Who This Is For / When to Use
Use this feature when you want to send an estimate to an existing contact without manually re-entering customer information or navigating to the Estimates dashboard.
What the Payments Tab Does for Estimates
The Payments tab inside a contact record allows you to:
Create estimates directly from the contact profile
Auto-fill customer details into the estimate
View related payments, invoices, subscriptions, and estimates in one place
This reduces manual data entry and keeps all billing activity tied to the contact timeline.
How to Create an Estimate from a Contact
Step 1: Open the Contact Record
Go to Contacts.
Click the contact you want to send an estimate to.
Step 2: Open the Payments Panel
In the contact record, locate the Payments panel on the right side.
Click Actions.
Step 3: Create the Estimate
From the Actions dropdown, select Create Estimate.
The estimate builder opens automatically.
Customer information is pre-populated from the contact record.
Step 4: Add Products and Details
Add products or services from your product catalog.
Adjust quantities, prices, taxes, or discounts as needed.
Set issue and expiry dates.
Review the live estimate preview.
Step 5: Save or Send the Estimate
Click Save to keep the estimate as a draft.
Click Send to deliver the estimate to the contact.
Once sent, the estimate status updates automatically.
Where to Track Sent Estimates
All estimates created from a contact appear in:
Payments & Invoicing → Estimates
The contact’s Payments panel
The contact activity timeline
Statuses include Draft, Sent, Accepted, Declined, and Invoiced.
What Happens After an Estimate Is Accepted
When a contact accepts an estimate:
The status updates to Accepted
You can convert the estimate into an invoice
Payment collection can begin immediately if enabled
Common Issues and Fixes
“Create Estimate” Option Not Visible
Confirm you are viewing the Payments panel, not the Actions tab.
Check user permissions for Payments & Invoicing.
Customer Details Missing in Estimate
Ensure the contact record has required fields (name, email, address).
Refresh the page and retry creating the estimate.
Cannot Send the Estimate
Verify email delivery settings are configured.
Confirm the contact has a valid email address.
Best Practices
Use contact-based estimates to keep billing history centralized.
Set expiry dates to encourage timely responses.
Use consistent estimate numbering for tracking.
Convert accepted estimates promptly to invoices to avoid delays.
FAQs
Can I edit an estimate after creating it from a contact?
Yes. Draft and unsent estimates can be edited. Sent estimates may require resending after changes.
Does creating an estimate here duplicate contacts?
No. The estimate is linked to the existing contact record.
Can I add taxes or discounts to contact-based estimates?
Yes. Taxes and discounts can be applied directly in the estimate builder.
Where do these estimates appear later?
They appear in the Estimates dashboard and inside the contact’s Payments panel.