How to send an estimate or quote

An estimate (or quote) lets you price a job, get your client's yes, and turn it straight into an invoice — without retyping a thing. In Stacks you build the estimate, share a link your client can accept or decline online, and convert the accepted ones to invoices in a single click. Here's the whole flow.

Before you start

• The Invoicing tool needs to be turned on for your workspace. It's one of the tools included free with every Stacks account.
• You'll need at least one contact saved — every estimate is tied to a contact. If yours aren't in yet, import your contacts or add one first.
• You'll need permission to create estimates — admins, managers and team members have it. View-only users can read estimates but can't create or send them.

Step by step

1. Open a new estimate. In the left menu go to Invoicing, open Estimates, and click + New Estimate.
2. Choose the customer. Pick the Contact the estimate is for (it's required). Not in your list yet? Add or import them first, then come back.
3. Set the dates and currency. The Issued date defaults to today and Valid until to 30 days out — change either if you like. Choose a currency (USD, EUR, GBP or CAD).
4. Add your line items. For each row, type a description, quantity and rate — the amount and the running totals update live as you type. Use + Add Line Item for more rows, or pull a saved item straight from your product catalog. Add a tax rate (%), a flat discount, and any notes (scope, terms, a thank-you) at the bottom.
5. Save it. Click Save & Send to mark the estimate as Sent, or Save as Draft to keep working on it later. Stacks assigns the estimate number for you (EST-0001, EST-0002, and so on).
6. Share the link with your client. On the estimate page, copy the public link and send it to your client your way — email, text, or chat. They open it, review the quote, and click Accept or Decline. The status moves to Viewed when they open it, then Accepted or Declined on its own.
7. Convert to an invoice. When it's accepted, click Convert to Invoice. Stacks copies the contact, line items and totals into a new draft invoice (dated today, due in 30 days) and marks the estimate Converted.

Good to know

• The status tells the story. An estimate moves through Draft → Sent → Viewed → Accepted (or Declined) → Converted. Viewed and the accept/decline states update automatically from the client's link.
• Only drafts can be edited. Once an estimate is marked Sent, its details lock so the copy your client is looking at stays consistent. Make your changes while it's still a draft.
• Save the client a click. The public page shows your business name, the line items, totals and notes, with big Accept / Decline buttons — no login required.
• Converting is one-way and safe. After you convert, the estimate is marked Converted and links to its invoice; converted estimates can't be deleted, so your record stays intact.
• Multi-currency built in. Each estimate carries its own currency (USD, EUR, GBP or CAD), and that carries over when you convert it to an invoice.

Frequently asked