How to Send Your First Quote in CrmLeaf (Quick Start)
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Availability: All editions. Core feature — no add-on required.
Overview
This quick start takes you from an empty account to an approved quote and an unpaid invoice. It is written for someone trying CrmLeaf for the first time who wants to see quoting and invoicing work before setting anything else up. You need a client, a quote with at least one line item, and a way to open the link the client receives.
How It Works
Add Client → Create Quote → Save → Send → Approve on the link → Invoice
- A quote is addressed to a client, so a client record must exist before you can create the quote.
- A client in CrmLeaf is a real user account. Portal login is off by default, and you do not need it for the client to approve a quote.
- Saving stores the quote as a
draft. Sending moves it towaiting. - Approving on the public link sets the status to
acceptedand creates anunpaidinvoice.
Who Can Use This Feature?
User
- Add a client, create and send a quote, and open the invoice created on approval.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- A role that can add clients and create quotes.
- An email address you can read, to use as the client's email so you can approve the quote as the client.
- Optional: tax rates under
Settings → Taxand products in the catalogue, if you want them on the line items.
For Users
Step 1: Add a client to quote
What to do: Select Add Client, enter the company name and the client's name and email, then select Save. For a trial, use an email address you control. Leave Can client login? at No unless you want to test the portal as well.
What to verify: The client appears in the clients list.
No client yet? Every quote needs a client, and there is no way to quote without one. If you are only evaluating, add a test client now. Use a second email address of your own so you can receive the link and approve the quote yourself. You can cancel the test quote and invoice afterwards.
Step 2: Open the quotes list
What to do: Open the quotes list. In some editions the same screen is labelled Estimates.
What to verify: You can see a Create Quote button. Existing quotes are listed with an id such as EST#001 and a status.
Step 3: Create the quote
What to do: Select Create Quote. Choose the client, the currency and the date until which the quote is valid. Add each line item with its quantity and rate, and apply tax and a discount if they apply.
What to verify: The totals match what you expect for the line items, tax and discount.
Step 4: Save the quote as a draft
What to do: Select Save. The quote is stored as a draft. Nothing has been sent to the client yet.
What to verify: The quote appears in the list with status draft.
Step 5: Send the quote
What to do: Use the Send action on the quote's row in the list. Alternatively open the quote and choose Action → Send.
What to verify: The status changes from draft to waiting. The client now has the signed public link for the quote.
What Send does (full answers to the questions customers ask are in QTC-19): Send marks the quote as sent and makes the signed link at /estimate/{hash} usable by the client. A quote that is still a draft cannot be opened by the client.
Step 6: Approve the quote as the client
What to do: Open the link the client receives. Review the quote, then approve it. Approving records a signature, so complete the signature step the page asks for.
What to verify: The page confirms the approval. Back in CrmLeaf the quote status is accepted.
Step 7: Find the invoice
What to do: Open the invoices list and look for the newest invoice for your test client.
What to verify: An invoice with status unpaid exists and carries the quote's line items and totals.
Expected Result
You have a quote with status accepted, a recorded signature, and an unpaid invoice created from it.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- CrmLeaf calls the document a Quote on screen in current editions (the list is under Sales & CRM, with a Create Quote button). Older guides, the data model and some editions call the same document an Estimate. They are the same record.
- A client is a real user account in CrmLeaf, not just a contact entry. Create a test client rather than reusing a real customer for a trial.
- Treat an approved quote as final. For revised pricing, cancel it and create a new quote.
- If the quote has a valid-till date in the past, it is expired. Raise a new quote instead.
Common Scenarios
Example: testing as your own client. You add a client named after your company with your personal email address. You create a quote for one line item, send it, open the link from your personal mailbox, approve it, and then open the invoices list in your main account to see the invoice. You have now seen the whole client experience.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| You cannot choose a client on the quote | No client exists yet, or your role cannot see it | Add the client first (Step 1), or ask your Administrator to check the client permission scope for your role. |
| You cannot find Create Quote | The screen is labelled Estimates, or your role does not include it | Search for Quotes or Estimates, and ask your Administrator to review your role. |
The status is still draft | The quote was saved but not sent | Use Send on the row or Action → Send on the quote. |
| The client cannot open the link | The quote is a draft, or the quote has expired | Send the quote so it becomes waiting, or raise a new one if it expired. |
The status stays waiting after the client opened the link | The client viewed the quote but did not complete the approval | Ask the client to finish the approval on the link. |
| No invoice appeared | The quote is not accepted | Confirm the status first. See QTC-17. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send a quote without adding a client first?
No. A quote is addressed to a client, so add the client first. For an evaluation, a test client with your own email address is enough.
Does the client need a login?
No. Portal login is off by default and the client approves on a signed public link.
Where do I find the invoice after approval?
In the invoices list. CrmLeaf creates it automatically, with status unpaid.
How do I undo a test quote?
Cancel it. A cancelled quote has status canceled. Handle the test invoice as described in QTC-05.
Related Articles
Our support team answers on business days. Reference QTC-14 so we can jump straight in.