Quotation format: what to put in a price quote

A quotation looks a lot like an invoice. That is deliberate, because once the customer accepts, the same lines become the invoice. The differences are the title (Quotation or Estimate), a quote number from its own series, a valid-until date, and terms for delivery and payment. Show the GST on each line, split as it will be on the final invoice, so the customer sees the real amount up front.

No GST rule sets out what a quotation must contain. Here, "mandatory" means what a customer or a purchase department will expect to see before they approve it.

1. 1

   Confirm what the customer wants

   Note the exact items, quantities and specifications. A vague quote leads to arguments later.

2. 2

   Use a separate number series

   Keep quotations in their own series, such as QT/26-27/1, so they never mix with your invoice numbers.

3. 3

   Price each line with HSN and GST

   Add the HSN or SAC code and the GST rate that applies today. Check each rate, because many items changed rate on 22 September 2025.

4. 4

   Show the right tax split

   For a customer in your state, show CGST and SGST. For one in another state, show IGST. The GST calculator shows both.

5. 5

   State validity and terms

   Give a clear valid-until date, the delivery time, freight and payment terms, including any advance.

6. 6

   Send it and follow up

   Send the quote as a PDF, and follow up before the validity date runs out.

• No validity date. The customer comes back months later and expects the old price.
• "Plus GST" with no rate. The customer cannot work out the final amount and has to ask.
• Wrong tax split. CGST and SGST shown to an out-of-state customer, so the final invoice looks different from the quote.
• Quotes in the invoice series. Quotations that use invoice numbers leave gaps and confusion in your tax invoice series.
• Retyping the accepted quote. Copying lines by hand into an invoice is where wrong prices and quantities creep in.

In JustBill, a quotation is one of the sales document types. It uses the same form as an invoice, with your saved customers and items, HSN codes and GST rates. The tax logic is the same too, picking CGST and SGST or IGST from your state and the customer's. Quotations have their own number prefix, so they never touch your invoice series.

• Convert to invoice. When the customer accepts, open the quotation and click Convert to Invoice. The item lines carry over to the new invoice without retyping, and the quotation is marked as converted, so the same order is not billed twice.
• Share it. Download a PDF in your chosen template, or send it by email or WhatsApp.
• See what converts. The dashboard shows how many quotations became invoices and the average days it took.

You can start on the Free plan, which covers up to 50 invoices a month for one user. Try the free invoice generator, or see pricing for higher limits.