The Proposal creation/editing page allows you to create a new commercial proposal or modify an existing one. Proposals are used to offer products or services to customers before they become invoices. You can set proposal status, assign it to a staff member, link to a customer and project, add line items, apply discounts, and define validity dates.
Main Sections
Header & Search
- New Proposal title indicates you are creating a proposal.
- Search field (if present) allows you to search for existing proposals or customers (depending on the CRM design).
Proposal Details (top part)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Status | Proposal lifecycle status (e.g., Draft, Sent, Accepted, Declined, Revised). In the example: Draft. |
| Assigned | Staff member responsible for this proposal. Click to select from staff list. |
| To | Customer (client) for whom the proposal is created. Usually a dropdown or search field. |
| Address | Customer’s address. May be auto-filled from customer profile. |
| Project | Link the proposal to an existing project (optional). Start typing to search. |
| Date | Date the proposal is created. Defaults to current date. |
| Open Till | Expiry date – until when the proposal is valid. |
| Currency | Currency symbol (e.g., $, €, ₴). All amounts will use this currency. |
| Discount Type | Choose how discount is applied: No discount, Before tax, After tax (or percentage/fixed). |
| Tags | Keywords to categorize proposals (e.g., “website”, “consulting”). Can be multiple. |
| Customer’s email address (pre-filled from contact). | |
| Phone | Customer’s phone number (pre-filled). |
Item Entry Table
This section allows you to add products or services to the proposal.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Show quantity as | Select how quantity is displayed: Qty (simple number), Hours (time‑based), Qty/Hours (both). |
| Item | Name of the product or service (e.g., “Development”). |
| Description | Long description of the item (optional). |
| Rate | Unit price (per item/hour). |
| Tax | Tax rate applied (e.g., No Tax, 20% VAT). |
| Unit | Unit of measurement (e.g., piece, hour, month). |
In the example, two items are shown:
- Development – quantity 1, rate $1,400, No Tax.
- Design – quantity 1, rate $600, No Tax.
Add Item button – click to insert a new row.
Totals Section (right side or bottom)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Sub Total | Sum of all line items (rate × quantity) before discount and adjustment. |
| Discount | Discount amount (fixed value or percentage, depending on Discount Type). |
| Adjustment | Manual adjustment (positive or negative) to the total. |
| Total | Final total after discount and adjustment. |
In the example: Sub Total $2,000.00, Discount 0%, Adjustment $0, Total $2,000.00.
How to Create a Proposal (Step by Step)
- Navigate to Proposals → New Proposal (or click “New” from proposals list).
- Select Status – usually “Draft” while you are editing.
- Assign a responsible staff member.
- Choose the customer (To) – start typing or select from list.
- Optionally link a Project.
- Set Date (creation date) and Open Till (valid until).
- Choose Currency (e.g., USD, EUR).
- Add items:
- Click Add Item.
- Enter Item name, Description (optional), Quantity, Rate, Tax rate, Unit.
- Repeat for each product/service.
- Select quantity display (Qty, Hours, or Qty/Hours).
- Set Discount Type (e.g., No discount) and enter discount value if any.
- Enter Adjustment (if needed) – positive adds to total, negative subtracts.
- Review Total – the system calculates automatically.
- Add Tags for better organization.
- Save the proposal. You can later change status to “Sent” when emailing it to the customer.
Tips
- Use Tags to group proposals by category, region, or campaign.
- Always set an Open Till date to avoid outdated offers.
- The Assigned field ensures accountability – the responsible staff will receive notifications.
- Use Discount Type correctly: “Before tax” applies discount before calculating tax; “After tax” applies after.
- You can convert an accepted proposal into an Invoice or Estimate (depending on CRM features).
Common Actions
| Action | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Add a new item | Click Add Item and fill the row. |
| Remove an item | Click the trash icon on the item row (if available). |
| Change currency | Select from Currency dropdown – all prices will convert if exchange rates are set. |
| Send proposal to customer | After saving, use the “Send” or “Email” button (not shown in screenshot). |
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