What is the difference between estimating and quoting software?

Estimating software helps you calculate what work will cost. Quoting software helps you prepare a quote showing the work and price for the customer to review and accept.

The activities are connected, and some tools support both. DoneQuote gathers request details and drafts quotes from your services and prices. It also records customer approval and can remind customers before a quote expires.

What does estimating software help you calculate?

An estimate adds up the costs of completing a job. Depending on the work, that can include materials, labor, equipment and subcontractors. You then decide what to charge. Include enough to cover your business running costs and profit.

For construction work, takeoff means measuring or counting the quantities needed from drawings or a model. Takeoff provides quantities; estimating adds costs and other assumptions. Autodesk's explanation of calculating costs from takeoff quantities shows that relationship.

You can also estimate work without drawings, using measurements from a visit or information from a customer.

What does quoting software help you prepare?

A customer quote explains the offer. It names the work or products, shows the price and terms, and gives the customer a way to respond.

Quoting software can help you reuse prices and customer details, prepare the document, send it, and track acceptance. Some tools also support options, reminders and AI drafting. Check the features of the individual tool rather than assuming every product includes them.

Can one tool handle estimating and quoting?

Yes. A tool may calculate costs and produce the customer document. Another may handle only the cost calculation or the customer quote.

For example, a customer requests a service you have not priced before. You can calculate its costs in a spreadsheet, then use DoneQuote to prepare and send the offer. For a service you sell regularly, you can start with the price saved in your catalog.

Choose tools for the steps you need help with; a single tool may cover them.

What do you need the software to do?

Use one recent job to identify the work that took the most effort:

• Measuring from plans: check for the drawing and quantity tools you need.
• Calculating unfamiliar work: check how you can enter quantities, costs and pricing assumptions.
• Preparing repeat quotes: check whether you can reuse service descriptions, prices and terms.
• Getting a customer decision: check online acceptance, revisions and follow-up.

Test those steps with your own example. If information needs to move between tools, check whether you can transfer it without retyping the whole job.

Where does DoneQuote help?

DoneQuote prepares quotes from your business information, services and prices. You can add explanatory text and attachments, offer choices, and send the customer a link to review and approve. DoneQuote also helps gather request details. With reminders enabled, it can email the customer before the quote expires.

DoneQuote does not measure quantities from construction drawings. If you use construction drawings, measure and check the quantities before adding them to the quote.

For the drafting steps, read how AI helps create a quote.