Get a quote approved and signed online

Why a signed quote matters

A quote is an offer: this work, at this price, on these terms. When the customer accepts it, a contract is formed. Acceptance by email or phone can count, but it is easy to dispute which version was accepted, or whether the terms printed on the back were part of the deal.

A signed quote removes the doubt. The customer signs the exact document with the exact price, and both of you have the same sealed copy.

Quote or estimate?

In everyday use the words overlap, but there is a difference that matters when the bill arrives. A quote is usually a fixed price for defined work. An estimate is a best guess that may change. In the UK, Citizens Advice and trading standards treat a quote as binding and an estimate as approximate, and under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a consumer who agreed no price pays only a reasonable one.

Label the document clearly, and if it is an estimate, say how much it may vary and how you will tell the customer before exceeding it.

What a quote should include

Putting the terms in the same PDF means the signature covers them. A link to terms on a website is weaker.

• Your business name, address and registration or VAT number.
• Quote number and date, and how long it is valid, for example 30 days.
• Line items and quantities, with prices and tax shown.
• What is excluded.
• Start date and expected duration.
• Deposit and payment schedule.
• Your terms and conditions, attached in the same PDF.
• A clear acceptance block: 'I accept this quote and the attached terms.'

Consumers and cancellation rights

If your customer is a consumer and the quote is accepted at a distance or away from your premises, cancellation rules may apply. In the UK, the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 usually give a 14-day cancellation period and require you to tell the customer about it. If they want work to start sooner, they must ask expressly. Similar rules exist across the EU, and the US FTC Cooling-Off Rule covers some door-to-door sales.

Add a checkbox for 'I ask you to start work within the cancellation period' if that applies. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sending a quote with Sign PDF

Export the quote from your invoicing or quoting tool as PDF, or upload it as Word or Excel. Sign PDF places the customer's signature and date beside the acceptance line. Use the assistant to 'add a box for the customer PO number' or 'add customer initials beside the deposit terms'. Set an expiry date that matches the quote's validity.

The customer confirms a code from their email and signs on their phone. You receive the sealed PDF with a certificate showing exactly when they accepted. Sign PDF does not take the deposit or raise invoices, so send the deposit request from your usual payment tool once the quote is signed.