Estimates: Creating Estimates and Emailing Proposals

Objective

Users will learn how to create Estimates and seamlessly convert them into our new proposal builder to share with customers for electronic approval.

Overview

Our upgraded Estimates page empowers users to build comprehensive estimates by pulling standardized items directly from their Resource Catalog or creating ad-hoc items on the fly. Furthermore, users now have the ability to generate customized, professional proposals, share them electronically with customers, and manage the entire approval lifecycle directly within the platform.

Phase 1: Initiating a New Estimate

1. Navigate to Estimates: On the left-hand menu, open the Maps & Estimates dropdown and select Estimates.

2. Create New: Click the blue + New Estimate button at the top of the screen.

3. Select Estimate Type: You are presented with three streamlined options to set up the right pricing and workflow.

   • Snow & Ice Contract: For recurring or weather-triggered services.

   • Recurring Service Contract: For scheduled, repeated services (e.g., Landscaping, Janitorial).

   • One-Time Project: For a single job, which is what this guide will follow.

   • Note: Alternatively, you can use the new AI feature at the bottom of this screen. Simply describe the job in the text box, and the AI will draft the estimate for you.

4. Fill Out Header Details: Once in the Project Estimator, fill out the necessary fields in the top section, including Customer, Site, Contact, Dates, and a free-form Description of the work.

Phase 2: Adding Services and Pricing

1. Import from Catalog: To retrieve items from your established Resource Catalog, click the blue + New Item button.

   • In the Search Catalog window, use the search fields at the top of each column (such as the Trade column) to filter your list.

   • Create new catalog items from your Estimate page so you don't have to change pages.

   • Check the boxes next to the items you want to include, then click Add.

2. Create Ad-Hoc Items: If you need to add a unique, one-time service, click the + button directly within the item rows of the estimate. You can decide whether to permanently add this new item to your Resource Catalog or just use it this one time.

3. Adjust Financials: Review your line items and adjust the Unit, Quantity, Margin, and Cost fields as needed for this specific job.

4. Save and Name: Click Save, type a clear name for your Estimate (e.g., "Remove dead plants") in the prompt, and click Save again.

Phase 3: Building and Sending the Proposal

Once saved, your estimate gives you options at the top to Accept/Reject, Download, or generate a Proposal.

1. Launch Proposal Builder: Click the Proposal button to enter the proposal module.

2. Customize Sections: Use the Section List on the left to manage the parts of your document (e.g., Cover/Header, Scope of Work, Exclusions).

   • Click the eye icon next to a section to hide or unhide it from the final document.

   • Select a section and use the Section Editor to adjust the text formatting and content.

3. Enhance the Document: You can change document colors and click the Attachments button to add external files, such as images or sitemaps.

4. Review: Monitor your changes in real-time using the LIVE PREVIEW window on the right side of the screen.

5. Send: Once ready, click Save Draft, followed by Send Proposal. A dialog will prompt you to input the recipient's email address, a subject line, and the body text of your email. Click Send Proposal to finalize.

Phase 4: Managing the Customer Workflow

• Customer Actions: The customer will receive an email link to view the proposal online. From there, they can Accept, Reject, or Request a Review. If they request a review, they must add a note specifying the required revision. If they accept, they will electronically sign the document.

• Internal Dashboard: Back in your Sitefotos backoffice, the proposal status will immediately update. Your Proposals Dashboard allows you to manage, edit, and re-share documents.

• Estimate Lock: Once sent, the Estimate is locked. Any adjustments must follow the proper process by managing revisions through the Request Revision option.

• Unlocking Operations: Once an estimate is successfully Accepted, it unlocks the ability to create Pricing Contracts (for Snow & Ice and Recurring Services) or Sitefotos Work Orders (for One-Time Projects).

Pro-Tips & Best Practices

• Leverage Both Item Libraries: Streamline your workflow by maintaining a robust Resource Catalog for standard services, while utilizing ad-hoc items for flexible, complex one-offs that might otherwise clutter your main database.

• Build a Master Template: Treat your proposal template as a comprehensive, one-time setup. Include every possible legal clause and trade-specific section your company uses. Then, simply use the "eye" icon to hide the sections that don't apply to a specific estimate. This is much faster than typing out legal verbiage from scratch and makes it easy to train your team.

Troubleshooting

• Cannot Edit Numbers in the Proposal Dashboard: The Proposals Dashboard is strictly for managing the lifecycle of the document. It does not allow direct updates to the estimate's math or line items.

• Where to Adjust Estimates: The only place where you can approve, reject, or adjust the financial details of an estimate is within the Estimates page itself. You can do this by navigating directly to the specific Estimate or managing it through your Estimates Dashboard.