How to create a solar BOQ and proposal in under 30 minutes
This tutorial walks you through generating a complete Bill of Quantities from your product catalogue, routing it through internal approval, and sending a branded client proposal - all within CrmLeaf. No Excel, no copy-paste.
- Set up product catalogue
- Create BOQ from system size
- Review and adjust line items
- Submit for internal approval
- Generate and send client proposal
5 steps to a signed proposal
Follow these steps in order - from site data to client signature.
Step 1: Set up your product catalogue
Before you can auto-generate a BOQ, you need a product catalogue with your standard solar components - panels, inverters, cables, mounting and BOS. This is a one-time setup that unlocks instant BOQ generation for every future project.
- 1Go to Settings → Products → Add Product
- 2Enter product name, SKU, specifications and unit
- 3Set cost price and selling price per unit
- 4Assign product type (Panel / Inverter / Cable / Mounting / BOS / Labour)
- 5Create standard system configurations if you want one-click BOQ presets
Step 2: Generate the BOQ from system size
From a qualified deal or a site survey, open the BOQ module and enter the system capacity. CrmLeaf calculates panel count, inverter size, cable quantities, mounting and labour - all from your catalogue.
- 1Open the deal record → click "Generate BOQ"
- 2Select system size (kWp) or choose a system preset
- 3Review auto-calculated quantities: panels, inverters, cables, BOS
- 4Adjust individual line items if the site has specific requirements
- 5Add any non-standard items manually as custom line items
Step 3: Submit for internal approval
Before any proposal goes to a client, route the BOQ through your internal approval workflow. This ensures pricing, margin and scope are reviewed before client exposure.
- 1On the BOQ screen → click "Submit for Approval"
- 2Select the approver (e.g. Sales Manager, Technical Lead)
- 3Add any notes for the approver (e.g. custom pricing applied)
- 4Approver receives notification - reviews BOQ, adds comments or approves
- 5If changes are requested, revise and resubmit - version history maintained
Step 4: Generate the client proposal
With the BOQ approved, convert it into a branded client proposal in one click. The proposal includes system specs, estimated savings, payback period and payment terms - formatted with your company branding.
- 1From approved BOQ → click "Generate Proposal"
- 2Review the proposal preview - system details, savings estimate, pricing breakdown
- 3Add client-specific notes, warranty details or custom terms
- 4Select payment schedule template (e.g. 30% deposit, 40% on installation, 30% on commissioning)
- 5Click "Send to Client" - client receives email with proposal PDF and e-sign link
Step 5: Track the proposal and close the deal
Once sent, CrmLeaf tracks proposal status - sent, viewed, signed. When the client signs, the deal is automatically marked Won and a project is created from the approved BOQ.
- 1Monitor proposal status: Sent → Viewed → Signed
- 2Send a follow-up reminder if not viewed after 48 hours
- 3If the client requests changes - revise the BOQ, re-approve and regenerate the proposal
- 4Client signs digitally → deal auto-marked Won
- 5Project auto-created from the signed BOQ - no data re-entry
Tutorial complete
Product catalogue
One-time setup. Every future BOQ auto-populates from your catalogue - consistent specs, accurate pricing, every time.
BOQ to proposal in hours
From site data to client proposal in under 30 minutes. Same-day turnaround that wins more deals.
Seamless handoff
Signed deal auto-creates project. BOQ becomes material plan. Sales to ops - zero re-entry.
Common questions
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