Building an estimate
You build an estimate the same way you'd write a quote by hand — group the work into sections, add priced lines, and let the totals add themselves up.
Start with the header
Creating an estimate asks for a name and, optionally, a client. You also set the defaults that every line inherits: the billing mode (fixed or milestones), a default markup, the tax mode and rate, an optional “valid until” date and any notes.
Sections and lines
- Add sections to organise the quote — for example “Groundworks”, “Framing”, “Finishes”. Drag to reorder them.
- Add line items to each section. A line has a type — material, labour, equipment, subcontract or other — a quantity, a unit and a price.
- Pull from the catalog where you can: drop in a saved work, an assembly, or a material from Purchases, instead of typing every line by hand.
Pricing a line
Every line carries two prices. The net is your internal cost; the sale price is what the client pays per unit. A line total is simply quantity × sale price.
- Default markup — set once on the estimate; each line uses it to build sale price from cost unless you say otherwise.
- Per-line markup — override the default on any single line when a particular item needs a different margin.
- Sale price is authoritative — you can also just type the client price directly; that is the figure that drives the totals.
Tax modes
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| None | No tax line — the grand total is just the sale total. |
| Exclusive | Tax is added on top of the taxable sale total at your rate. |
| Inclusive | Tax is already contained in the prices and extracted for display; the grand total equals the sale total. |
Tip. Individual lines can be marked non-taxable, so a mixed quote — taxable materials alongside a tax-exempt item — still totals correctly.