Software for creating quality looking quotes

[BristolSpark]

Hi guys

I have been playing about with excel, word, trying to make a really presentable looking quote. in fairness sometimes its more work, finding the products at good prices manually typing them into a spread sheet blah.

Do any of you guys have templates or any good advice for creating quotes. ideas on how the quote should look or things it should contain.

I have my terms and conditions sorted now. Just trying to work on quotes. I appreciate that pricing and the quote looking as pro as possible could make a difference whether you are more or less expensive.

If there is no guidence not a problem I will plodding along. Just wonderd if anyone had something they could offer in support.

cheers

 

[DurhamSparky]

Invoice Software | Invoicing Software | Billing Software

top quality, save quotes and makes them into invoices pretty quickly, also logs your income and materials used!!

£30 all in!!!
i use it and its wicked!! also lets you save your items at set prices in an inventory

can also log how long invoices are overdue...... download and play!! i went for 25 quid one and trialled the 30 quid one! not much difference apart from the editor that allows u to customise layout of invoice!

steve

 

[bugsy]

Depends on the size jobs your quoting / tendering for we use winit estimating software which is good kit, alloqws you to track job's , materials, produces schedules or rates , bill's of quants , it links with sage and track all your financials etc etc,

Its only domestic stuff the software quoted by Durham sparky is proberbly the best for the money

 

[dufjax]

There's load of stuff about.
FREE starter versions of

Sage Invoice Software
Free Sage Invoicing Software - Sage UK Store

Quickbooks aslo do a version, but I think it's a complete account package
QuickBooks SimpleStart: Download your copy

Jim

Depends on the size jobs your quoting / tendering for we use winit estimating software which is good kit, alloqws you to track job's , materials, produces schedules or rates , bill's of quants , it links with sage and track all your financials etc etc,

Its only domestic stuff the software quoted by Durham sparky is proberbly the best for the money

That winit looks pretty good bugsy

http://www.secestimating.com/

Keep think of upgrading, we've had the same IBM system for years. Lovely green screen job lolol

I tried that free estimating software (the one on the really thin cd rom) elektra? Didn't think much of it to be honest.

Jim

 

[DurhamSparky]

that elektra cd sux!!! now i keeo getting rubbish shoved through my door each quater by them!! i do like the flexy cds though!!

 

[BristolSpark]

That winit looks pretty good, I cant find a price on it, but some of the other prices are up near £999. Cant afford that by no means, but look amazing.

I saw this one looks good, you can add many tasks and materia items. But rather than having to go in and manually ammend prices, imagine 1000 products, you can add a set margin or mark up for all products. hmmmm

It says it does the electrical certs to. Although I have easycert.

I will mostly be doing domestic but commercial if it comes in.

Just want to be able to price up, adjust profit margins, engineer rates, blah blah.

 

[dufjax]

That winit looks pretty good, I cant find a price on it, but some of the other prices are up near £999. Cant afford that by no means, but look amazing.

I saw this one looks good, you can add many tasks and materia items. But rather than having to go in and manually ammend prices, imagine 1000 products, you can add a set margin or mark up for all products. hmmmm

It says it does the electrical certs to. Although I have easycert.

I will mostly be doing domestic but commercial if it comes in.

Just want to be able to price up, adjust profit margins, engineer rates, blah blah.

Yeah I noticed a price of nearly £1k
Think bugsy got to much money!!!

Jim

 

[BristolSpark]

with the cash he is earning he should do us copies lol.

that SLiq software is fine for general quotes almost price as you go. But it looks like you will have to do a lot of price updating as you get going.

That could get messy.

I would like to hear more from Durham about that software if possible. How he handles price updates, profit margins, enginners costs.

 

[DurhamSparky]

I have a massive mark up!!! 30-50% on cable and i adjust accordingly if prices rise..!!
most equipment is pretty fixed prices so only 25% on them.

i only price up approx 15 jobs a month! so im small time!

 

[BristolSpark]

that plenty of jobs m8.

So did you put your cost price in calculator add your 30-50% then add that price to the software.

What about labour costs, how did you do that with the software.

 

[DurhamSparky]

labour costs i added that as a option and set it at 25 per hour

and yes i added my percentage on cal and added on... tbh i made half my prices up to a level normally seen in B&Q so some stuff is well overpriced but others is spot on..


i used TLC direct as my base model as there prices +vat equate to what my wholesaler knocks stuff out for! then i just add the %

 

[BristolSpark]

labour costs i added that as a option and set it at 25 per hour

Do you mean you set that as a product as such.

 

[DurhamSparky]

yes i have mine as fitting charge

then i just alter the hours required and /or completed and it does the rest.