Creating Quotes

Quotes in NexusRMS are detailed pricing proposals that you send to clients for approval. Each quote contains line items with quantities, unit prices, and discounts, along with global tax and discount calculations. Once a client accepts a quote, you can convert it directly into an invoice.

Creating a new quote

Navigate to Financial > Quotes and click the Create Quote button. The quote form opens with the following fields:

• Client (required) — Select the client using the autocomplete dropdown. The client's default currency, discount percentage, and tax rate override are applied automatically when selected.
• Project (optional) — Link the quote to an existing project. This enables bi-directional synchronisation between quote line items and project equipment.
• Title (required) — A descriptive title for the quote (e.g., "Summer Festival 2026 — Main Stage Equipment")
• Issue Date (required) — The date the quote is prepared. Defaults to today's date.
• Valid Until (required) — The expiry date after which the quote is no longer valid. The system automatically marks quotes as expired once this date passes.
• Currency — Select the currency for this quote: GBP, USD, EUR, or other configured currencies. Defaults to the client's preferred currency or GBP.
• Discount Percentage — A global discount applied to the subtotal, from 0 to 100 percent. Defaults to the client's discount_percentage if one is set.
• Tax Rate — The tax rate applied after discount. Defaults to the client's tax_rate_override if set, otherwise 20%.
• Introduction Text — Client-facing introduction text that appears at the top of the quote PDF
• Notes — Additional notes visible to the client on the quote document
• Terms & Conditions — Terms and conditions text displayed on the quote
• PO Number — An optional purchase order reference provided by the client

Quote number

The quote number is auto-generated when you save the quote. It uses the prefix configured in Configuration > Financial Settings (default QTE-) followed by an auto-incrementing four-digit sequence number (e.g., QTE-0001, QTE-0002). The system uses database-level locking to prevent duplicate numbers when multiple users create quotes simultaneously.

Adding line items

The line items section is where you define what you are quoting for. Each line item (QuoteItem) has the following fields:

• Name — The display name of the item on the quote
• Description — A detailed description of the item or service
• SKU — Stock keeping unit reference, auto-filled when adding from equipment catalogue
• Quantity — The number of units being quoted
• Unit — The unit of measurement (e.g., each, day, hour, metre)
• Unit Price — The price per unit in the quote currency
• Discount Percentage — A per-line discount percentage applied to this item only
• Discount Amount — A fixed per-line discount amount (used if discount percentage is zero)
• Taxable — Toggle whether this line item is subject to tax
• Tax Rate — The tax rate for this specific line item, if different from the quote-level rate
• Start Date and End Date — Optional rental period dates for this line item
• Sort Order — Controls the display order of items on the quote
• Metadata — A JSON field storing additional item data (e.g., auto-generated mileage calculations)

Auto-calculation

Each line item's line_total is automatically calculated on save using the formula: (quantity × unit_price) − discount. If a discount_percentage is set, the discount is calculated as a percentage of the subtotal. Otherwise, the fixed discount_amount is used.

Quick Add Equipment

Click Add from Equipment to open the Quick Add Equipment dialog. This lets you browse your equipment catalogue, search by name or SKU, and add items directly to the quote with pre-filled names, descriptions, SKUs, and daily rental rates. You can adjust quantities and prices after adding.

Drag-and-drop reordering

Reorder line items by dragging the grip handle on the left side of each row. The sort_order is updated automatically when you drop an item in its new position.

Summary calculations

The quote summary section at the bottom of the form shows the following calculated values:

• Subtotal — The sum of all line_total values across every line item
• Discount — Either a percentage of the subtotal (discount_percentage) or a fixed amount (discount_amount), applied globally
• Tax — The tax_rate applied to the discounted subtotal, producing the tax_amount
• Total — The final amount: subtotal − discount + tax

All summary values update in real time as you add, edit, or remove line items.

Additional options

Internal notes

The Internal Notes field is for staff-only notes that are never shown to the client. Use this for pricing rationale, approval notes, or any internal context.

Template selection

Select a PDF template via the template_id field to control the visual layout of the generated quote PDF. Templates are configured in Configuration > Financial Settings.

Quote revisions

To create a revised version of an existing quote, use the Create Revision action. This creates a new quote with the parent_quote_id linking back to the original, maintaining a full revision chain visible on the quote detail page.

Auto-save and draft restore

The quote form automatically saves a draft to your browser's localStorage as you work. If you navigate away or your browser closes unexpectedly, a draft restore dialog appears when you return to the form, offering to restore your unsaved changes.

Tips

• Always set a valid_until date — Quotes without an expiry date remain open indefinitely. Setting a reasonable validity period (e.g., 14 or 30 days) creates urgency and keeps your pipeline clean.
• Use introduction text — A brief, personalised introduction at the top of the quote makes a professional impression and helps the client understand the scope at a glance.
• Check equipment availability before quoting — Verify that the equipment you are quoting is available for the requested dates. Quoting unavailable items leads to awkward conversations later.
• Link quotes to projects — Linking a quote to a project enables the sync features that keep your quote and project equipment in alignment.

Next steps

Continue to the next article to learn about sending quotes for client approval, electronic signatures, and converting accepted quotes into invoices.