Send Quotes & Cost Estimates to Customers (Email & SMS)

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Send, Track & Automate Quotes & Quote Reminders (Email & SMS)

OctopusPro lets you send professional quotes (estimates) to customers in seconds via email or SMS. You can use branded templates, attach PDFs/files (photos, plans, terms), track sending activity, and automate follow-ups—so quotes don’t get forgotten and your team stays accountable.

Quote creation methods (Back office, Field mobile, Customer portal)

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Why fast quoting matters

  • Faster response times: sending a clear, itemised quote quickly improves customer confidence and reduces lead drop-off.
  • Fewer pricing mistakes: templates, saved services, and standardised wording keep pricing consistent across staff.
  • Higher conversion: automated reminders and clear approval actions reduce “no response” quotes.
  • Better compliance: quote communication can be logged for auditing (who sent what, when, and to whom).

Before you send (checklist)

  • Confirm contact details: the customer’s email address and/or mobile number are correct.
  • Review the quote: services, quantities, discounts, tax, total, and any notes/terms are correct.
  • Decide how the customer should approve: email is ideal for detailed quotes/forwarding; SMS is great for fast approvals and short messaging.
  • Prepare files (if needed): photos, drawings, specifications, scope documents, or terms & conditions.

How to send a quote (Email or SMS)

The sending workflow is the same whether you’re sending by email or SMS:

  1. Locate the draft quote from Quotes > All Quotes (or open the quote directly).
  2. Open the Actions menu (⋮) and choose Send Quote.
  3. Select the channel: Email or SMS.
  4. Review the pre-loaded template (configured in your communications settings).
  5. Add/remove attachments (PDFs/images/terms). You can keep or remove the auto-attached PDF depending on your workflow.
  6. Edit & Send. OctopusPro records the sending activity in the quote’s timeline/logs.

Tip: You can also mute follow-up reminders while you’re negotiating pricing, then resume later (see Pause/Resume).

Send from the Quotes list

This is the fastest method when processing multiple quotes.

  1. Go to Quotes > All Quotes.
  2. Locate the quote (use filters such as status/labels/sales rep if needed).
  3. Open the customer/contact actions and select Email Quote (or Send Quote, depending on your UI).

Email quote from the All Quotes list

Send from the Quote details page

Use this method when you want to review the quote details first (attachments, totals, notes, activity).

  1. Open the quote.
  2. In the customer panel, click Send email (or open the actions menu).
  3. Select Email Quote (or Send Quote).

Email quote from the Quote details customer panel

Permissions note: If you can’t see the Send/Email Quote actions, confirm your user role permissions.

Email a quote (PDF & attachments)

When you choose Email Quote, a send window opens so you can confirm recipients, edit the message, and manage attachments.

  1. To / CC: confirm the recipient email address (and add CC if required).
  2. Subject & message: choose a template/canned response, then personalise the message if needed.
  3. Attachments: attach files (photos, PDFs, terms). Keep or remove the quote PDF attachment depending on customer preference.
  4. Send: click Send. The send event is recorded for auditing/tracking.

Send Email window for emailing a quote

Tip: Use placeholders (merge fields) so the email automatically inserts the customer name, quote number, totals, and approval link.

Send a quote by SMS

SMS is ideal for fast approvals and short, direct follow-ups.

  1. Open the quote (or find it in Quotes > All Quotes).
  2. Click Actions (⋮) > Send Quote, then choose SMS.
  3. Confirm the customer’s mobile number.
  4. Select an SMS template (recommended), keep it short, and include a clear next step (e.g., “View & approve quote”).
  5. Send the SMS. The message is logged in your SMS history.

Prerequisite: SMS sending typically requires a connected messaging provider (e.g., Twilio Digital Phone System).

Pause/Resume automated quote reminders

If you’re revising pricing or the customer asked for time, you can pause quote reminders to avoid sending “tone-deaf” follow-ups—without disabling your global automation rules for everyone else.

  • Pause: open the quote, then use the customer/actions menu to pause automated notifications.
  • Resume: return to the same menu and resume when you’re ready to follow up again.

Quote follow-up and automated reminders workflow

Send quotes from the fieldworker app

If enabled, fieldworkers can send quotes while on-site (great for immediate quoting and faster approvals).

  1. In the fieldworker app, open Quotes.
  2. Select the draft quote and review the line items.
  3. Tap Send Quote and choose email or SMS (depending on your setup/permissions).

Important: Fieldworker quote sending is permission-based and should be enabled only for the roles you trust to send pricing to customers.

Fieldworker Quote Sending Workflow

Learn more: Allow Fieldworkers to Send Quotes & Estimates to Customers (Email & SMS)

Customer-generated quotes (Customer Portal)

With the Customer Portal enabled, prospects can generate quotes through a self-service flow (similar to an e-commerce “build your order” journey). This helps capture leads 24/7 and reduces manual back-and-forth.

Typical customer flow:

  • Customer selects a service, answers your booking questions, and sees an instant price (based on your service rules and availability).
  • They can book immediately, email the quote to themselves, or leave and come back later.
  • If they email the quote, OctopusPro sends your branded template (optionally with a PDF). If they leave after entering details, the quote can still be saved in your Quotes list for follow-up.

Setup checklist:

  • Enable online bookings / Customer Portal.
  • Confirm your portal URL and branding.
  • Add your portal link (or Book Online button) to your website and marketing channels.
  • Enable quote follow-up automations to recover abandoned quotes and improve conversion.

Automate quote follow-ups (Email/SMS/WhatsApp)

Automated quote reminders help ensure no quote is forgotten. You can configure reminder timing, choose which channels to send on (email/SMS/WhatsApp where enabled), and customise templates used by the automation.

Recommended approach:

  • Enable the quote reminder automation and set a sensible cadence (e.g., gentle nudge, then a final reminder).
  • Use placeholders so each reminder includes the quote number, totals, expiry date, and approval link.
  • Auto-stop reminders when the quote is accepted/declined/converted, and pause reminders during negotiations when needed.

Efficient quote follow-up and automation management overview

Learn more: Quote Follow-Up Reminders & Automation (Email, SMS & WhatsApp)

Tracking & audit logs

For accountability and troubleshooting, OctopusPro can log quote communications and automation activity.

  • Outbound Email Log: audit trail of sent emails (including quote emails).
  • SMS History Log: track incoming/outgoing SMS and replies.
  • Automations Log: confirm when scheduled reminders ran and what they did.
  • Customer Communication History: central log of messages tied to the customer profile.

Best practices & compliance

  • Use templates + canned responses: keep messaging consistent and reduce admin time.
  • Use placeholders (merge fields): automatically insert customer/quote details for accuracy.
  • Attach what the customer needs to approve: scope photos, specs, and terms reduce delays.
  • Set expiry dates: helps prevent stale pricing and supports a clean sales pipeline.
  • SMS consent: only send SMS to customers who have opted in/consented to receive messages.

Common limitations & permissions

  • Fieldworker sending: only available if enabled in fieldworker permissions and role access.
  • Customer Portal quoting: requires Customer Portal/online bookings to be enabled and embedded on your site.
  • SMS costs: per-message charges may apply depending on your provider and message length.

FAQs

  • Can I disable SMS and send only email? Yes—choose Email only when sending and/or disable SMS templates/automation steps if desired.
  • Will attachments work on mobile? Most email clients and devices support PDFs/images; keep file sizes reasonable for best delivery.
  • What if a customer replies to an SMS quote? Replies are recorded in your SMS history/log so your team can respond in context.

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