Creating Quotes

Sales quotes may be created and managed in the system. Once created, quotes may be printed and/or emailed to customers. Quotes can be accepted and sales invoices created directly. No accounting entries are made until a quote is converted into an invoice.

Switch on quote functionality

Switching on quote functionality activates menu items for creating and maintaining quotes. This is done via Organisational Profile under the Control menu.

Control - Organisational Profile - Optional Features - Sales Quotes

Tick the Use Sales Quotes box and dismiss the configuration message and click SUBMIT button to confirm.

Creating a quote - in summary

Ensure details of the customer for the quote are set up (or use the Create Customer option)
Set up Sales items if they do not already exist
Set up Quote configuration
If the organisation is using Branch/Funds and/or Activity analysis, set up the details
Create the Quote Transaction
Print or email the Quote
Accept the Quote
Create Sales Invoice

Quote configuration

Quote Document settings are configured via the Control menu.

Control - Document Settings - Sales Quote Tab

The user may choose a "Quotation" or "Pro-forma Invoice" label on the documents by clicking the appropriate radio button.

If the entity is registered for VAT then the user can choose to have a default condition that includes or excludes VAT on a quote by ticking or un-ticking the Display VAT on Quote box. Note at the time of creating an individual quote the default may be overwritten.

By ticking the 'Use Quote Number as Invoice Number' a user ensures that the ultimate sales invoice has the same reference number as that used on the quote, see immediately below.

The Quote numbering sequence and the display format of the quote number is configured in the Quote Sequence boxes. Note as the configuration is designed an example is displayed to the right. The Next Number box determines the number that will automatically be used when a quote is next created.

The Quote Policy Period Days defines a valid-to date for a quote that is displayed on the quote document as the creation date plus this number of days. Any text the user wishes to appear on all quotes may be entered in Quote Policy Text box. Note it is free format.

Creating a quote

Creating a Quote is accessed via the Sales menu.

Sales - Add Sales Quote

A two-tabbed screen is presented.

Quote Tab

The information collected in the Quote maintenance screen is sufficient to create a full sales invoice with no further data required when the user is ready.

The quote number in the Quote# field is added automatically as the next in the series and will show once the quote has been created. It may be amend if necessary.

The Quote Date defaults to to-days date; this can be amended. This date is the transaction date for recording.

The Valid To Date is calculated from the Quote Policy Period Days set in document settings. This may be overwritten for the specific quote. The Message field can be used to place a comment on the face of the invoice. Leave blank if not used. The Memo field can be used to enter free format descriptive text that will appear on certain reports. It can be left blank.

The line items that make up the Quote value now need to be added. A line item is a number of units of a Sales Item extended by the unit value to give the total invoice amount.

Analysis Tab

Any analysis to Branches/Funds and/or Activities is selected on the analysis tab and will carried forward for any subsequently created sales invoice.

When all line items have been entered and analysis selected as required clicking SUBMIT button creates the quote. A confirmation statement displays in a grey line just beneath the main menu area. A new Create Quote screen also draws to allow for creating the next quote.

Foreign currency quote

If the selected Customer has been set up to be invoiced in a foreign currency (or is created as to be invoiced in foreign currency) an appropriate exchange rate for the quote date populates the Exchange Rate field. Note daily rates are taken from a relevant external source, if the user prefers a different rate (perhaps forward contracts are in place) then overwrite the system provided rate.

Process the quote in the normal way and when an invoice is created it will use the exchange rate entered on the quote. If it is necessary to apply a different exchange rate edit in the invoice screen. Accounting standards require that the sales transaction for accounting purposes are translated in to sterling (GBP) at the exchange rate in operation on the date on which the transaction occurred or at a contracted rate if one exists.

The quote will retain the rate that was entered in the quote screen.

Creating a customer invoice from a quote

Creating a sales invoice from a quote is also done from the quotes list.

Income - Quotes

Within the date range set, filter by Branch/Fund (if used), Customer and status (open, accepted, closed or lapsed). Click the Action Menu adjacent to the relevant quote.

The following actions are available.

Open: Open the quote for amendment if necessary
Accept Quote: Sets the status of the quote to accepted
Raise Invoice: The sales invoice is created using the quote and customer information. The usual invoice maintenance screen is drawn for visual confirmation and the confirmation line at the top of the screen gives the invoice number and the linked quote. If the customer had been created from within create quote process the system creates the associated sales ledger account and posts the invoice transaction as normal. The status of the quote is changed to closed and is locked. The related invoice number is displayed in the listing of quotes.
Delete: Deletes the quote

Reports

A report detailing open quotes is available from the Reports Menu.

Reports - Customers - Open Quotes

Filter the report by customer if required. The report is in pdf format and may be used for chasing purposes.