Introduction

The Product Cost Estimator (PCE) is an add-on module that streamlines the creation and management of customer proposals, quotes, and bids. This module integrates seamlessly with the CRM or Project module, allowing you to efficiently manage products, pricing, and customer-facing documents in one centralized location.

The PCE is your central hub for managing the entire quotation process. It enables you to store and manage comprehensive product catalogs with detailed information including costs, content, and sales prices. Beyond simple product management, the system allows you to create professional customer proposals and quotes, track all proposals from creation to approval, and integrate seamlessly with your accounting system for smooth quote-to-invoice workflows.

Configuration of Product Cost Estimator

Before a quote can be created it is necessary to create your products, define terms and conditions and currency. This is all done under the product hub/module.

Settings

In the settings section you need to define Terms of delivery, Terms of payment, Currency, and Validity. The lists here are standard SharePoint lists to easily add information necessary for the different quote conditions. To update click on one of the conditions.

Click "+ Add new item" at the top left corner. The following fields are then necessary to fill in. Repeat the same for the other quote conditions in setting lists.

Lists for product, assembly and template

In the list section you will have access to three different list to create Products, Assemblies and Templates. The lists here are customized with logic to the different columns. To update click on one of the lists. Click "+ Add new item" at the top left corner for each list.

Product list

The product list is where all the products are listed with relevant information. Here you can have an overview of all products, type of products, stock and other relevant information. When products are created here, they can be added to a quote in Lead or Project workspace

The following fields are necessary to fill in.

Assembly list

The assembly list is where you can create assemblies/packages with your products. The assembly list gives you an opportunity to create standardised packages that are often used. When an assembly is created here it can be added to a quote, and you won't have to add one product at a time.

The following fields are necessary to fill in.

Template list

The template list is where you can create specific templates with your products and/or assemblies. These templates can be used for standard deliveries that are often required. When a template is created it can be added to a quote and altered as needed.

The following fields are necessary to fill in.

How to create a quote in a Lead or Project workspace

When configuration of your quote conditions, product, assemblies and templates is finished, you can start creating quotes. To create a quote from a Project workspace you will click on "Quotation" in the menu to the left. You will then enter a new area for creating a quote and an overview of existing quotes.

To create a quote from the Lead workspace you will scroll down to the bottom of the page, below the folder structure. Here you will find a webpart for creating new quotes, and an overview of existing quotes. Since a lead belongs to a company workspace, the quotation overview will appear a bit differently from the project workspace.

Quotations

Either you are in quotation in a project or a lead workspace, you click on "+New" to create a new quote. The following fields will appear for you to fill in.

When the details of the quote have been filled in and saved, the system creates the quote and a link. When the link appear in the overview, you can enter it and start adding products to the quote by clicking the + icon at the bottom left. When adding products, assemblies or templates they will appear in the list with the pre-defined information from the lists. You can then update the price, quantity, add a discount and delete product lines if necessary. 

If it is necessary to work on the quote another time, you will click on the "Save" button to save the current changes to the quote.

Approving quotes

When a quote is finished and ready to send out to recipient you will send the quote for an approval. Before approving the quote you can choose the language for the PDF (Norwegian or English) and click on the PDF icon to see how the PDF quote document will be published. 

If the quote is applicable as a template for other quotations you can also save the quote as a template, and the template will be uploaded in the Product module's Template list.

When the quote has been approved in the system, the published PDF document is automatically uploaded to a new folder in the document library.