A quote is a sales document that pretends to be an accounting one. It has to be accurate enough to become an invoice and persuasive enough to be chosen over two others on the client's desk. This builder produces formal quotations and estimates for services and projects — scope of work, itemised labour and materials, GST per line, validity, payment terms, exclusions and acceptance — with your logo and numbering, exported as PDF or shared on WhatsApp. It suits contractors, agencies, repair services, event planners, consultants and anyone whose price needs explaining.
Quotation vs estimate vs proforma
- Estimate: an approximate figure, expressly subject to change — "approx. ₹1.2–1.4 lakh depending on site conditions".
- Quotation: a firm price for a defined scope, valid for a stated period; once accepted, it is the contract price.
- Proforma invoice: a quotation formatted as an invoice, usually to request an advance — the proforma invoice generator covers it.
Choose the label deliberately; courts and clients read "quotation" as binding. The full comparison of documents is in Invoice vs bill vs receipt vs quotation.
What a winning quotation contains
| Section | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Header, number, date, validity | "Valid for 15 days" protects you from material price swings |
| Client details and site/project | Avoids "which site?" confusion |
| Scope of work | Two to five lines per deliverable; what is included, in plain language |
| Itemised lines | Material (with quantity and rate), labour (hours or days), travel (fuel calculator), third-party costs |
| GST | Per line, with SAC/HSN; state whether prices are inclusive — the GST calculator helps |
| Exclusions | "Civil work, electrical points, permissions are not included" |
| Timeline and milestones | Start, duration, dependencies on the client |
| Payment terms | Advance %, stage payments, final on completion; bank/UPI details |
| Acceptance | Signature line or "reply 'Accepted' on WhatsApp/email" |
The structure, with a sample, is worked through in How to write a quotation that gets accepted.
How to use the builder
- Fill your business profile once (shared with other Kaagazo document tools).
- Add the client and project; write the scope in the description box.
- Add line items — choose material, labour or expense — with quantities, rates and GST. Subtotals by type appear automatically.
- Set validity, payment terms, timeline and exclusions from the saved presets.
- Download the PDF or share on WhatsApp. When accepted, raise a proforma for the advance and, on completion, the GST invoice with the same line items.
Pricing the quote
- Start from your rate: the freelance rate calculator gives an hourly or daily rate that covers costs, tax and non-billable time.
- Check the margin on materials with the gross margin calculator; a 10–15% handling margin on materials is normal.
- Price the scope, not the hours — clients buy outcomes.
- State GST clearly; B2B clients want the taxable value visible for ITC.
- Track your win rate by quote size and adjust pricing where you lose on price alone.
After sending
Follow up on day 2 and day 7. Quotes with a deadline and a follow-up convert far better than those left to "let me know". Measure the sales cycle to know when to chase. If a client's purchase order differs from the quote, resolve it before starting work.
Related tools
- Proforma invoice — request the advance.
- GST invoice generator — bill on completion.
- Freelance rate calculator — the rate behind the quote.
- Win rate calculator — which quotes you win.
- Letterhead generator — cover letter for formal proposals.
- Terms & Conditions generator — the terms your quote refers to.