Create Quote

When to use this guide

Open this guide any time you’re preparing a quote in ESS Admin. It mirrors the /app/quotes/create workflow so you can follow along or help a teammate step by step.

Use it when you need to:

Start a brand-new quote for an existing or new client
Understand what each step in the quote wizard expects
Explain revisions, versions, and variations in plain language
Troubleshoot common blockers (e.g. autosave warnings, locked quotes)

Overview of the wizard

The quote wizard has four steps. You can move forward and back at any time—autosave keeps your progress once you reach Step 2.

Client – pick the company and contact, or capture quick details for a one-off customer.
Settings – confirm tax mode, payment terms, validity period, address, and any quote-wide discounts or default mark-ups.
Builder – add the line items, group them into sections, attach reference photos, and review live totals and margin checks.
Polish – finalise the customer-facing wording, save downloadable versions, and produce the PDF you’ll send.

When you finish the wizard, go to the quote detail page to mark it Sent, resend a revision, or convert it to a job.

Step 1 – Choose the client

Finding the right company

The search bar is focused automatically. Start typing and results update within a moment (18 matches per search).
Press / anywhere on the page to jump back to the search bar. Arrow keys move through results; Enter selects the highlighted company.
When the search box is empty you'll see an initial list of clients from your organisation.

Picking or adding a contact

After selecting a company, contacts appear on the right. The primary contact is highlighted; click a different name to change who will receive the quote.
Need someone who isn’t listed? Click Add contact, fill in the quick form, and the new person will be selected automatically.

New or one-off customers

If the company doesn’t exist yet, click Add client to capture full details in the same modal we use elsewhere in ESS Admin.
For one-off jobs where you only have a short description, switch to the Ad-hoc tab. Enter the company name (required) plus optional contact name and email. ESS Admin creates a lightweight client behind the scenes so the quote still links to the right organisation.
While you’re on the Existing tab, a Create ad-hoc client shortcut appears under the results list, using whatever you typed if the search doesn’t return what you need.

When the button stays grey

The Create Draft button enables only when either a company is selected from the list or you’ve typed an ad-hoc company name. If it stays disabled:

Check that the selected result is highlighted (click it again if unsure).
Make sure a browser extension hasn’t blocked the page’s scripts—refresh fixes this most of the time.
For ad-hoc, confirm the company name field isn’t blank or only spaces.

Submitting takes you straight to Step 2 with a new draft quote in Draft status.

Step 2 – Set the quote defaults

From this step onward, autosave keeps your progress. Use the Back button to revisit earlier settings at any time.

Key fields explained

Job address (site) – adds the site details to the quote and helps generate a human-friendly quote number (e.g. QUOTE-730GE-05-11-25). Leave blank if you don’t know the address yet; you can fill it in later.
GST pricing mode – all pricing is Ex-GST (10% GST is added on top of line prices). You can still mark individual lines as GST-free in the builder.
Payment terms – pick the option that matches the agreement with the client (Net 7/14/30, Due on receipt, End of month). This drives the due date on the PDF.
Quote validity – how long the quote remains valid once you send it (accepted values: 1–180 days). ESS Admin sets the expiry date automatically from this number.
Discount – a dollar amount taken off the subtotal. ESS Admin spreads it over taxable lines so GST stays correct.
Defaults & targets – choose the catalogue labour profile the builder should apply to new lines, optionally set a dollar override, keep a fallback material markup, and nominate a target margin. These values flow straight into Step 3 so every new row starts with the right labour rate and profit guardrails. Leave them blank if you prefer to drive each line manually.

Tips for smooth editing

Hover the ? button in the header for quick reminders about each section.
Click Reset to roll everything back to the values you saw when you first opened Step 2.
Ctrl/Cmd + S saves without changing steps. The Next button moves you to the builder, while Save keeps you on the current step.

Step 3 – Build the quote

This is where you lay out the scope, prices, and supporting details. The totals panel and profit analysis update live as you work.

Adding and organising items

Use Add custom to insert a blank line. The description, unit, quantity, price, and tax code are editable inline.
Use Add prebuilt (or the + button at the top) to pull in a component from the shared library—handy for common tasks or kits. The quote copies the component’s costs and recommended sell price; tweak as needed.
Drag the handle on the left of each line to reorder. You can also rename group headers to give the client-friendly section titles like “Electrical Works” or “Fire Compliance”.
Press Enter inside a line to insert a new item directly beneath it. Hold Alt + ↑/↓ (Option on Mac) to nudge a line up or down without dragging.

Labour profiles & overrides

Every component row shows a Labour profile selector. The default comes from Step 2 (or the catalogue default) and controls the sell rate, cost rate, and profit signals for that line.
Use Override rate ($/hr) if you need to lock a specific labour charge. The Effective label underneath shows which rate is currently driving totals.
Need another profile? Add it in Manage → Central Rates first; it appears in the selector immediately.

Photos and reference materials

Click the camera icon in any line to attach up to five image links (HTTPS only). Add a short caption if you want the context recorded in the detail view.

Autosave and validation

Every change starts a short 900 ms timer; if the row is valid (description present, quantity > 0, price ≥ 0) the draft saves automatically.
A yellow “Saving…” toast confirms the save is in progress, followed by a green “Saved” message. If you prefer, press Ctrl/Cmd + S to force an immediate save.
If the quote becomes locked (for example someone else marks it Sent), the builder shows a red banner explaining how to unlock it from the detail page.

Totals and margin insight

The Quote totals panel breaks down materials, labour, subtotal ex GST, GST, total including GST, estimated labour hours, and overall profit/margin using the calculator that also powers the PDF.
If you set a target margin in Step 2, ESS Admin highlights any shortfall so you can adjust before sending.
Expand a line to see the Item profit analysis with mini charts showing cost vs sell price and profit per hour—ideal for quick “are we on target?” checks.

When every required line has a description, quantity, and price, click Next to move to Step 4. If something’s missing, the wizard bounces you back with a friendly error message so you can fill in the gaps.

Where the numbers come from

Line totals – ESS Admin multiplies quantity by the unit price. If the quote is tax exclusive, GST (10 %) is added on top. If it’s tax inclusive, the system backs GST out so the tax column still shows the correct one-eleventh share.
Subtotal (ex GST) – the sum of all lines before GST and discounts. This is the figure the margin warnings and discount rely on.
Discount – the amount from Step 2 is spread proportionally across all line items so totals stay balanced. GST automatically updates after the discount. A $110 discount on an inclusive quote becomes a $100 price reduction and $10 less GST.
GST – calculated only for lines marked GST; FRE and N-T items stay at zero.
Grand total – subtotal minus discount plus GST. These are the same numbers you see in the totals panel, Step 4, and the final PDF.
Group subtotals – if you group items, each section shows ex GST, GST, and inc GST so you can review bundles of work.
Profit checks – the Item Profit and Quote Profit panels compare your sell prices with the costs and mark-ups you’ve entered. If margin drops below the target set in Step 2, the badge turns amber.

Example: One light fitting at $500 ex GST and four emergency lights at $200 ex GST each gives a subtotal of $1,300. With GST exclusive pricing, GST is $130, so the total is $1,430. Apply a $110 discount and the subtotal becomes $1,190, GST becomes $119, and the customer total is $1,309. Step 4 and the PDF will show those exact numbers.

Step 4 – Polish and prepare the PDF

This step focuses on the customer-facing document.

Editing the narrative

The editor behaves like a slimmed-down word processor. Use the toolbar to apply headings, bullet lists, bold/italic, and callouts.
Autosave runs shortly after each change. You can also click Save draft in the sticky footer if you want confirmation straight away.

Templates and layout options

If your organisation has quote templates, pick one from the dropdown and click Apply template to merge standard sections (e.g. cover letters, terms) into your document.
Toggle Show unit price, Show tax column, and Show group subtotals to control what appears in both the preview and the PDF.

Versions, previews, and sending updates

When the quote is still in Draft (or you’re polishing it before the first send), the footer shows Save version (vN) and Save version & download PDF (vN). Use these to capture snapshots and open the PDF you’ll email manually.
When you unlock a sent quote, Step 4 switches to Preview revision (vN), Download revision (vN), and the primary Send revision (vN) button. Sending saves the polish doc, publishes the latest version, and flips the status back to Sent.
The Versions list shows all saved snapshots so you always know what you can restore from the quote detail page, whether they came from manual saves or from the Send revision flow.

Internal notes

A text box just below the builder (Step 3) lets you capture private notes for your team. They’re stored with the quote but never appear on customer documents.

After the wizard

Once you’re happy with the quote:

Open the quote detail page from the quotes list.
Review the summary, versions, and audit trail if needed.
Click Send quote when you’re ready. ESS Admin locks the snapshot; download the PDF and email it manually to the customer.

Revisions vs variations

Revision (Edit & resend) – use this while the quote is still pre-job. Clicking Edit & resend quote moves it to Editing, hides the customer copy, and lets you keep working in Step 3/4. When you press Send revision, ESS Admin logs a new version, stamps the send time, and returns the quote to Sent.
Variation (Change order) – after the quote becomes a job (Converted), the Edit & resend button is replaced with Create variation. That button opens a dedicated workspace with:
- The full builder on the left (autosave on every edit)
- A right-hand column showing baseline vs draft totals, crew instructions inputs, and a “Next steps” checklist reminding you to download the PDF and email it manually (there is no in-app send)
- One-click links back to Quote Detail where you can Continue editing, Mark customer approved, Discard draft, or Reject variation
One variation at a time – a quote with a job can have only one draft or sent variation open. Approving applies the change (job instructions, allocations, progress totals). Discarding/rejecting clears the badge so you can raise the next change order.

FAQ

How do I explain the whole process to a new team member?
Use the four-step outline above: select the client, confirm defaults, build the scope, polish and save a version, then send from the detail page. Encourage them to watch the autosave toasts—it’s their safety net.

Why does the quote number change when I add an address?
ESS Admin uses the job address to produce a memorable identifier (for example the street number plus letters). Adding or changing the address before the quote is sent refreshes that number. After the quote is sent, the number stays fixed.

My changes stopped saving. What happened?
If someone marks the quote as Sent, Accepted, Rejected, or Converted, you’ll see a red banner in the builder. Use the link in that banner to unlock the quote (revision) or head to the variation workspace, depending on the status.

Can I keep working on Step 3 without losing data while I check something else?
Yes. Every field from Step 2 onward autosaves. If you navigate away accidentally, reopen the quote and you’ll pick up where you left off.

How do I attach supporting documents?
Link to hosted images via the photo icon on each line. For other file types, note them in the internal notes or upload them to the job once the quote converts.

The customer wants to compare changes. How can I show that?
Save a version before and after your edits (Step 4). On the quote detail page you can download each version’s PDF or restore an earlier snapshot if needed.

Troubleshooting quick wins

Create Draft button greyed out – make sure a company is selected or the ad-hoc company name is filled in. Refresh the page if the button still ignores your selection.
Step 4 says “Please add at least one valid line item” – go back to Step 3 and ensure every line has a description, quantity above zero, and a price.
Photo links rejected – only secure (https://) image URLs are allowed, and there’s a five-photo limit per line.
Need to walk away mid-quote – simply close the tab after Step 2; autosave has your back. When you return, open the draft from Quotes → Drafts.
Unsure whether to use a revision or a variation – remember: revisions are for pre-job tweaks, variations are for scope changes after the job is underway. The buttons on the detail page always show the correct option.

More help

Quotes overview – statuses, revisions, and variations explained at a glance.
Managing sent quotes & versions – open the Quote detail guide from the Help menu inside ESS Admin for instructions on locking, resending, and converting quotes.
Variation workflow – see the Variation workflow cheat sheet in the operations knowledge base for post-job change requests.
Using the assistant – ask “help with quotes” in the in-app assistant to get scripted prompts and quick answers.