Business Estimates

glenn2830

Hi, I am using the Home and Business edition. For Business I need to provide a Proposal estimate to my customer first. Typically these estimates contain similar items. So I want to create one Estimate to use as a Template. How can I either copy that Estimate to customize for the customer, or do a Save As on the Estimate to save as a new Estimate?

YingDave

Hi there. Inside the Design Form dialog (Menu Business, Invoice & Estimates, Design Invoice forms) make sure you have Estimate template up on screen of course by choosing Layout, Estimate on the design screen.

Then hit Layout, Copy which creates a new template to edit, give a meaningful name, and save as you wish after customising it. You can switch to other forms in this "Layout' menu and you should see your new template listed.

Hope this helps.

glenn2830

Hi YingDave, Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Actually I had found the custom form design tool. I think it is pretty neat and amazingly powerful. But what I really want to do is copy all of the Items in a estimate to a new estimate. For example, Typically my estimates includes 9 to 10 items. I would like to create an Estimate with customer "Template" for example with those ten items. Then for a new estimate for a new project or customer, I would just start with the Template and Copy, or Save As to a new Estimate (so I dont have to enter the ten items each time). I played around by changing the Estimate #, Customer name, Project Name and then saving to see if it would create a new Estimate. But it does not, it just modifies that same one. So I am not sure if there is some other trick to do the Copy or Save As. Any ideas?

YingDave

V.Good Question. You might want to log an idea for enhancement for this. It can be done with an invoice with a work around, but can't see a way to do it with an Estimate. This is because the Estimates are in a hidden² account register called *Estimate* that cannot be unhidden (does not even show up on manage hidden accounts). You're right it would be nice if besides New, Edit, Convert there was also Copy. In terms of enhancement it should not be too complex. As they use underlying structure as an account it is just like copying a transaction but in a dialog form. You could continually edit an existing Estimate but would not leave you the history to convert it later.

To use an old invoice as a template for a new invoice you need access to the register so you can create a memorised transaction on an existing invoice in the register, then open calendar (While in a different register for some reason), then drag, drop the income (invoice) transaction to the right date. Go back to invoice register to edit it with new invoice # and any changes. Then again you could just use an estimate as a template to create multiple invoices by not deleting it when converted.

However you cannot access *Estamates* account except through Estimate dialog box - so can't see a way directly to copy or use an Estimate as a template for another estimate. You could create a very future dated invoice copy perhaps, as you can use the same estimate to create many invoices? Not very elegant I agree.