Thread: Quoting people

What software do you use to generate your quotations?

I'm using inDesing at the moment and exporting as pdf.

Currently using word and exporting to pdf.

Originally Posted by davidbehan

Currently using word and exporting to pdf.

Same. Much handier imo.
Better for emailing too.
Used to use Microsoft Money, but now that I use project management software, it's much easier to just create stuff in word, convert it to pdf using PDFcreator, upload it, and then if clients have anything to add or subtract, i just go back to word, make the changes and start again, and then upload it as a revision.

I'm using Billings2 (Mac) for the last year and it's a joy to use. It's a full 'project management' app so you can run off Estimates/Invoices at the click of a button. It also has a Reports section so you can track Unpaid Invoices, Lodgements, VAT Collected, etc. Also has built in timers for clocking work on different projects but I haven't used that yet.

Not sure if there's an alternative for the PC but if you're on a Mac it's well worth it.

Originally Posted by ButtermilkJack

It's a full 'project management' app so you can run off Estimates/Invoices at the click of a button.

Full Project Management ?

Resources ... time lines and so on ?

Originally Posted by ButtermilkJack

I'm using Billings2 (Mac) for the last year and it's a joy to use. It's a full 'project management' app so you can run off Estimates/Invoices at the click of a button. It also has a Reports section so you can track Unpaid Invoices, Lodgements, VAT Collected, etc. Also has built in timers for clocking work on different projects but I haven't used that yet.

Not sure if there's an alternative for the PC but if you're on a Mac it's well worth it.

Looks pretty cool actually...
but it's only for macs (ie. Dam windowz haterz)

Freshbooks.com - as part of the invoicing system. A dream.

I wrote my own system in php/mysql (running on a standalone machine). It's linked to my contacts database, is prepopulated with standard editable jobs, and is fairly simple really. I wrote my own because we seem to have non-standard practices for quoting/invoicing. We're running it in parallel with the current word->pdf system at the moment.

Originally Posted by Forbairt

Full Project Management ?

Resources ... time lines and so on ?

Maybe I over sold it slightly?

When you say 'Resources'...?

In terms of time lines, basically, what you do is add a client to the app (it's synced to the Address Book app so you can just drop in existing contacts) and then add a project under that client – give it a name, description etc.

Then straight away you can insert 'Project Slips' (eg: hosting, design, development, etc.) which you can cost individually and then send out as estimates. Once that's done you can click a button and these slips become active jobs under the project.

You can then set timers and record hours and label the 'sessions' (and give descriptions of the work done) and these show up under the project at any time so you can go back and check what was done and when and how long was spent doing it... a sort of time line I suppose?

Originally Posted by ButtermilkJack

Maybe I over sold it slightly?

naw ... never :P

Actually its quite cool ... installed it before bed last night ... been playing with it a small bit today as well ...

It integrates with something called merlin2.net ... which looks more along the lines of project management ...

still though 50 + 145 ... + + + ... and I'll be up to hundreds shortly ...

will try Billings for another 3 weeks (trial) and see how I like it