Estimate templates allow a quick and efficient estimate creation process. Does every estimate that you perform include a diagnostic fee? Do you include the same set of tasks on every estimate? Is there a type of estimate that will always be performed by the same technician? Use estimate templates to quickly create estimates with these values automatically added upon creation!
Creating an Estimate Template
Before you can create an estimate from a template, you must first create an estimate template, In order to create an estimate template, begin by navigating to the estimate tab in the Service Fusion banner, and then selecting Estimate Templates:
If this is the first time traveling to the estimate templates section, this screen will present a table without any information in it, looking similar to the below:
Begin creating your first estimate template from the +Add New Template button in the top right corner of this screen.
Selecting to add a new template will cause the screen to refresh, presenting you with the 'Add New Estimate Template' screen, which will look very familiar, almost identical to the 'Create Estimate' screen:
Its important to note, that, while several fields are editable here, the required fields are different when creating an estimate, versus creating an estimate template. When creating an estimate template, only edit the fields that will be uniform for each estimate created from the template that is being created. It is a best practice to not include a field in the template if variability of the field is expected to exist, as to not pre-populate an estimate field with potentially incorrect data.
Elements of the Estimate that can be included in the Estimate Template
| Customer Information and Project Specs | Sales Data | Rate Table Information | Additional Estimate Information |
| Customer | Current Status | Products and Services | Note to customer |
| Primary Contact | Referral Source | Qty/Hrs | Service Contract |
| Select Location | Opportunity Rating | Rate | |
| Category | Tags | Taxes, Fees or Discounts | |
| Pictures | On-Site Visit | Estimate Options | |
| Documents | Estimated Duration | ||
| PO# | Arrival time start | ||
| Arrival time end | |||
| Assigned Techs | |||
| Notes For Techs |
Using Estimate templates to automatically populate customer data
Estimate templates do not need to be attributed to a customer in order to create the estimate template. In most cases, it might make sense to choose not to include the customer at the template level, allowing you to choose the customer that is the target of the estimate when you are creating an estimate from the template.
When choosing to make an estimate template for a specific customer, the ability to choose both the primary contact and service location for this customer is possible. This allows you to save time upon estimate creation if performing several estimates for one particular customer, especially useful if these estimates will use a different primary contact or service location for the estimate than the primary, default values that are associated with the customer. Changing either the primary contact or the service location after selecting the customer, at the template level, will prevent the need to make these changes when creating estimates for this customer, while still providing the ability to have a primary contact and service location at the customer level that may be different.
Using Estimate Templates to automatically populate pictures and documents
Do you use a series of pictures or documents that are attached to every estimate? Save time by electing to upload pictures and documents at the template level for estimate creation. Create estimates from this template in the future knowing that nothing was missed for distribution, as they were uploaded at the template level.
Using Estimate Templates to automatically add products and services, taxes, fees, and discounts
One of the fastest ways to have Estimate Templates immediately start speeding up the estimate creation process is to template the rate table of the estimate. The rate table will allow the entrance of products, services, taxes, fees, and discounts. Instead of adding a service, tax, a discount, and a fee for each and every estimate, simply add these to a template, and create the estimate from a template.
As an extension of using the template for the rate table, you can include multiple options in the estimate template!
Naming and Saving an Estimate Template upon Template Creation
Once you scroll to the bottom of the Add an Estimate Template screen, you will be presented with the opportunity to name and save the template. Consider choosing a name that reflects the information included in the template (category, options, rate table customization, etc.) to make creating estimates from templates a time-saving and efficient process!
Once the template has been saved, the screen will refresh and present you with a view to show the estimate template in its entirety. This view template screen will clearly indicate which fields were included, and which fields were 'Not Set'.
Creating Estimates From an Estimate Template
Once an estimate template has been created, you can now create an estimate using an estimate template. When choosing to create an estimate from the dispatch, calendar, or estimates screens, the Create Estimate screen is loaded and the ability to create an estimate from a template will reside in the top right corner, directly adjacent to the save button:
You will have the ability to create an estimate from an existing estimate template, or to Create a new Estimate template.
Please note, if you have entered any data (including customer name, job description, etc) on the estimate before you select "Create from Template", that data will be lost as the template will override any data that was entered prior to selecting that template. If you enter any data then choose to create from template this will cause the screen to refresh, which will allow you to create the estimate from an existing estimate template:
Once the estimate template has been created, all of the fields included in the template are automatically populated and the estimate is ready for the remaining fields that were not able to be included in the template due to the variability and specificity required for each estimate that is created.