# Estimates¶

Estimates allow you to create and send an approximate outline of your Items or Freelancer Services to your Client for approval before beginning the work. The client can then Accept the Estimate for approval before converting it into an Invoice automatically, or you can go ahead and convert it yourself to start collecting payment!

## Estimates List¶

As a freelancer, many jobs – whether big or small – will begin as an estimate. How so? Well, a client expresses interest in your skills or product, but wants to know how much it’s going to cost, in advance. With the estimates feature of Workice, you can easily create a price estimate and send it to the client up front, helping them make the decision to commit, and helping you keep track of your projected work schedule and income.

Once the price quote is accepted by the client, Workice enables automatic creation of an invoice that imports all the estimate data, so your estimates and invoices are linked, organized and easily traceable.

To view your estimates list page, click the Accounting tab on the main sidebar, and select Estimates from the drop-down menu. This will open the Estimates list page.

### Overview¶

The estimates list table contains the columns below:

• Estimate: The number of the estimate
• Client: The client name
• Status: The current status of the estimate (Pending, Approved, Invoiced)
• Due Date: The last date that the estimate is valid and can be accepted by the client
• Amount: The total amount of the estimate.
• Created At: The date the estimate was created

## Create Estimate¶

To create a new estimate, go to the Estimates tab on the main sidebar, and click on the Create button. This will open the Estimates / Create page offering a series of text and numerical inputs.

Note that each new estimate you create will be automatically numbered in chronological order. This will ensure your records are kept logical and organized. (You have the option to change the estimate number manually in Settings - Estimate Settings).

The form contains:

• Title: Estimate Title e.g Acme Website Design (optional)
• Client: Click on the arrow at the right end of the Client field. Select the relevant client from the client list.
• Due Date: The date when the estimate should expire.
• Currency: Estimate currency.
• Discount: Applying a discount to an estimate is the same as applying a discount to an invoice.
• Tax 1: Tax 1 amount in percentage.
• Tax 2: Tax 2 amount in percentage.
• Tags: Enter multiple tags for the estimates e.g website,logos etc (Optional)
• Notes: Want to enter information to appear as a footer on the estimate? Enter it here. The text will appear at the bottom of the estimate.

Tip

You can attach a new deal or existing deal to an estimate. Once an estimate is approved, the deal is marked as Won.

Once you’ve completed creating your estimate, click on Save Button and you’ll be redirected to the estimate page where you can enter your products/services.

• Item/Product: This is the name of the item you are billing for. You can either enter the details manually, or start typing and pick already invoiced items.
• Unit Price: The amount you charge per unit of items. For example, let’s say your item is “1 hour consulting”, and you charge \$80 for an hour of consulting – that is, for 1 item unit. Then you’ll enter 80 in the Unit Price field.

Note

If you have selected a set item from the auto complete list, the description and unit price that you pre-defined in your previous invoice will apply by default. You can manually override the default unit price or description by clicking in field and changing the data.

• Quantity: The number of units being charged. Continuing the above example, let’s say you need to charge for 3 hours of consulting, enter the number 3 in the Quantity field.
• Tax Rate: Note: To apply tax to the line item, click on the arrow at the right side of the Tax field and select the relevant tax from the drop-down list.
• Discount: This is the discount percentage you need to apply for the particular line item.

Click on Save button to save the item.

Beneath and to the right of the line item section, you’ll find the Totals section:

• Subtotal: This is the amount due before other figures are taken into calculation, such as Tax, Discounts etc.
• Tax 1: Tax 1 rate for the estimate.
• Tax 2: Tax 2 rate for the estimate.
• Discount: The discount amount.
• Total: The total amount for the estimate

## Estimate Page¶

• Show to client button: Use this button to hide/show estimate to client.
• Activity button: Click to view estimate history.
• Set Reminder button: Add custom reminder and get alert. e.g Reminder to send estimate
• More button: Access additional estimate options including updating, deleting estimate.
• Send button: Email the estimate directly via Workice system to the email address specified for the client.
• Mark as Accepted: The estimate status will change to accepted.
• Mark as Declined: The estimate status will change to declined.
• Delete: Click here to delete the estimate. It will be deleted and removed from the estimates list page.
• Share button: Dispays a link that you can send to client to access the estimate.

### Convert to Invoice¶

Once an estimate has been accepted, you can click on Convert button to convert it to an Invoice.

Note

You can set an estimate to convert to an invoice autmatically in Settings -> Estimate Settings.

### Convert Estimate to Project¶

To convert estimate to project once approved by the client. Go to Settings -> Estimate Settings and check Estimate to Project checkbox.

Tip

You may attach estimate documents using the folder icon at the top right side of the invoice top navigation..

## Email Estimate Preview¶

When you are ready to send an estimate to the client, click the Send button. Before the estimate email is sent, a pop-up box will open, displaying a preview of the email. Here, you can add additonal comment to the email.

### Customizing the Estimate Email Template¶

To customize the email template, go to Settings - Translations and click on Emails button on the top navigation and select the locale you want to modify.

Tip

You can customize any type of email template, including invoice emails, First Reminder, Second Reminder and Third Reminder emails. The english version variables are named in module, action and message format (dot notation). Example; if you need to edit the message that will be sent when you send an estimate, look for a variable named estimates.sending.body. To edit sent message subject, modify estimates.sending.subject value.

Know when an estimate is viewed or becomes due so you can take the right actions to manage your cash flow.

## Reuse items as much as you want¶

Recycling is a good thing, so why waste time and effort writing in the same items and prices over and over again? Once you add your items to an invoice/estimate you’ll only need to start typing in your estimates to see them pop up.

## Bulk Actions¶

If you need to perform an action for a number of estimates, you can do it in one click with the bulk action feature. To use the bulk action feature, mark the relevant estimates in their checkbox at the far left of the estimates list. Once you’ve marked the estimates, select an action to perform on them in the buttons below the estimates list page.

• Send: Send selected estimates by email to client(s).
• Archive: Archive selected estimates.
• Delete: Delete selected estimates.