Guide
A print shop quote template.
A good quote answers every question the customer would otherwise ask by email, and it fixes the price and the specification so neither side can drift.
By the rastr team. Published . Last updated .
What goes on it
- Your details and the customer's. Names, contact, and a customer reference if they use one.
- A quote number and the date. Numbers that run in order make quotes easy to find and refer to.
- An expiry date. Materials and your own time cost change. A quote that never expires will come back in a year.
- One line per item. Product, size, material, finish, quantity, unit price and line total. Write the specification in the line, because production will read it.
- The adjustments. Discount, shipping, tax, and the total they lead to.
- Timing. The turnaround from approval, or a due date, and whether it depends on artwork arriving.
- Terms. Deposit and when the balance is due, who supplies artwork, what a change costs, and how long you keep files.
- How to accept. Say what the customer should do, so a yes is a clear yes.
A template to copy
QUOTE Q-0000 Date: ____
Valid until: ____
From: [your shop, address, contact]
To: [customer, contact]
Item Description (size, material, finish) Qty Unit Total
1 [e.g. Vinyl banner 3 x 6 ft, hemmed, 10 58.50 585.00
grommets every 2 ft]
2 ...
Subtotal ____
Discount ____
Shipping ____
Tax ____
TOTAL ____
Turnaround: [__ working days from approved artwork]
Deposit: [__% to start, balance on pickup/delivery]
Artwork: [supplied by customer as PDF at 100% size / designed by us, __ rounds of changes included]
Changes after approval are quoted separately.
To accept, reply "accepted" or use the link to accept online.
Mistakes to avoid
- A line that says "banners" with no size or material. The customer reads one thing and you price another.
- Leaving out the quantity break. If 20 cost less each than 10, say so and you may sell the 20.
- A total with no tax line when tax applies. The customer pays more than they expected.
- No expiry and no deposit terms.
In rastr
A rastr quote holds the customer, line items with a product, size, quantity and price, tax, shipping, a discount, an expiry date and notes, and starts with your standard notes filled in. Email it as a PDF with a link where the customer accepts or declines online. When they accept, it turns into the sales order without retyping. The step-by-step is in Working with quotes.