In this article, you'll learn how to add optional items to an estimate. Optional items let you offer extras the customer can take or leave, like an add-on service or an upgrade, without putting them in the quoted total. The customer switches on the ones they want right on the estimate, before they sign.
To open an estimate:
- In the menu, click Estimates.
- Click the estimate you want to work on.
How to make an item optional
Optional items are set on the item itself, when you add it or when you edit it later.
- Under Items, click Add item, or click an existing line to edit it. Price book opens the same form with your saved items to pick from.
- Type the Item Name. The quantity, price and other fields appear once there's a name.
- Turn on Optional.
- If you want the item to start switched on for the customer, also turn on Selected by default. This switch only appears while Optional is on, and turning Optional off clears it.
- Click Save.
How optional items look on the estimate
In the item list, an optional line carries a small optional tag after its name. One that's switched on for the customer ahead of time reads optional · default instead.
Optional items stay out of the estimate's total. Under the items you'll see Total for the priced lines, and a second line, With optional, showing what it comes to if the customer takes every extra.
What your customer sees
On the estimate the customer opens, optional items sit in the items table after the priced lines, each tagged Optional · not in total and with a switch at the start of the row. Items you set as Selected by default start switched on.
When the customer flips a switch, the tag changes to Optional · added, and the Sub total, Discount, Tax, Total and Required deposit rows update as they go. The Total in the page header follows too. If the estimate asks for a percentage deposit, the deposit moves with the total. A fixed deposit stays the figure you set.
When the customer clicks Approve (or Approve & pay deposit when a deposit is due), the signing step lists the same extras again as checkboxes with their price, for example Add Haul-away of old mattress +$45.00, with the Total underneath. They can still change their mind there before signing.
Once the customer signs, the extras they switched on become ordinary priced items on the estimate, and the estimate's total includes them.
Creating a job from the estimate
Once the estimate is won, Create job in the Actions menu opens the new job form filled in from the estimate: the customer, the address, and the priced items. The form shows Apply the approved estimate to this job? already ticked, with a Billable items from EST-… list underneath. Items still marked optional aren't in that list and don't come across to the job. Set the date and crew, then save the job as usual.
If the customer agreed to an extra in person rather than on the estimate page, add it to the job after it's created.
On the phone app
The same switches are in the app. Open the estimate, tap + Custom to add a line, or tap an existing line to edit it. Turn on Optional — the customer can take it or leave it, then Selected by default if you want it pre-selected, and tap Add item or Save. Items added through the app's Add item price book picker come in as priced lines, so tap the line afterwards to make it optional. The list tags, the With optional total and Create job work the same as on the web.