An estimate is a priced quote you send to a client or a lead before the work starts. It lists what you will deliver, how many, at what price, with your taxes and any discount. The client opens it from an e-mail or a link, accepts it (with a signature if you want one) or rejects it, and an accepted estimate becomes an invoice or a project in one click.
In the left menu, open Estimates (in the Sales group). The page has three tabs: Estimates, Estimate Requests and Estimate Request Forms. Every client and every lead also has an Estimates tab with its own Add estimate button.
If you do not see the menu, an administrator switches it on in Settings → Modules (Estimate, and Estimate Request for the request forms).
| Status | What it means | What your client sees |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | You are still preparing it. Clients do not see drafts in their portal. | Nothing |
| Sent | It was e-mailed with Send to client, or you used Mark as Sent. | New |
| Accepted | The client accepted it, or you marked it accepted. | Accepted |
| Declined | The client rejected it, or you marked it declined. | Rejected |
Good to know: the Valid until date is printed on the estimate, but nothing changes by itself when it passes. Follow up or mark the estimate declined yourself.
Use an estimate when the client mainly needs the price: a list of items and a total. Use a proposal when you need to convince: a written document with your approach, timeline and terms, with the price table inside it. An accepted proposal can still become an estimate. See What are Proposals in NIZU?