How to Create An Estimate

Estimates, also referred to as quotes, are used when you want to provide a customer with a detailed breakdown of the services, pricing, and timing before finalizing the order. They’re perfect for situations where:

• A customer requests a formal quote before committing

• The exact scope or timing of the job hasn’t been confirmed yet

• You want internal teams to review a potential order before it goes live

Benefits:

• Gives customers clarity and confidence before booking

• Helps reduce errors and last-minute order changes

• Supports better communication between teams and customers

How to Create an Estimate

1. Go to the "Orders" tab in the Tough Commerce dashboard.

2. Click the "New Order" button in the top-right corner.

3. In the upper-right corner of the New Order screen, toggle on "Create an estimate".

   

4. Fill in the required order details.

   • Refer to How to Create a New Order for a full walkthrough of the order form fields.

5. Once finished, click "Add Order" to create the estimate.

The estimate will automatically be emailed to the customer as a PDF.

What Happens After You Create an Estimate?

The order will show in your dashboard with a status of "Estimate".

• You can edit any part of the estimate just like you would with a regular order (customer info, pricing, delivery times, etc.).

• Once everything is confirmed, change the status to "Accept Estimate".

• You’ll then be prompted to choose a delivery date and time.

• Once confirmed, the order status will change to "Incoming", and the job will move forward like a normal order.

Tips for Managing and Viewing Estimates

• To quickly view only your estimates, go to the "Orders" tab, click "Filter", then "Status", and select "Estimate". 

• To resend the estimate, or download a copy , head to the "Portal" and then "Customer Management" tab to resend or download past estimates.