Project estimation and quoting system for quick and accurate job costing

A good quoting system for agencies and consultancies working on multiple projects is an essential part of any project estimation process. After all, the project estimate is the financial model of the job. If it's wrong you'll either upset the client with a huge quote or overruns and reduced profitability become inevitable.

Synergist's job estimating software provides you with all the following: 

  • prompts the user to consider the time, materials, purchases & expenses involved in delivering the job, either by using a template, an existing job or from a pick list
  • displays the estimated project cost and recommended charge for doing the job, based on either standard or client specific rates and hence expected profit margin
  • becomes the budget for the job allowing the various components to be allocated to people or teams following approval
  • can be quickly reformatted, edited and sent to the client as a branded pdf via email (created automatically in your standard email package)
  • job estimating software gives you a live view of how the budget is being used, allowing you to identify problems early enough to rectify them as the job progresses
  • allows you to record agreed changes to the job ensuring clear records and accurate billing

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The easy link between estimating and quoting

Definition: Estimates

Estimates in Synergist allow you to quickly build an accurate list of expected costs and corresponding target charge-outs for all elements of a job. This forms the internal project budget and drives the tracking of its financial health as you deliver it.

Definition: Quoting

Quotes are a client-facing version of the Synergist estimate. You send a quote to a existing or prospective client showing what costs would be involved for the work you propose to do for them.

Integration

The point of an integrated system is that it pulls essential parts of your business system together, aids efficiencies, reduces errors, saves time, avoids having to input data more than once, produces comprehensive reports and creates a logical process for managing it all.

Estimating and Quoting are a good example of this, because quotes can be directly generated from estimates and subsequently invoices created from quotes. This is a big time-saver and greatly reduces risk of errors.

How information flows from estimate to quote

There are several ways to pull the information from the estimate to the quote:

1. Quick Quote

This is a one-click option that brings the default estimate information through to the quote.

2. Build quote from estimate

This presents you with various choices such as using a standard system view, or a detailed view, or a summary view.

3. Advanced quote

This delivers several pop-up options:

  • Whether to include phase descriptions
  • Whether to include comments
  • Whether to roll up details into one line
  • Whether to show time (in either days or hours)
  • Whether to show materials, including zero value items
  • Whether to include POs
  • Whether to include expenses

Types of cost

Note that with Synergist you can add five types of cost to an estimate:

  • Time
  • Material
  • Purchase
  • Expense
  • Tender

Estimate Revisions / Quote Options

These feature allows estimates & quotes to be saved as versions and later restored or compared to the current version as required. In addition lines can be edited, deleted, moved around or expanded to show more details. Items can also be marked as standard or option lines allowing for the typical flexibility required in quoting.

No more silos

Many businesses implementing Synergist show us that they previously handled estimates and quotes separately, often using spreadsheets. As quotes are legally binding, and reports lead to major management decisions, there is a great deal at stake in getting cost estimation and quotes right.

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The Agency Works

Our exclusive UK implementation partner

Providing on-site demonstrations, training, experience and consultation.