new jobs start — you build the quote, send it to the customer, and track whether you've won or lost the work.
The Quote Board¶
Click Quoting in the top nav. Jobs move across three columns as they get priced and sent:
| Column | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pending | Quote created but not priced yet |
| Ready to Price | Ready for someone to add line items and pricing |
| Ready to Send | Priced and ready to go to the customer |
Drag a card to move it between columns, or open the work order and click the steps along the top to jump it forward directly.
Cards in the Ready to Send column have a quick → Sent button — click it to mark the quote as sent without opening the work order. Admins see the total value of all quotes at the top of each column.
Each card shows a D/O (days old) badge once a quote date has been recorded — it starts light blue and gets progressively darker the longer the quote has been outstanding. A quick scan of the board tells you which jobs need chasing.
Tip
Each card has a star (priority) and a bolt (rush) icon on the right side. Click either to toggle them. Starred and rush cards sort to the top of their column so urgent jobs don't get buried.
Creating a New Quote¶
- Click New Quote at the top of the board.
- Select an existing customer, or type a new name to create one on the spot.
- Enter a job description.
- Click Save — the quote lands in the Pending column.
Adding Pricing¶
Open a quote by clicking its card. Each line item on the work order shows a summary of what's been added. Click the pencil icon on any item to open it and fill in or adjust the details:
- Substrate, size, quantity
- Laminate, finishing options
- Production and pre-press services
- Price (enter manually or let AutoCalc fill it in)
Click Add item at the bottom to add more items to the order.
How AutoCalc Works¶
When you select a substrate and enter dimensions, Substrate can calculate the price for you automatically. It uses three values your admin sets up:
- Labour Rate (per sq ft) — calculates labour cost based on the size of the piece
- Default Margin (%) — adds your markup on top of material cost
- Global Minimum Fee — makes sure no job goes out below your minimum charge
You'll see an AutoCalc badge on any item where the price was calculated automatically. You can always type in a different price if a job needs custom pricing.
Tip
If the calculated prices don't look right, ask your admin to check the AutoCalc settings under Settings → AutoCalc.
Sending a Quote¶
When a quote is ready to go out:
- Open the work order.
- Click Download Quote in the header to generate the PDF. If you've uploaded your Terms & Conditions in Settings, they'll be included automatically.
- Send the PDF to your customer however you normally would.
- Once it's been sent, click the Sent step at the top of the work order. This records the date it was sent and moves it to the Sent tab.
Following Up on Sent Quotes¶
Click the Sent / Review tab at the top of the Quoting page to see all quotes waiting on a response.
You'll see the customer, job description, date sent, how many days it's been out, and the value.
When you hear back, use the buttons on the right:
- Won ✓ — customer said yes. The job moves to Design, ready to start artwork.
- Lost ✗ — customer said no. The job is archived.
Tip
The days counter changes colour as the quote ages — a quick way to spot which ones need a follow-up call.
Switching to List View¶
Click List near the top right to see all your active quotes in a table. Useful when you want to sort by customer, value, or date rather than scanning the board.