How to use it
- Add your business. Name, address, GSTIN, phone and logo. Details saved in the invoice generator on this browser are filled in for you.
- Add the customer. Who the quotation is for, with their GSTIN if they are a business. The State decides whether GST shows as CGST + SGST or IGST.
- Set the number, date and validity. Choose Quotation or Estimate as the title, keep or change the number (QT/26-27/001) and pick a Valid until date so old prices do not get held against you.
- Add items and terms. Search an item to fill its HSN and GST rate, or type the line: description, quantity, rate before GST and discount. Write delivery time, payment and advance terms in the Terms box.
- Send it. Print, save as PDF to send on WhatsApp or email, or download Excel to edit later. When the customer confirms, make the bill in the GST invoice generator.
Quotation, estimate, proforma or tax invoice: which one when?
| Document | When it is made | GST payable on it? | Buyer can claim ITC? |
|---|
| Quotation | Before the customer agrees: a price offer, valid till a date | No | No |
|---|
| Estimate | Before the work: approximate cost, final quantity not known | No | No |
|---|
| Proforma invoice | After the order is agreed, before supply: to ask for advance | No | No |
|---|
| Tax invoice | At the time of supply (CGST Act s.31, Rule 46) | Yes | Yes, if the buyer is eligible |
|---|
Sample quotation: two printers and two scanners (Gujarat to Gujarat)
| Line | Working | Amount |
|---|
| Thermal printer, 80 mm (HSN 8443) | 2 × ₹4,200 | ₹8,400.00 |
|---|
| Barcode scanner (HSN 8471), 5% off | 2 × ₹1,650 − 5% | ₹3,135.00 |
|---|
| CGST 9% + SGST 9% | ₹11,535 × 9%, twice | ₹1,038.15 + ₹1,038.15 |
|---|
| Total | Rounded to the rupee | ₹13,611 |
|---|
This is the sample already filled in the maker above; type over it with your own items. Read the full comparison in quotation vs proforma invoice vs tax invoice.
A quotation does not replace the tax invoice. When the customer buys, issue a GST invoice with the rate that applies at the time of supply. Check HSN codes and rates with your CA.
Questions
What should a quotation format include?
Your business name, address and GSTIN; the customer's name and address; a quotation number and date; a validity date; each item with description, HSN, quantity, rate, discount and GST rate; GST amounts and the total; and terms for delivery, payment and advance. This maker has a box for each.
Is a quotation a GST document?
No. GST law sets the contents of a tax invoice (CGST Rule 46), bill of supply (Rule 49), credit and debit notes (Rule 53) and delivery challan (Rule 55), but not of a quotation. A quotation is an offer. No GST is payable on it and the buyer cannot claim input tax credit on it. GST is charged on the tax invoice you issue when the goods or services are supplied.
Should I show GST on a quotation?
It helps. Show the price before GST, the GST rate and amount, and the total, so the customer knows the final cost. This maker splits it into CGST + SGST or IGST from the two States. The printed note says GST is at today's rates, because the invoice must charge the rate that applies at the time of supply.
What is the difference between a quotation and an estimate?
In practice both are price offers. A quotation is usually a fixed price for a stated time; an estimate is an approximate cost, common for repairs and job work where the final quantity is not known. Pick the title you need in the Title box; the layout is the same.
What is the difference between a quotation and a proforma invoice?
A quotation is sent before the customer agrees. A proforma invoice is usually sent after the order is agreed, to ask for an advance or for the buyer's internal approval. Neither is a tax invoice. Use the proforma invoice maker for that step.
How long should a quotation be valid?
There is no legal period; it is your business decision. Many shops use 7 to 30 days, shorter when prices move fast, such as electronics or metals. Write it in the Valid until box so the date is on the printout.
Is my quotation saved?
Only in this browser's local storage, separately from your invoices, so the next quotation starts with your details. Nothing is sent to our server. Delete saved data wipes it.
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