Estimate Adjustment

You don't need to adjust the estimate, Kitkat2.

Since an estimate is a non-posting transaction, it won't affect your books if you record the invoice for the actual amount. Simply create an invoice from the estimate and enter $450.00. You can add a note though to indicate the original amount of the estimate.

Here's how to convert an estimate to an invoice:

1. Open the estimate.
2. Click the Create Invoice option at the top.
3. On the invoice, change the amount to $450.
4. Add a Memo at the bottom right.
5. Click Save & Close.

Please let me know if you have any further questions on this.

Additionally, when you do that, making the amount on the bill different than the PO, when you save the bill QB usually asks if you want the PO changed to match

If you are not seeing that prompt and want to, in preferences is a setting called bring back one time messages, check that and next time you will get the prompt

Thank you.  We were hoping there was a prompt that would allow that amount to be changed and updated while entering amount for invoice.

I didn't get that prompt.  When I go to my settings and check that 'bring back one time messages', it then brings up a different prompt saying I approve to add additional users to my account. 

Hello there, Kitkat2.

Thank you for dropping by here in the Community. I'm here to lend a hand with the Bring back all one time messages option from the Preferences window.

After choosing the option and closing the Preferences window, please make sure the option remains checked after clicking the OK option. There are some cases that you'll not see the prompt because it's still unchecked after closing the settings.

If this happens, you can go on and try making the amount on the bill different than the PO again and check if you'll see any prompt message. If all fails, I recommend reaching out to our Technical Support Specialists for further troubleshooting.

They have the tools needed to perform screen sharing and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. I'm adding the steps below on how you can reach them:

1. Go to: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact#qbdt-select
2. Select Pro or Premier.
3. Select a topic.
4. Scroll down and click Get Phone Number.

Please reach out to me here should you need any additional assistance. The Community is here to serve you.

@Kitkat2

all one time prompts come back

you have to enter a NEW PO, enter a bill with a different price, save to see that prompt.

The point is that Actuals will come from the Purchase transaction and the Sales, and the fact that the Estimate as original is different is the point of estimate = shows that variance. That is part of comparison reporting: Est vs Actuals. If you keep Adjusting the estimate, you basically just changed it to Actuals, and no longer documented the Plan or project scope as a baseline.

You can always Charge someone less or more. You might not even be invoicing From the estimate. Changing the Estimate to be Actuals sort of defeats the reason to use the Estimate except as a presentation quote. Once the project is underway, you might need Change Orders for changes in Scope, but not changing the estimate to match Actual Costs.

You might be charging the customer from Directly Billable time and costs, from the Estimate as Progress, or just a Fixed Contract Rate. If you are using Progress Invoices, you never change the Estimate once Progress Invoicing has begun; that throws off the entire cycle.

@AlcaeusF

Please Learn from this input. First, the preference you mention only controls Dismissable pop ups; most of the Job related pop ups are not Dismissable. Second, this is a Wrong Statement: "After choosing the option and closing the Preferences window, please make sure the option remains checked after clicking the OK option. There are some cases that you'll not see the prompt because it's still unchecked after closing the settings."

It's like a Light Switch. Once you Check it, you turned it on. The Checkmark Does Not Stay there. It is Not going to show again, if you go back and look. This is an "initiate" checkmark, not a Permanent Setting option.

Sorry for the late response.  I'm taking over the bookkeeping for someone and I'm not understanding their set-up.

If I don't change the estimate to the increased/decreased costs to match proposals, how do I create a change order?  Here is the steps they have taken:

1 - create estimate based on proposals received for work requested

2 - change the estimate to reflect additional work requested - this has either increased or decreased the estimate

3 - create an invoice from the estimate based on % complete

4 - invoice created shows an adjustment on the invoice for added/reduced work as a change order

If the change to the estimate creates a change order, how do I create a change order without changing the estimate that they are billing from?

Hi there, @Kitkat2.

It's nice to see your post again in the Community. Allow me to help share some information about estimate in QuickBooks Desktop. 

In QuickBooks Desktop, there isn't an option to make change order without changing the amount on the estimate. As what @qbteachmt mentioned above that this would affect your Actual amount. If there's a need for you to reflect the amount, you'll need to make some changes in the estimate.

I've attached an article for additional reference: Accounts Receivable workflows in QuickBooks Desktop.

For additional help, feel free to reach out to our phone support. Our phone agents will be able to help you get to a resolution quickly.

Here's how:

1. Go to https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact.
2. Select your product.
3. Select your QuickBooks version.
4. Select a topic.
5. Click on the Get Phone Number button.

That should point you in the right direction today.

Stay in touch if you have any other questions about an estimate. I'll be happy to help you further. Have a great one.

@MaryGraceS

In Contractor Edition (Premier and Enterprise), you have Change Orders that can be "added" to the Estimate.

I recommend making a new job for Change Orders, to manage that separately. This is especially important if you use Progress Invoicing, because changing the Estimate changes that baseline and all previous Progress Invoicing is off track with Progress, and to update them, you need to start from the first Invoice and work your way forward using the Progress Chart Icon and keeping the Dollar amounts the same to avoid changing sales and historic financial reporting. That's why it is not a good work method to change an Estimate for Progress invoicing, once invoicing has begun.

Please see my attachment for handling a Change Order. Look at the Customer Name List on the left.

Thank you.  I know it would be easier to complete a new estimate for new work as a change order but Owners request we keep it all together and there just doesn't seem to be a way to track it.