Blesta Have Option To Create Quote/estimates ?

[alexistkd]

Hi i cant see in the blesta demo a section to create quote or estimates for future clients

 

thank you very much.

[Purevoltage]

This will be a nice feature to have, right now we just use an excel sheet for quotes but then we have to add them into our system after manually.

[Paul]

I wonder if it makes sense to implement a simple quote system to start with. It would be similar to draft except:

1. Clients can receive the quote via email, paper, etc just like invoices
2. The quote email would contain a link to Blesta where they can accept to the quote
3. Accepting the quote will turn around an invoice.

Depending on the work involved, some other terms could be accepted. For example, half to start, final half due upon completion. etc. Really it needs to be fleshed out more, but I think if we stick to the basics in an initial release, it will work for most people and not take a ton of dev time to implement.

[Michael]

I wonder if it makes sense to implement a simple quote system to start with. It would be similar to draft except:

1. Clients can receive the quote via email, paper, etc just like invoices
2. The quote email would contain a link to Blesta where they can accept to the quote
3. Accepting the quote will turn around an invoice.

Depending on the work involved, some other terms could be accepted. For example, half to start, final half due upon completion. etc. Really it needs to be fleshed out more, but I think if we stick to the basics in an initial release, it will work for most people and not take a ton of dev time to implement.

 

Love this idea Paul mate.

[lori]

I wonder if it makes sense to implement a simple quote system to start with. It would be similar to draft except:

1. Clients can receive the quote via email, paper, etc just like invoices
2. The quote email would contain a link to Blesta where they can accept to the quote
3. Accepting the quote will turn around an invoice.

Depending on the work involved, some other terms could be accepted. For example, half to start, final half due upon completion. etc. Really it needs to be fleshed out more, but I think if we stick to the basics in an initial release, it will work for most people and not take a ton of dev time to implement.

 

I love this idea too 

[Paul]

Love this idea Paul mate.

 

I love this idea too 

 

Any suggestions in terms of features to round this off?

[Michael]

Any suggestions in terms of features to round this off?

 

Not sure mate, maybe it could link up to the order form so people can save the order and come back to it after (I think someone mentioned it before).

[Blesta Addons]

as Paul suggestions is perfect .

sometime we need to change the quote after we recieve some new request to the work or new petition from client to reduce the price .

-the top for me is to add something like comments both for client and staff under the qoute . with this will simplify the work , rather than talking via emails with the client .

if the quote is accepted , it become invoiceor it remain quote ? and what if pro forma is enabled ?

[Paul]

as Paul suggestions is perfect .

sometime we need to change the quote after we recieve some new request to the work or new petition from client to reduce the price .

-the top for me is to add something like comments both for client and staff under the qoute . with this will simplify the work , rather than talking via emails with the client .

if the quote is accepted , it become invoiceor it remain quote ? and what if pro forma is enabled ?

 

Comments seem like a good idea, do you mean staff and clients can both comment? So, a quote has a threaded reply/conversation with the client?

 

If a quote is accepted, and an invoice results and pro forma is enabled, what is the appropriate action? If a quote is accepted, is that considered a contract and an invoice should be generated, or should a pro forma be generated? In past discussions, there was concert by some that a pro forma invoice doesn't need to be paid. Would it be appropriate to issue a pro forma invoice for an accepted quote?

[Blesta Addons]

Comments seem like a good idea, do you mean staff and clients can both comment? So, a quote has a threaded reply/conversation with the client?

 

If a quote is accepted, and an invoice results and pro forma is enabled, what is the appropriate action? If a quote is accepted, is that considered a contract and an invoice should be generated, or should a pro forma be generated? In past discussions, there was concert by some that a pro forma invoice doesn't need to be paid. Would it be appropriate to issue a pro forma invoice for an accepted quote?

Comments for both client/and staffs that have permission . a threaded replies like the support ticket .

normally , after the client accept a quote , it should become an invoice . but as always in europeand my country invoice should be accounted and not changed , and to avoid some case that client won't pay for some reason, i prefer changing quote to pro forma . if enebled .

[lori]

Top items for me would be the ability to create and send the quote, a way for client to accept the quote, and converting the quote to an invoice when accepted or manually. If it can not be converted manually, it would be nice if there was an option to not send the invoice as soon as it is created because the project may not be starting at the same time as when the quote is accepted.

[Jonathan]

+1 on Paul's idea.

[PauloV]

Hello Paul

 

Your idea is perfect, and naja7host sugestion to convert a Quote to a Pro-Forma invoice insted a final invoice is better for us EU

 

There will be always clients that dont pay Invoices and we have always problem in retriving the TAX for it if the client dosent pay the invoice

 

Quote -> (after acepet ,and Pro-Froma is enable change to) -> Pro-Forma Invoice -> (then we can opt to convert to final invoice or not)

Quote -> (after acepet ,and Pro-Froma is disable change to) -> Invoice

[NickP]

Hey guys,

 

Would love the see the idea of a quote system as it's a crucial part to me for my business. One thing that I'd like to see is the possibility of when adding a quote for a customer who you don't have, you can collect the information and then input it into the fields and when they click to go pay/view it pre-populates in the cart* (*=maybe)

 

So ideally I'd like to see something like a table that tells them 

• Quantity 
• Term (monthly/quarterly/ect)
• Product
• Discount* (if statement to show if applied if not don't include)
• Order Link (order link is a random hash that takes them to order page and inputs it into the checkout forms)

It's just an idea, but something I think would help streamline the process, as I know if I get a quote and have to enter my information again on a checkout page I'm let in the "why?" question.

 

tl;dr make the on boarding process for quotes simple as pay and go.

[eXtremeSHOK]

Any progress with the above ? been 2 years since it was initially raised.

 

Currently 

 

WHMCS 1 Blesta 0

 

Something as mandatory as quotes/estimates should of been there from the very beginning.

[PauloV]

Any progress with the above ? been 2 years since it was initially raised.

 

Currently 

 

WHMCS 1 Blesta 0

 

Something as mandatory as quotes/estimates should of been there from the very beginning.

 

I agree with you eXtremeSHOK

 

But if you really need this, you can, for now use the "Drafts" renamed to "Quotes"

 

We also need "Credit Notes" that are still not implemented

[phireuk]

Any update on this?  A quote system whould be much appreciated.

 

Renaming drafts is fine, but no way to email to the customer, other than PDF download, then email manually.

[S.H.]

Just wanted to reaffirm my interest in a quote system for Blesta. I think it is vital. I don't like having to use a separate software to make quotes that isn't linked back to the invoices or customer database. Maybe Modules Bakery could have a go at it.

[activa]

naja7host has wrote a plugin for that , it's free .

[Chris van der Westhuizen]

We did away with whmcs and are using Blesta, but now we have to create quotes on a separate system (because I did not pay attention).  Our directors want us to move away from Blesta for the lack of features like this, and they showed me FreeSide.  That is written in Perl, and currently have NO support or developers at all that comes back to us.  I see they are hiring. Thus that will be the worse route to take now. And I have to fix this. ?

What we need in Blesta is menu items called Prospects and Quotes with sub-menus to create/edit/delete or list prospects or quotes, and where a quote gets generated and emailed in either html or pdf.  A quote should be generated for existing clients as well and not only prospects.  Sales agent should also be assigned in the form.  If a client/prospect accept a quite once clicked on quote accepted button, if prospect a client should be created and then the services from the quote added to the new or existing client and invoiced.  I believe one will only need 3 extra tables namely prospects (based on contacts) and quotation and quotation_lines (based on invoice and invoice_lines table).

How difficult would it be to develop this for Blesta?  Can it be done as a plugin or module or does one have to modify the base source?

My mother-tongue is unfortunately not PHP, but I am an eager/fast learner on foreign languages ?  ...and a perfectionist when it comes to coding and security.

Any suggestions going forward from here?

[Beav]

4 hours ago, Chris van der Westhuizen said:

We did away with whmcs and are using Blesta, but now we have to create quotes on a separate system (because I did not pay attention).  Our directors want us to move away from Blesta for the lack of features like this, and they showed me FreeSide.  That is written in Perl, and currently have NO support or developers at all that comes back to us.  I see they are hiring. Thus that will be the worse route to take now. And I have to fix this. ?

What we need in Blesta is menu items called Prospects and Quotes with sub-menus to create/edit/delete or list prospects or quotes, and where a quote gets generated and emailed in either html or pdf.  A quote should be generated for existing clients as well and not only prospects.  Sales agent should also be assigned in the form.  If a client/prospect accept a quite once clicked on quote accepted button, if prospect a client should be created and then the services from the quote added to the new or existing client and invoiced.  I believe one will only need 3 extra tables namely prospects (based on contacts) and quotation and quotation_lines (based on invoice and invoice_lines table).

How difficult would it be to develop this for Blesta?  Can it be done as a plugin or module or does one have to modify the base source?

My mother-tongue is unfortunately not PHP, but I am an eager/fast learner on foreign languages ?  ...and a perfectionist when it comes to coding and security.

Any suggestions going forward from here?

You can try this from @Blesta Addons. If this solution isnt viable you can get a quote for this custom solution from a developer for hire here.

[Blesta Addons]

7 hours ago, Chris van der Westhuizen said:

Any suggestions going forward from here? 

You can try our Quotes plugin, the mechanism of this plugin is the fallowing .

1 -Admin Create Quote.
2 - Client Accept Or Reject The quote.
3 - if the client accept the Quote a auto invoice is generated based on the quote( lines, prices, descriptions).

the client has widget that allow him see and browse their quotes.

the admin has the full access to create/edit/delete quotes .

 

 

[Chris van der Westhuizen]

Thank you GosuHost and Blesta Addons.  I really appreciate your replies.  I did look at the quote plugin as possible solution from Blesta Addons.  The problem is that we are doing a huge lot of quotes, but a few signups.  We do not want to create those prospect as customers on our system. Only when they accept a quote then we want them on our system as customers.  It would be great if you could amend your plugin to do so. Time is of essence as I explained I made the mistake.  How long will it take, and what will it cost?  Maybe for a learning curve I should write a plugin? because there is a huge load of stuff/functions we would like in Blesta that is not currently available as in FreeSide, and it is expected from our programming department, in this case me (.net, U2 Universe, Oracle and so on developer who has some PHP experience) to do the development.  And I have more hope for me with Blesta and minPHP as with FreeSide and Perl ?

[Chris van der Westhuizen]

Hi All. I see the first post was in October 2013 in this regards with good suggestions from Paul and others.

Since I am the new developer at our company and I need to be paid each month ? , my boss is expecting of me to develop a quoting plugin that we can sell.  The plugin must make provision for prospects (not only clients as for the existing plugin by Blesta Addons) and once quote gets accepted the prospect will become a client. see explanation in earlier post above.

I assume I will have to manually edit the Blesta source code for adding a menu item? or can it be done all from the developed plugin?

[Blesta Addons]

7 hours ago, Chris van der Westhuizen said:

I assume I will have to manually edit the Blesta source code for adding a menu item? or can it be done all from the developed plugin? 

The plugin can inject a item menu to blesta, see download manager,  order an support manager to see a example .