Create and Send Estimates

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here are two new features in the Invoice module that will now allow end-users to create quotations to their customers and customize the creation of invoices based on the estimates created and accepted by the customers.

Invoice Settings

This new feature in the Invoices module allows the Merchant to customize the setup for their creation of invoices when the estimate has been accepted by the customer.

Estimates

This new feature in the Invoices module allows the merchant to send a quotation or an estimate to the customer without obliging them to pay and allowing the customer to view how much they should be paying for the specific work or service.

Follow the step-by-step guide on how to create, send estimates to your customers, and create invoices from accepted estimates quickly and easily.

I. Create Estimates

  1. Once you are logged in to your Merchant Portal, go to Invoice.

  2. Click the Estimates tab beside the Invoices.

Reminder to Merchant Owners:

The Estimates tab is only accessible and visible to you (Business Owner) by default. As Merchant Owner, you have to enable access for Estimates in Role Management Settings.

  1. Click the Create Estimate button. This will open a portion of the page wherein you can enter the Estimate details.

   2. Enter the details of the Estimates you want to create for a certain customer in

Create Estimate / Estimate Details page. If you are familiar with creating an invoice in Merchant Portal, the Create Estimate input page is almost similar. 

  • Fill out these fields:

    • Customer → enter the name of the customer or business you are creating the estimate for. Click the Add New Customer button if the customer you would like to create an estimate is not existing in the system.

    • Estimate# → this is a unique number that is auto-generated by the system. You can edit this field.

    • Estimate Date → this refers to the creation date of the estimate.

    • Validity Date → this is a required field; the date on which the estimate expires.

    • Reference# →tThis is an optional field;

    • Location → refers to the Location of the logged-in user where the estimate is created.

    • Items/Service/Qty → refers to the items or services that will be covered for the estimate being created.

    • Adjustments → composed of Discounts and Tax that will be computed (if enabled) for the estimate being created.

I. Save Estimates

During Create Estimates, you can either save the Estimate as DRAFT or save the estimate as a new estimate.

  • Save as Draft → when you save the estimate as a draft, you cannot send it yet to the customer.

  • Save Estimate → saving the estimate will enable you to send the estimate to the customer whom you made the invoice. You can still edit the estimates as long as it is not yet accepted by the customer.

III. Send Estimates

You can only Send the estimates to the concerned customer if the status of the Estimate is New.

To send the estimate via View Estimate Details:

  1. Click the eye button of the estimate record.

   2. A modal will open displaying the

Estimate Details. Click the Send to Email button. The system will send the estimate detail to customer’s email.

To send the estimate via Edit Estimate Details:

  1. Click the eye button of the estimate record.

  2. A modal will open displaying the Estimate Details. Click the Edit Estimates button. This will open the Estimate Details page.

  1. Click the  Send to Email button.

The Estimates will be sent to the customer with the subject header “New estimates from [Merchant Name]”

IV. Customize Invoice Settings

Note: The Invoice Settings does not have an effect on the manual invoices. The configurations that will be applied in this feature will only affect the creation of invoices for the estimates accepted by the customers.

  1. Go to Invoice.

  2. Click the Invoices Settings button which is located on the upper right side of the page.

  3. Configure your Invoice Settings in two (2) ways.

General Payment Term Setting: Define a payment term that will be applied to all customers

If a specific customer has exclusive payment terms under the Customer Payment
Term, that setting will suffice.

The payment term indicated in this Setting will reflect on the Invoice Details - Payment Terms upon creation of invoice unless the concerned Customer has an exclusive payment term. 

Customer Payment Terms: Define payment terms for a specific customer

  • Add a Customer to Customer Payment Term

    • Click the Add Customer button. A row will be added on the list.

    • Click the empty row under the Customer column and start searching for a customer.

    • Enter Number and select Payment Terms.

    • Click the Save icon under the Actions column to save the settings.

The customer with exclusive payment terms indicated in this Setting will reflect on the Invoice Details - Payment Terms upon creation of the invoice.


V. Create Invoice for the Accepted Estimates


Invoice for the accepted estimates can be done automatically or manually.

  • Auto-create invoice upon acceptance of estimates

    1. In Invoice Settings, go to General Payment Term tab

    2. Check the AUTO CREATE INVOICE ON ACCEPT

  • When the customer accepts the Estimates, the invoice will be created instantly on the same page where the estimate was accepted. The customer has an option to pay for the invoice created.

By default, the AUTO CREATE INVOICE ON ACCEPT is ticked.

  • Go to Invoice, click the Estimate tab. Manually create an invoice for the accepted estimates

    1. In Invoice Settings, go to General Payment Term tab

    2. If the AUTO CREATE INVOICE ON ACCEPT is checked, uncheck the checkbox.

      • When the customer accepted the estimates, the status of the estimate will be updated to ACCEPTED.

      • For Accepted estimated, notice a button under the Actions column. Click the button. Create an Invoice page that will be opened.

You can now create an invoice manually for the estimate. The Items, Amount, Discounts, Tax, Customer indicated in the Estimates should reflect in the corresponding fields of Create Invoice page.

Once the estimates have been accepted, the status of the Estimate will be changed to Accepted. Accepted Estimate is no longer editable.



As a Merchant Owner, you can be notified when a customer accepted an estimate.

  1. In Invoice Settings, go to General Payment Term tab

  2. Check the SEND EMAIL TO MERCHANT OWNER ON ACCEPT.

  • This will automatically send an email notification to the Merchant Owner when the customer accepted the Estimates.

By default, the SEND EMAIL TO MERCHANT OWNER ON ACCEPT is ticked.


VII. Send Email to the Creator of the Estimate upon Acceptance of Estimates

You can also set-up in the Invoice Settings to send a notification email to the person who created the estimated upon acceptance of the estimates. The “creator of the estimate” can be the Employees or the Merchant Owner.

  1. In Invoice Settings, go to General Payment Term tab

  2. Check the SEND EMAIL TO ESTIMATE CREATOR ON ACCEPT.

  • This will automatically send an email notification to the person who created the estimate when the customer accepted the Estimates.

By default, the SEND EMAIL TO ESTIMATE CREATOR ON ACCEPT is ticked.