What a quote is and how it differs from an estimate
A quote is an offer at a set price for work you have described. If the customer accepts it before it expires, you do the job for that price. An estimate is different. It is a rough guess, and it usually says the price may change.
Use a quote when you know the scope well enough to stand behind the number. Use an estimate when the final cost depends on things you cannot see yet. Do not mix the two. A quote should not say "subject to change," and an estimate should not promise a fixed price.
How to fill in the quote above
Work through the editor in this order.
- Add your business name, address, and contact details. Add a business number if your country uses one.
- Add the customer's name and contact details.
- Check the quote date. It fills in with today's date.
- Add a quote number so you can find it later and match it to the invoice.
- Set the valid-until date. This is the last day the customer can accept the price.
- Add each line with a clear description, a quantity, and a unit price. The editor works out each line amount.
- Add tax if you charge it. Show it as its own line, or say that prices include it.
- Check the quote total. This is the fixed price you are offering.
- Write your payment terms, such as a deposit, stage payments, or payment on completion.
- List anything that is not included, and any optional extras.
- Add start and finish dates if the work is scheduled.
- Leave the acceptance lines blank. They print at the bottom of the PDF for the customer to sign and date.
- Download the PDF and send it.
Why the valid-until date matters
Material costs can rise. Without an expiry date, you may be asked to honor a price that now loses you money. Government guidance in Australia lists an expiry date among the basics of a written quote. We found no official source that gives a required length of time, so you decide.
Why a clear scope protects you
A fixed price is only as firm as the work it describes. Write down what is covered and what is not. If the customer later asks for more, you can point to the quote. In the UK, trading standards advice says extra costs should be explained to a consumer and agreed before the extra work starts. You can add a line saying that work outside the quote will be agreed in writing first.
Using a quote template in Word, Google Docs, or Excel
A file in Word, Google Docs, or Excel works if you only send a quote now and then. The trouble is upkeep: you copy the file each time and check the totals by hand. The editor keeps the layout fixed and does the math as you type.
Turning an accepted quote into an invoice
When the customer says yes and the work is done, bill them with the Invoice. Carry over the lines and the customer details. Drop the valid-until date and the signature lines, and give the invoice its own number. If you need to bill before the work ships, the Proforma Invoice is another option. When you are paid, the Receipt gives the customer proof.
This tool does not produce the cancellation notices that some places require for sales made at a customer's home. If your work falls under those rules, get the right notice from your local consumer agency.
What a quote must show in your region
This table comes from our research on official guidance.
| Field | United States | United Kingdom | European Union | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quote number | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Quote date | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Valid until | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Business name | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Address | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | |
| Phone | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Tax ID | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Customer name | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Customer address | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Customer email | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Customer phone | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Customer reference | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Start and finish dates | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Not included, options and variations | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Payment terms and method | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Sources
- Prepare quotes
- Preparing a business quote
- Preparing a business quote: What to include in your quote
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 50 "Information about the trader or service to be binding"
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 51 "Reasonable price to be paid for a service"
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, Schedule 1 "Information relating to on-premises contracts"
- Motor vehicle servicing and repairs (trading standards advice, March 2026)
- Trade Advice Document (same trading standards advice, March 2026)
- Pricing and payments (last checked 27/01/2026)
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam
- Create and send estimates
- Create Quote Estimates & Quotes (UK tutorial)
- Can remove the estimate accepted date (community answer, 2022-02-22)
- Quoting software (send quotes)
- Estimates (API reference)
- Create, import, customize and edit quotes
Not legal or tax advice. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Questions
What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price for defined work, and it stays open for the customer to accept until an expiry date. An estimate is a guide price that can change. Government small business guidance in Australia and trading standards advice in the UK both draw this line.
Is a quote legally binding?
Government guidance in Australia says a quote becomes a legally binding contract once the customer accepts it. Estimates are not binding in the same way. Rules differ by place and by job, so check the rules where you work.
How long should a quote be valid?
We found no official source that sets a standard period. It is your choice. Pick a date that fits how fast your material and labor costs can change, and write it on the quote.
What should a price quote include?
Your business details, the customer's details, a clear description of the work, itemized costs with a total, tax if it applies, payment terms, the quote date, and a valid-until date. Lines for the customer to sign and date are also useful.
Can I turn a quote into an invoice?
Yes. Once the customer accepts and the work is done, you can reuse the same lines on an invoice. The valid-until date and the signature lines are left behind, and the invoice gets its own number.
Is there a free quote template for Word or Google Docs?
Yes. You can make your own in Word or Google Docs, or fill in the free editor above. The difference is that in a document you format it and do the math yourself, while the editor does the totals and exports a PDF.