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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 CostPrice per unit$45.00
TotalAuto-calculated$6,750.00
DescriptionOptional details6" diameter borehole

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

Method 2: Quick Add from Saved Items

  1. Click Quick Add button
  2. Browse or search your saved items
  3. Check items to add
  4. Click Add Selected
  5. Items appear with default pricing
  6. Adjust quantities as needed

Method 3: Using Templates

  1. Click Load Template dropdown
  2. Select a template (Residential, Commercial, etc.)
  3. All template line items populate
  4. Review and adjust as needed
  5. Save changes

Create templates for common job types to speed up proposal creation. Templates can include standard line items with default pricing.

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 the drag handle (⋮⋮)
  2. Drag item to new position
  3. Release to drop
  4. Order reflects in customer proposal

Duplicating Items

  1. Click the item's menu (⋯)
  2. Select Duplicate
  3. New item appears below
  4. Edit as needed

Deleting Items

  1. Click the item's menu (⋯)
  2. Select Delete
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Item removed from proposal

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 × Unit Cost
SubtotalSum of all line totals
TaxSubtotal × Tax Rate (if enabled)
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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