The CRM allows your Sales team to generate Quotes out in the field and push them through to your Inventory Management or Accounting system without any re-keying.
Build quotes using your ERP Product File, Stock Levels and Special Pricing directly in the CRM interface - so you can provide solid gold customer service, with orders processed accurately and instantly - from anywhere!
This guide is a follow up from Making the Most of an Opportunity - check it out if you haven't already!
Let's first take a look at how to create a Quote in the CRM.
Creating a Quick Quote
Step 1: Creating a Quote
Creating a Quote is straight forward. When you're on an Opportunity or Contact record in the CRM, just select the plus icon in the top right-hand corner, and choose 'Quote' from the drop-down options.
Step 2: Add a Description
A new Quote window will open, where you can add a Description about this Quote. By default, when created under an Opportunity, this will populate with the Opportunity's description, but you can amend this to whatever you like.
You can also set the currency here that you wish to quote in. Again, by default, this will be set as ‘Home Currency’, but can be changed if additional currencies are added from within your ERP. To read more on additional currencies, see here.
Step 3: Click 'Create'
Once you're happy with the information entered, press the 'Create' button, and you'll then be taken to your new Quote!
Step 4: Add Further Information
Once the Quote has been created, more information can now be added. Remember - this information can be changed at any time.
Price Expiry: Once a date is set here, a pop up will appear warning if the date is in the past. This will happen when a Quote document is created or an order attempts to be confirmed, so that the user can confirm that the price is still current.
Order Due Date: This field gets pushed through to your Accounting/Inventory Management/ERP System once an order has been confirmed, and becomes the delivery or order due date.
Source & Source Activity: Use these options to record where the Opportunity originally came from. Options could include an Exhibition, an E-shot, a Telemarketing activity, outbound calling by a salesperson etc. If you've sent out a Campaign from the CRM, you can use the Source option to link Opportunities to Campaign Activities. This allows you to record potential income based on marketing activities e.g. how many Opportunities and Quotes were generated after exhibiting at a trade show.
Adding Products to a Quote
Step 1: Search for a Product
Within the Products section on a Quote, you can quickly search for and add Products. It'll also display any Products which have already been added to the Quote. The Products have been imported from your Accounting/Inventory Management/ERP System, so will contain the same product description and price details that have been set in that system. You can search by the product description or the product SKU.
There are lots of different ways to add Products to your Quote. Read more about these options to see which is the best and quickest for you in our article here.
Step 2: Add Quantity Values, Check Prices & Discounts
Once you've added your required Product, the Quantity, Price and Discount fields can be updated if required.
Sending Quote to Customer
Step 1: Open Email Client
To send the customer a copy of the Quote, simply click on their email address to open up the CRM's email client.
Step 2: Select Email Template
Next, select our ready-made email template called 'Basic Email Quote'.
By selecting a template, the body of the email will automatically populate for you. You can then make any further changes if you wish before sending.
Once happy with your email, click the blue 'Send' button and your email will be sent to the recipient.
Step 3: Quote Attachments
You also have the option to attach a Quote document to the email. Simply click the 'Add Attachments' button to do this.
Within the New Documents tab, you can choose to use one of the ready made document templates and attach it either as a Word document or PDF. For example, you could use the Simple Quote Document.
Confirming Quote to your Inventory Management Accounting System
Step 1: Update Customer Order Reference
Usually, a customer will give you a Purchase Order (PO) number for the sales that they wish to go ahead with. You can input this PO number within the Customer Order Reference section, which will then be passed through to your Inventory Management/Accounting system when the Quote is confirmed.
Step 2: Confirm Order
Simply click the 'Confirm' button, and the Quote will be converted to an Order. It'll be automatically passed through to your integrated Inventory Management/Accounting system!
