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Getting started with proposals

Everything you need to know to start using the Proposals functionality on D-Tools Cloud

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Written by Ashok P
Updated over 8 months ago

Once you have created an opportunity on D-Tools Cloud and added the products and labor into the quote associated with the opportunity, you are ready to create a proposal for the project.

A Proposal is a document with all the potential project information, such as equipment, labor, terms and conditions, and payment milestones, that you share with the customer and get them to accept.

The Proposals functionality on D-Tools Cloud is comprehensive and allows you to easily transition from a lead to a Won opportunity that will get you business.

Here are some of the key functionality available for managing proposals.

If you want to view a video tutorial of the content in this article, click here.

Create proposal

The proposal is created from a quote. When you have added everything the customer expects into the quote, you can create the proposal with just a click.

Learn more about creating the proposal.

The proposal view is different from the quote view. The proposal view has options to add a cover page, company details, case studies, professional licenses, a media gallery, and so on. Each of these is a different section in the proposal, and you can edit them and reorder them in the proposal as needed.

Learn more about proposal sections.

Proposal layout and templates

When you create a proposal, you will be prompted to choose a layout: Multimedia or Quick Quote. Multimedia layout can accommodate lengthy prompts and include many sections, while the Quick Quote layout is meant for shorter proposals with fewer sections.

Proposals, when created, may use a built-in D-Tools Cloud template. You have the option to add custom templates with sections that suit your organization's business requirements.

You can always change the template of a proposal as needed.

Learn more about proposal templates.

Edit proposal

Even beyond changing the layout and the template, you may want to customize the proposal to best fit the project and customer. Cloud proposals provide many customization options, which are different for the different sections in the proposal.

Some examples include:

  • Changing fonts and colors all over the proposal.

  • Showing testimonials and awards received by the company.

  • Showcasing your project portfolio with a 360° view of the work sites.

  • Separately displaying alternate items and accessories.

  • Grouping and displaying the products in the proposal per the customer's liking.

You can do all this by clicking the ellipsis more menu (...) of the relevant sections and choosing from various options.

You can also add or remove sections in the proposal.

Learn more about editing the proposal.

Share proposal with customer

-Tools Cloud provides three options for sharing Proposals with customers.

#1 Present the proposal over a meeting or in person

You can present the proposal from your computer if you meet with your potential customer in person or over an online meeting.

This way, you can run the customer through the proposal, understand the changes, and later create a revised one. If the customer likes the proposal, you can let them sign and approve it during the meeting.

Learn more about presenting the proposal.

#2 Email the proposal

If you cannot or don't have to run the customer through the proposal, you can always email it from the cloud@d-tools.com email with a subject and a custom message for the email. When sharing, you can set an expiration date for the proposal and add up to two reminders to review the proposal.

The customer can open the proposal from the inbox, review it, and approve it by clicking the Accept and Sign button.

Learn more about emailing the proposal.

#3 - Share the proposal URL

You can share the URL of the proposal via chat, text, or other means. If you want to send the proposal to multiple Contacts, the URLs are unique, and you will get Proposal Analytics for every URL. You can set an expiration date for the proposal and add a reminder to review it.

Learn more about sharing the proposal URL.

Proposal Analytics

After a proposal has been shared through email or its URL, Cloud collects Analytics data to show you who has opened the proposal and how many times they have opened it.

You can see who is a hot vs colder lead. If someone hasn't viewed it, send them a reminder to take a look. You will also get to see who has signed and approved the proposal.

Learn more about Proposal Analytics.

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