Estimates in Run a Call are the bridge between we should talk and we have a job. The customer gets a clean PDF, can approve and sign on their phone, and the moment they do, the estimate converts to a job. No back-and-forth.
Two ways to start an estimate
- From an existing job — open the job, click + Estimate. Customer, address, and line items are pre-filled.
- From scratch — go to Estimates → + New Estimate and pick the customer.
Building the estimate
Line items
Add work as pricebook items. Each line has:
| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Item | Pulled from the pricebook (parts, labor, fees). |
| Quantity | Number of units. |
| Price | Defaults to pricebook price; override per estimate if you have to. |
| Tax | Applied or skipped based on the customer's tax status. |
If you change a price on an estimate, only this estimate is affected — the pricebook stays clean.
Discounts
Add a flat or percentage discount at the bottom. Discounts post to QBO as a separate line so your books stay clear.
Expiry
Estimates default to 30 days. You can shorten it for time-sensitive scope (e.g. an install at a promo price).
Send it
Click Send. You'll get a preview of what the customer sees. By default the estimate goes by:
- SMS with a short link
- Email with the PDF attached
You can turn either off per-customer.
What the customer sees
The link opens a branded page with your logo, the estimate, line items, totals, and two buttons: Approve & sign and Decline.
If they approve, they:
- Type their name to sign.
- Get a confirmation email with the signed PDF.
The moment they sign, the estimate flips to Approved and (if the option is on) a draft job is created.
Track viewed / approved / declined
Run a Call shows you who's opened the estimate, when, and from where. If 72 hours pass without a view, an automatic reminder goes out — you can edit the cadence under Settings → Automations.
Internal notes & @mentions
Below the estimate, you can leave internal notes (only your team sees them — never the customer). Type @ to tag a teammate; they get a push notification on the mobile app linking back to the estimate. Useful for "@Carlos can you double-check the duct sizing on this?" before sending.
History tab
Every estimate has a History tab — a full audit log: who created it, who edited what field when, when the customer viewed, signed, declined, and what time slot they picked. Useful for disputes and for understanding why an estimate stalled.