Create and send estimates

Learn how to set up estimates in QuickBooks Online.

Create an estimate when you want to give your customer a quote, bid, or proposal for work you plan to do. The form looks similar to an invoice, but instead of charging your customer, you’re giving them info about your proposal and what they can expect to pay. Then, when the work is done and you're ready to invoice your customer, you can convert the estimate to an invoice so you don't have to enter it twice.

• Create an estimate and convert it to an invoice with the new layout
  • Create an estimate
  • Update an estimate's status
  • Convert an estimate to an invoice
  • Review open estimates
  • Delete an estimate

Create an estimate and convert it to an invoice

Step 1: Create an estimate

As you’re creating an estimate, you can customize it to display only what you want your customer to see. Here’s how to create and customize a new estimate:

1. Select + New or + Create.
2. Select Estimate.
3. Select + Add customer. Then select a customer from the ▼ dropdown. Or, to add a new customer, select +Add new, enter the customer info, and select Save and close.
4. Select the ▼ dropdown in the Product or service field and add the products or services to the estimate. Or, to add a new product or service, select + Add new, enter the info for your product or service and select Save and close. 
5. If you saved a rate for your product or service, it automatically displays in the Amount column. Add or adjust the quantity or amount as needed. 
6. The default status of a new estimate is “Pending”. If you need to edit the status, select ⚙ Manage, then select the Pending ▼ dropdown and choose a different status.
7. To customize the estimate, select ⚙ Manage. Then select the dropdown▼ on the section you need to customize to expand the details. Choose what info displays on your form, then turn the switches on or off in each section.
   Note: As you make changes, a preview displays on the form.
8. When you're ready, select Save.
9. To email the estimate to your customer, select Review and send. Then edit the email message, if necessary, and select Send estimate.

Step 2: Update an estimate's status

When you email your customer an estimate and they accept or decline the estimate directly from the email, QuickBooks automatically updates the status of the estimate for you.

Or, here’s how to manually update the status of the estimate:

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Find the estimate.
3. In the Action column, select the dropdown▼ and then Update status.
4. Select Accepted or another status. Then select OK.

Tip: The estimates are non-posting transactions. They won’t affect your books until you convert the estimate to an invoice.

Step 3: Convert an estimate to an invoice

1.  Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2.  Find the estimate.
3.  In the Action column, select Convert to invoice.
4. Select the option from the How much do you want to invoice? window, then select Create invoice.
5.  Make any necessary edits to the invoice.
6.  If you need to customize any invoice fields, select ⚙ Manage and select the dropdown▼ on the section you need to customize. Then turn the switches on or off to change what displays on the invoice. As you make changes, a preview displays on the form.
7. When you're ready, select Save to save the invoice, or select Review and send to email the invoice to your customer.

Review open estimates

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Find your estimate. Tip: You can sort how estimates are displayed by selecting the date, number, customer, total, or status column headers.

You can also run a report to get more details:

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Look for and open the Estimates by Customer report.
3. Select your date range.

This gives you the customer name, the estimate number, the status, and invoice number if it's been converted.

Delete an estimate

If your customer decides they don't want you to do the work, it's better to change the estimate status to Declined rather than delete it. (See Step 2: Update an estimate's status.) This keeps a record of the estimate on your accounts for good bookkeeping.

But if you created an estimate by mistake, you can simply delete it:

1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product
2. Find the estimate.
3. In the Action column, select the dropdown ▼ and then select Delete.
4. Select Delete to confirm.