How to Enter Estimates on QuickBooks Pro 2008
QuickBooks Pro is a financial software product that allows users to create estimates for customers in a simple user window. QuickBooks uses the estimates form to prepare estimates, proposals or quotes for specific items or jobs. The estimates are versatile enough to fit a wide variety of business needs, whether your business uses estimates to bill jobs in increments or if your company uses estimates for job proposals. Estimates may be turned into invoices once a job is ready to be billed. Entering estimates into QuickBooks Pro is very similar to entering invoices.
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Instructions
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Click on the Customer menu and click on "Create Estimates." You may also click on the "Estimates" icon on the home page.
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Click on the "Customer: Job" dropdown arrow and choose the customer for whom you are creating an estimate. If the customer does not exist within your QuickBooks file, click on "Add New" and fill out the New Customer window. Press "OK" to save the customer and return to the Estimate window.
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Click on the "Template" drop-down arrow to choose the estimate template you wish to use. This step is not necessary if the template you wish to use is the default template.
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Tab to the first line of the detailed section on the estimate.
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Click on the drop-down arrow for "Item" and choose the item you wish to add to the estimate. If the item is not listed in your Company file, click on "Add New" and fill out the New Item window. Press "OK" to save the item and return to the Estimates window. If the Items Description needs to be edited for this estimate or customer only, you may do so by simply typing over the existing text.
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Tab through the Quantity and Rate fields and fill out the appropriate amount you wish to add to this current estimate. The Amount field will automatically calculate the quantity multiplied by the rate.
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Continue using the "Tab" key to move through the Estimates window to add more items to this estimate.
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Click on the "Customer Message" drop-down arrow if you wish to add a message to the estimate. If you wish to add a new message, click on "Add New," fill out the text you wish to add and press "OK" to save and return to the Estimates window.
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To save the estimate, click on "Save and Close."
To print the estimate, click on the "Print" icon on the toolbar.
To e-mail the estimate, click on the "Email" icon on the toolbar.
NOTE: If you wish to print or e-mail the estimate, remember to also click on the "Save and Close" button to ensure the estimate is saved in QuickBooks.
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Tips & Warnings
QuickBooks Pro allows users to add new information as needed; however, it is helpful if customers and items are set up at the time your QuickBooks company file is set up.
If you print or e-mail estimates on a regular schedule, select the checkbox "To be Printed" or "To be Emailed" in the lower left portion of the Estimates window.
If you wish to turn the estimate into an invoice, simply click on the "Create Invoice" button at the top of the screen. Be sure to click on the "Save and Close" button once in the Invoice window.
To use estimates, the QuickBooks Pro "jobs and estimates" preferences must be turned on. To turn on estimates, click on the "Edit" menu, click on "Preferences" and click on "Company Preferences". In the "Company Preferences" window, answer "Yes" to the question "Do you create estimates?"
If you choose to print or e-mail using the batch printing checkboxes, make certain a reminder is set up at a regularly scheduled time. Otherwise, estimates will sit in the QuickBooks company file and customers will not receive them.
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