Overview
Cost options let you offer a customer an optional upgrade, like a deck as part of a proposal. The customer can review the upgrade alongside your base estimate and choose to approve or decline it before signing.
Part 1: Create the Cost Option in Your Estimate
Once you've completed your lead and your estimate, you're ready to add an optional upgrade to the proposal.
Navigate to your estimate > Estimates > Cost Options > choose the + Cost Option button.
Name the option and assign it to a cost code.
Add in a New Item or you can add in an assembly/item from your Catalog.
Optionally, add markup over all, per cost code or per cost items.
Save and release the cost option. This makes it available to include in a proposal document.
Enable options from the Proposal Document
With the cost option saved, move to the proposal itself.
Open your proposal or Create one from the Documents tab.
Set the document to require a signature. You can also set it to expire after a set number of days (for example, 7 days) and choose whether a second person needs to countersign.
Write the client-facing message. For example: "Dear [Client], please find attached the proposal for your new home. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions."
Preview before sending. You don't have to send the document immediately. You can download a PDF preview first to check everything looks right.
Choose what to include. Select the properties you want visible in the document, such as the specification and, importantly, the cost options. This is where you turn on the alfresco option so the customer can see it.
Add a payment request if needed. For example, you can request a deposit payment (in the example, $8,000 with GST included). Article for reference: Enable Payment in Documents
Send the document for signing. Once sent, the document's status will update from "sent" to "approved" once the client takes action. You can track this history directly in the proposal.
Part 3: What the Customer Sees and Does
When the client receives the email and opens the link, they'll see the proposal document with the cost option built in.
The client reviews the cost option. They can choose to approve or decline the alfresco upgrade.
If approved, the upgrade is automatically added to the total and the cost center updates.
If declined, it is left out and the total is not adjusted.
The adjusted total price updates based on what the client approves, along with anything already included in the base proposal.
The client reviews the payment request, such as the $8,000 deposit, and confirms it.
The client signs. They can either draw a signature on screen or use a saved signature.
Once the document is signed they are brought back to the Proposal and need to choose the Finalise Document button
.The client can download a PDF copy of the signed proposal for their own records.
Payment options. If Stripe is connected, the client can pay by card directly from the document. If not, you can include your bank details in the proposal so the client can pay by bank transfer instead.
đĄTip: If you realize a mistake has been made, you can manually change the status of the Cost Option with the Status Drop-down on the top right. Change it back to Draft and make your edits before releasing again.
