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Proposals & Line Items

Step-by-step guide to creating and managing proposal line items for accurate quotes

Proposals & Line Items

Line items are the foundation of your proposal. They detail the specific services, materials, and costs that make up your quote. This guide walks you through building professional, accurate proposals.

Quick Start: Build a Proposal in 5 Steps

  1. Open or create a project
  2. Go to the Proposal tab
  3. Click Add Line Item
  4. Enter item details and pricing
  5. Repeat for all items, then Save

Understanding Line Items

What Each Line Item Contains

FieldDescriptionExample
Item NameService or material descriptionDrilling per foot
QuantityNumber of units150
UnitMeasurement typeFeet
Unit CostYour internal cost per unit$45.00
RetailThe price the customer sees$60.00
TaxableWhether tax applies to this lineYes
TotalAuto-calculated$9,000.00
DescriptionOptional details, on its own row6" diameter borehole

Unit Cost and Retail are different numbers, and Retail is the one that bills. When a line has a retail price, the total uses it. The total falls back to unit cost only when retail is blank or zero. Leaving retail at an old value is the usual reason a proposal total does not match what you expected.

Step-by-Step: Adding Line Items

Method 1: Manual Entry

  1. Open the project
  2. Go to the Proposal tab
  3. Click Add Line Item
  4. Enter item name
  5. Set quantity and unit cost
  6. Add description (optional)
  7. Click Add to confirm
  8. Repeat for each item

The button reads Add Line Item in the sections view, which is the view the Proposal tab opens in. In the flat list view the same button reads Add Custom Row.

Method 2: Pull an item from inventory

The Item Name box on each row searches your inventory as you type.

  1. Add a row.
  2. Start typing in the Item Name box. It reads Search inventory or type item name.
  3. Pick an item from the list that drops down.
  4. The unit cost, unit, taxable setting, and description fill in from that item.
  5. Set the quantity.

You bind one item per row this way. To enter something that is not in inventory, type the name and keep going.

Method 3: Using Templates

  1. Open the Select Template... dropdown.
  2. Choose a template.
  3. Review the line items it brings in, then adjust them.
  4. Click Save.

The dropdown appears only after your company saves at least one template. If you have never made one, the Proposal tab shows no template dropdown at all.

Create templates for common job types to speed up proposal creation. Templates can include standard line items with default pricing. To build one, go to Settings > Proposal Templates.

Applying a template no longer wipes an estimate you have already written. Before 18 August 2026, picking a template replaced the whole estimate, and a template that had no priced items could blank the proposal outright. DrillerDB now checks the proposal for existing content first. Written scope counts as content, so section titles, descriptions, and an add-on's pros and cons all protect the estimate, not just priced rows.

Managing Line Items

Editing Items

  1. Click on any line item field
  2. Edit the value inline
  3. Total recalculates automatically
  4. Click Save when done

Reordering Items

  1. Click and hold anywhere on the row, next to the grip mark (⋮⋮).
  2. Drag the row to its new position.
  3. Release to drop it.
  4. The customer proposal follows the same order.

The flat list view also gives each row a Move up and a Move down arrow. Use those when a drag is awkward, such as on a touch screen.

Deleting Items

Click the trash icon at the end of the row. The row goes straight away, with no confirmation step, so check that you have the right row before you click. The line is not gone for good until you click Save. To get it back before then, leave the page without saving.

There is no per-item Duplicate action. To repeat a line, add a row and pick the same inventory item.

Line Item Categories

Organize items by category for clear proposals:

CategoryCommon Items
DrillingPer-foot drilling, casing advancement
CasingPVC casing, steel casing, drive shoe
MaterialsGrout, bentonite, filter pack, sand
PermitsState permit fee, county fee
Pump EquipmentSubmersible pump, pressure tank, pitless adapter
LaborPump installation, well development, testing
MobilizationSetup fee, travel, equipment transport
TestingWater quality test, bacteria test, yield test

Setting Up Default Items

Creating Saved Line Items

  1. Go to Settings > Projects & Proposals
  2. Find Default Line Items
  3. Click Add Item
  4. Enter:
    • Item name
    • Default price
    • Category
    • Description
  5. Save

Updating Default Pricing

  1. Go to Settings > Projects & Proposals
  2. Find Default Line Items
  3. Click item to edit
  4. Update pricing
  5. Save

Updating default pricing only affects new proposals. Existing proposals keep their original pricing.

Creating Templates

Step-by-Step: Create a Template

  1. Go to Settings > Projects & Proposals
  2. Find Proposal Templates
  3. Click New Template
  4. Name your template (e.g., "Residential 6-inch Well")
  5. Add line items typical for this job type
  6. Set default quantities and pricing
  7. Save template

Template Best Practices

Good templates include:

  • All common line items for that job type
  • Realistic default quantities
  • Current pricing
  • Clear item descriptions

Template naming conventions:

  • Residential - Standard
  • Commercial - Small
  • Hi-Cap - Agricultural
  • Geo-Vertical - 4 Ton

Calculating Totals

Automatic Calculations

DrillerDB automatically calculates:

CalculationHow It Works
Line TotalQuantity × Retail. When Retail is blank or zero, Quantity × Unit Cost
SubtotalSum of all line totals
TaxSubtotal × Tax Rate, on taxable lines only
Grand TotalSubtotal + Tax
DepositPercentage or fixed amount

Configuring Tax

  1. Go to Settings > Billing & Invoicing
  2. Set your default tax rate
  3. Enable or disable tax per project
  4. Tax applies to subtotal automatically

Setting Deposit Requirements

  1. Go to Settings > Billing & Invoicing
  2. Configure deposit options:
    • Percentage (e.g., 50%)
    • Fixed amount (e.g., $1,000)
    • None required
  3. Choose if payment is required for approval

Item Descriptions

Adding Detailed Descriptions

  1. Click line item to expand
  2. Find Description field
  3. Enter detailed information
  4. Description appears below item name in proposal

What to Include

Good descriptions include:

  • Materials specifications
  • Work methodology
  • Warranty information
  • Exclusions or conditions

Example:

"6" diameter Schedule 40 PVC casing, includes threaded couplings, installed per manufacturer specifications. 10-year manufacturer warranty on materials."

Reviewing Before Sending

Proposal Checklist

Before sending, verify:

  • All line items are complete
  • Quantities are accurate
  • Pricing is current
  • Descriptions are clear
  • Tax is correct
  • Deposit amount is set
  • Customer email is correct

Preview Feature

  1. Click Preview Proposal
  2. See exactly what customer sees
  3. Check formatting and totals
  4. Close preview when satisfied

Troubleshooting

Line items not saving?

  • Check for validation errors
  • Ensure quantity and price are numbers
  • Verify required fields are complete

Template not loading?

  • Check template exists in Settings
  • Verify you have permission to use templates
  • Template may be deactivated

Totals calculating incorrectly?

  • Check quantity and unit cost values
  • Verify tax rate in Settings
  • Look for hidden line items

Can't add more items?

  • Check your subscription limits
  • Verify proposal isn't locked
  • Try refreshing the page

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