Quote Template

What is a quote?

A quote, also called a price quote or quotation, is a written price you offer for a defined job or list of goods. Cambridge Dictionary defines a quotation as the price someone says they will charge. It names the items, the total, how long the price holds and how the buyer accepts.

Sellers send a quote after a buyer describes what they want and before any work or shipping starts. The buyer compares it with other quotes and, if it suits, accepts it. An accepted quote leads to an invoice once the job is done.

What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?

A quote is a price you stand behind for a stated period, while an estimate is a best guess that can change. Cambridge Dictionary describes an estimate as the likely cost of a job. Send a quote when the scope is fixed, and an estimate when hidden work could move the price.

Both documents list items and a total. The difference is the promise. If you cannot know the final cost until work starts, such as a repair behind a wall, use the estimate template and say what could change the price. If you can fix the price, use this quote maker.

How do I write a quote?

Put your business details at the top and the client under Prepared for. List each item or block of labor on its own line with a quantity and price. Add tax and a discount if they apply, check the valid-until date, add terms such as a deposit and lead time, then download the PDF.

1. Type your business at the top and the client under Prepared for.
2. Add a line for each item and each block of labor. Untick taxed under lines that carry no tax.
3. Press + Tax or + Discount and type the rate.
4. Choose Valid for beside the page: 7, 14, 30, 60 or 90 days.
5. Under Terms starter, pick a deposit and type a lead time, then press Add to terms.
6. Press Download PDF.

What should a quote include?

Include your business name and contact details, the client's name, a quote number and date, a valid-until date, each item with quantity and price, tax, any discount, the total, the deposit and lead time, and a line for the client to sign. Each design in the maker has a place for all of these.

• Scope: the Scope of work box says what the price covers and what it leaves out.
• Terms: the deposit, the lead time and anything that could change the price, such as extra materials.
• Acceptance: a block where the client signs and dates. To have the client sign the PDF on screen, send it with a link to Sign PDF.

How is a quote total worked out?

Each line is quantity times price. The lines add up to the subtotal, the discount comes off, and tax is charged on the taxed lines after their share of the discount. The deposit is a percent of that total. The maker updates every figure as you type, so you can check it before you send.

Here is the example job, calculated by the tool on a quote dated Oct 14, 2026 and valid until Nov 13, 2026:

Whether labor is taxed depends on where you work and what the job is, so check with your state or local tax office.

How long is a quote valid?

As long as you write on it. The maker starts at 30 days after the quote date and lets you pick 7, 14, 60 or 90 days, or type any date on the page. A shorter window protects you when material costs move. After that date, send a fresh quote instead of honoring a price you can no longer meet.

The date prints as Valid until near the top, and the sentence under the totals repeats it. Changing the quote date does not move it, so pick Valid for again after you edit the date.

Is a quote legally binding?

It can be. A quote with a fixed price, a clear scope and an expiry date works like an offer, and the client's acceptance can form a contract. Wording and state law decide. For large jobs, ask a lawyer to read your quote terms. This is general information, not legal advice.

The rules differ by setting. In federal purchasing, the regulation says a quotation is not an offer (48 CFR 13.004), so the government buyer's order is the offer. For sales of goods, Uniform Commercial Code section 2-205 says a merchant's signed written offer that promises to stay open cannot be withdrawn for the stated time, up to three months (UCC 2-205). Use plain terms: what is included, what is not, the deposit and how long the price holds.

How do I turn a quote into an invoice?

Press Convert to invoice beside the page. The invoice generator opens with the client, items, discount and tax filled in, the next invoice number, Net 30 terms and a due date. Add your payment details and download the PDF. You can also save the quote as a .json copy and open it there.

If the client asked for the deposit before you start, a proforma invoice is the usual document for that. For an order you place with a supplier, see the purchase order template.

Where can I download a free quote template for Word, Excel or PDF?

Right below. Pick one of three versions and download it as a fillable PDF, a Word file or an Excel sheet. The files are made in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Only the Excel sheet does the arithmetic; the PDF and Word files are blank forms you type into.

Which quote template format is best: Word, Excel or PDF?

Excel is the best fit when you want totals worked out for you, because the line amounts, tax, total and deposit are formulas. Word suits free editing of the layout and wording. The fillable PDF keeps the design exactly and suits filling on a screen or printing. Only the Excel sheet does arithmetic.

• Excel (.xlsx): shaded cells are yours to fill, every other cell is a formula. It works in Excel and in any spreadsheet app that opens .xlsx files.
• Word (.docx): real tables you can resize, recolor and add rows to. Type the amounts yourself.
• PDF: the same design as the quote maker above, with a form field over every blank. Fill it in any PDF reader, or in a web browser such as Chrome or Edge.