Filling in the quote template
If you would rather type into a form, the quote generator asks for the same details, adds up the lines and hands you a PDF. The downloads above are for a file you keep on your computer and reuse for every new client.
- Choose the title, the currency you price in, your tax name, the paper in your printer and a color. Then download Word, Excel or PDF.
- Overwrite the square brackets with your business details at the top and the client under Prepared for. Remove lines you do not need.
- Fill in the number, the date you send it and the date it is valid until.
- Write one line per service, product or project phase. In Excel, type the quantity and the rate and the file does the sums. Leave the tax rate empty if you do not charge tax.
- Rewrite the four example terms so they fit the job, then send the quote, ideally as a PDF exported from your edited file.
The PDF download is meant for a pen. It has blank lines in place of the placeholders and a short hint next to Terms, so nothing important gets left out when you write a quote by hand.
Quote, estimate or proposal?
The three titles describe how firm your price is and how much explaining the offer needs. Use Quote for a price you stand by and Estimate for your best guess when the final bill may differ. Proposal fits an offer that needs more explaining first, like goals, phases and a timeline.
In its advice on getting building work done, Citizens Advice describes a quote as a fixed price and an estimate as a rough guess, so the customer might end up paying more. It suggests a quote should say how long the price is valid for, whether it includes VAT and when the price can go up. The template covers these in the valid-until date, the tax lines and the terms. Whichever title you choose, say in the terms whether your price is fixed.
Scope and validity
A clear scope saves arguments later. Describe every line so a stranger would understand it: "Logo in three versions, two rounds of changes" leaves less room for doubt than "Logo design". Then add to the terms what is not included, what you need from the client and when, and how you price extra work.
The valid-until date protects you if your costs or your calendar change. Choose a period that matches how quickly your prices move: shorter for materials with changing prices, longer for pure time and labor. After the date, send a fresh quote rather than honoring an old price by default.
To arrive at the numbers, the freelance project price calculator turns hours per phase and a buffer into a project price. The hourly rate calculator and the day rate calculator work out a rate from the income you want, your costs and the time you can bill.
From accepted quote to invoice
A quote is an offer made before the work. An invoice comes once the work is done, or at an agreed stage, and asks for payment. When the client accepts, keep the signed copy or their written reply together with your quote.
Then download the invoice template with the same color, currency and paper, so both documents look like they belong together. Copy the agreed lines and prices across, and mention the quote number on the invoice, for example in the description of the first line. If anything changed during the job, invoice it as a separate line that the client agreed to. Online, the invoice generator builds the PDF for you, and the quote generator can pass a finished quote over to it.
Numbering your quotes
Give every quote its own number, so you and the client can point to the exact version you mean. Keep quote numbers separate from invoice numbers; a letter in front makes the difference visible at a glance.
| Scheme | Example | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Letter and running number | Q-0001, Q-0002 | A few quotes a month |
| Letter, year and number | Q-2027-014 | Seeing the year without opening the file |
| Number with a revision | Q-2027-014-R2 | A quote you changed after talking to the client |
When you revise a quote, give it a new revision number and a new date instead of overwriting the old file. That way it stays clear which version the client signed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the quote template free?
Yes, also for your business and for as many quotes as you send. There is no signup and no watermark. One small line at the bottom names our website; in the Word and Excel files you can delete it.
Which download should I pick?
Excel works out the money for you: type quantity and rate, and the line amounts, subtotal, tax and total appear. Word is for typing everything yourself. The PDF is for writing by hand: print it and fill in the lines with a pen, which suits a quote you write on site.
What changes when I choose Estimate or Proposal?
The heading, the labels for number and date (Estimate number, Proposal date) and the file name. The layout, the terms and the Accepted by block stay the same, so you can use one design for all three kinds of offer.
How do I add more line items?
In the Excel file, insert rows between the first and the last item row so they stay inside the Subtotal range, then copy the Amount formula from the row above. In the Word file, add rows with the table tools of your word processor. The PDF has as many lines as fit on the page.
Does it match the invoice template?
Yes. Both share fonts, colors, the header and the items table. Pick the same color, currency and paper on the invoice template and your quote and invoice look like a pair.
How does the client accept the quote?
The template has an Accepted by block with lines for signature, date and name. Write in the terms how you want the answer, for example a signed copy back by email or a short written reply, and keep that reply with your copy of the quote.