Master HubSpot Quotes: Your Ultimate Guide to Streamlined Sales Proposals

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Want to make your sales process smoother, cut down on errors, and impress your potential clients with slick, professional proposals? Then figuring out how to really quote in HubSpot is going to be a must for you and your team. Seriously, HubSpot’s quote tool isn’t just a basic feature. it’s a powerful, integrated system designed to simplify everything from building and sending proposals to getting them signed and even paid. Many businesses, especially those already using HubSpot for their CRM, find it’s the natural next step to streamline their revenue operations. It essentially helps you knit together contacts, companies, and deals directly into your sales proposals, making your entire sales cycle more efficient and way less chaotic.

If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with Word documents, trying to manually calculate prices in a spreadsheet, or just waiting around for what feels like forever to get a signed PDF back, then you’re definitely in the right place. This guide is all about showing you how to unlock the full potential of HubSpot’s quoting capabilities. We’ll walk through everything from setting up your first quote to mastering advanced features like custom templates, approval workflows, and even digging into the API for those really unique needs. By the time we’re done, you’ll be able to create, manage, and track your sales quotes like a true pro, closing deals faster and making your sales team’s life a whole lot easier.

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Table of Contents

What’s the Deal with HubSpot Quotes? And Why You Need Them!

So, what exactly is the HubSpot quote tool? Picture this: it’s a built-in feature right within your HubSpot CRM that helps you create professional, branded proposals to send to your potential customers. Think of it as your all-in-one hub for presenting pricing information, product details, and terms, all neatly packaged. It’s not just about making things look good, though – it’s about making your entire sales flow incredibly efficient.

One of the coolest parts is how it streamlines the sales process. Instead of hopping between different tools, you can pull in customer data, product information, and pricing details directly from your CRM records. This means fewer manual entries, which, let’s be honest, means way fewer mistakes. When everything lives in one place, your sales reps can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time actually selling. That’s a win-win in my book!

Here’s why you seriously need to consider using HubSpot’s quoting software:

  • Integrated with Your CRM: This is huge. Since it’s baked right into HubSpot, your quotes are automatically linked to your deals, contacts, and companies. You get a complete picture of every sales opportunity, right from your pipeline view.
  • Boosts Accuracy: No more copy-pasting errors! The tool automatically pulls existing data, ensuring your pricing, product details, and customer information are spot on every single time.
  • Saves Time: By automating the creation process and reducing manual data entry, your sales team can generate and send quotes much faster. Think about how much time that frees up in a week!
  • Professional Look: You can easily customize your quotes to match your brand, adding your logo, adjusting colors, and tailoring the layout. This makes a great impression on clients and reinforces your brand identity.
  • E-Signatures & Payments: Many versions of the tool allow customers to sign quotes electronically and even make payments directly through the quote, speeding up the entire deal-to-cash process.
  • Tracking and Analytics: You’ll know exactly when a quote is opened, viewed, and signed. This real-time insight helps your team understand engagement and fine-tune their sales strategies.

Ultimately, using a robust hubspot quotation tool like this helps you enhance customer service, close more deals, and gain a real edge in the market.

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Creating Your First Quote in HubSpot: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Getting a quote ready in HubSpot is pretty straightforward once you know your way around. You’ve got a couple of options for where to start, but the main thing to remember is that every quote needs to be associated with a deal. That’s not just a rule. it’s super helpful for tracking everything.

Starting from the Quotes Index Page

This is probably the most common way to kick things off:

  1. Head to Quotes: In your HubSpot account, navigate to Commerce > Quotes. You’ll find a nice overview of all your existing quotes here.
  2. Click “Create quote”: This button will get the ball rolling for a new quote.
  3. Build Your Quote: HubSpot will guide you through a few steps:
    • Deal Association: First things first, you need to associate your quote with a deal. You can either pick an existing deal from your pipeline or create a brand new one right there. This links all the relevant customer information and sales stages to your quote.
    • Buyer Information: HubSpot will often pull contact and company details from the associated deal automatically. You can review and add more contacts or company information if needed.
    • Your Company Information: Make sure your company’s details, like name, address, and contact info, are correct and professional.
    • Template & Details:
      • Quote Template: Choose one of HubSpot’s default templates or select a hubspot custom quote template if you’ve already created one we’ll get to that in a bit!.
      • Quote Name: Give your quote a clear, descriptive name. This is what your client will see.
      • Expiration Date: Set a date for when the quote will expire. This creates a sense of urgency and helps with timely responses.
      • Quote Language & Locale: Choose the right language and locale for your recipient to ensure dates and addresses display correctly.
    • Line Items: This is where you list your products or services. You can add items from your existing product library, or if you need something unique for this specific quote, you can create a custom line item on the fly. You’ll specify the name, description, quantity, and price.
    • Comments & Purchase Terms: Add any personal notes or specific terms and conditions for the buyer. This is a great place to clarify expectations.
    • Signatures & Payment: Decide if you need an e-signature or a written signature, and configure payment options if you’re using HubSpot Payments or Stripe.
  4. Finish Up: Review everything carefully. You can save the quote as a draft at any point to come back to it later. Once you’re happy, click “Finish quote” to make it ready for sending.

Starting from a Deal, Contact, or Company Record

Sometimes, you’re already in a contact’s profile or a deal record and realize it’s time to send a quote. HubSpot makes this super easy:

  1. Go to the Record: Navigate to the specific contact, company, or deal record you’re working on.
  2. Find the Quotes Section: In the right sidebar of the record, look for the “Quotes” section.
  3. Click “+ Add” or “Create quote”: This will launch the same quote builder process we just walked through, pre-populating some of the buyer and company info from the record you’re on.

This integrated approach means you’re always working with the most up-to-date information, which is a huge benefit of the HubSpot quote builder. It really helps you stay organized and keep track of every detail.

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HubSpot Quote Templates: Customization is Key

Having a good template is like having a secret weapon for consistency and efficiency. HubSpot gives you some default quote templates to start with, but where it really shines is in its hubspot quote templates customization options. This lets you make sure every proposal looks exactly like your brand and includes all the info you need, without starting from scratch every time.

How to Access and Customize Your Templates

To really dig into customizing templates, you’ll typically need a Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise plan. With these plans, you get the power to truly brand and tailor your proposals.

  1. Go to Settings: Click the settings icon in the top navigation bar of your HubSpot account.
  2. Navigate to Quotes Settings: In the left sidebar, find Objects > Quotes.
  3. Choose “Quote templates”: Here, you’ll see a tab for managing your templates.
  4. Start Customizing: You can either customize an existing default template or create a new one from scratch. Just hover over a template and click Customize quote template or Choose to get started.

What You Can Customize

Once you’re in the template editor, you’ll see a visual interface where you can tweak a lot of things:

  • Branding Elements: Easily upload your company logo and adjust the overall theme with your brand’s colors and fonts. This keeps your proposals looking professional and consistent.
  • Modules and Sections: The templates are built with different modules, like sections for the buyer’s information, your company’s details, the line item table, comments, and purchase terms. You can rearrange these, hide ones you don’t need like a reference number if it’s not relevant to you, or add new ones.
  • Line Items Table: You have control over how your products and services are displayed. You can even choose to hide subtotals, fees, or total values if that fits your specific needs.
  • Default Settings: You can set a default expiration period for quotes Professional and Enterprise only, and even configure default payment options.
  • Content: Edit the text, headings, and even images within the various modules. This is where you can truly personalize the hubspot quotation template.

Pro Tip: Use Snippets!
To save even more time, especially in sections like purchase terms or comments, leverage HubSpot’s snippets tool. You can create reusable blocks of text, even with personalization tokens that pull data from the deal, and drop them into any quote with a quick command. This makes building quotes faster and more accurate.

By investing a little time in setting up your hubspot quote template examples and customized versions, you’ll find that creating new quotes becomes a much quicker and more consistent process for your whole sales team. Turbocharge Your Workflow: The Ultimate Guide to HubSpot Plugin Downloads

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Digging Deeper: HubSpot Quote Properties

Think of HubSpot quote properties as all the specific pieces of information that make up your sales proposal. These details are super important because they ensure accuracy, help with internal tracking, and provide clarity for your clients. When you’re building a quote, you’ll interact with several key properties:

  • Quote Name: This is the identifying title for your quote, visible to both you and your client. It should be clear and descriptive, like “Acme Corp – Q4 SEO Project Proposal.”
  • Expiration Date: This property sets a deadline for when the quote is valid. It’s crucial for creating urgency and ensuring timely decisions from your prospects. You can set a default expiration period in your account settings if you’re on Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise.
  • Quote Language: Ensures the quote displays in the correct language for your buyer, which is a small but important detail for a smooth customer experience.
  • Locale: This helps HubSpot format dates, addresses, and other region-specific details correctly on the quote document.
  • Buyer Information: This includes all the details about your contact and their company, such as their name, job title, email, and company address. HubSpot often pulls this automatically from the associated deal, contact, or company record.
  • Your Company Information: Similarly, this includes your business’s name, address, and contact details, making the quote professional and legitimate.
  • Line Items: These are the core of your quote – the products or services you’re offering. Each line item has properties like name, description, quantity, price, and any applicable discounts.
  • Comments to Buyer: This is a free-text field where you can add personalized notes, specific explanations, or any additional context for the client.
  • Purchase Terms: A dedicated section for outlining your terms and conditions, payment schedules, legal disclaimers, or any other important contractual details. This is an excellent place to use snippets for standardized text.
  • Approval Status: This property comes into play if you’ve set up quote approvals. It tracks whether the quote is “Pending approval,” “Approved,” or “Rejected” internally.

Understanding these properties helps you not only fill out quotes accurately but also leverage them for reporting and automation within HubSpot.

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Mastering HubSpot Quote Approvals

Let’s be real, not every quote can just fly out the door without a second glance. Especially for larger deals, specific discounts, or certain product types, you often need an extra pair of eyes or even a whole team to sign off. That’s where HubSpot quote approvals come in, and they’re a lifesaver for maintaining consistency and managing risk in your sales process. Understanding HubSpot Partner Seats

Why Quote Approvals Matter

  • Consistency: Ensures that pricing, terms, and branding are consistent across your team and meet company standards.
  • Risk Management: Prevents unauthorized discounts or terms that could impact profitability.
  • Quality Control: Provides an opportunity for managers or subject matter experts to review complex proposals before they go out.
  • Compliance: Helps you adhere to internal policies and legal requirements.

How Approvals Work in HubSpot

The quote approval functionality is mainly available for Sales Hub Enterprise accounts. If you’re on Enterprise, you can enable a setting that requires approval before a quote can be shared with a prospect. When this is turned on, HubSpot creates three quote-based workflows to manage the process.

You can configure who needs to approve a quote, making it as simple or as complex as your business demands. For example, you might set it up so that a sales rep’s manager has to approve the quote before it’s sent out.

Setting Up Approval Workflows

The real power of the HubSpot quote approval process comes from setting up custom workflows. You don’t have to be stuck with a “one-size-fits-all” approval. You can create logic-based workflows that dynamically route quotes for approval based on various criteria.

Here are some examples of how you might set up approval workflows:

  • Deal Value: If a quote is under a certain amount e.g., $10,000, it might only need approval from the immediate sales manager. If it’s over that amount, it might also need a sign-off from the finance department or a senior executive.
  • Discount Thresholds: If a sales rep offers a discount exceeding a certain percentage e.g., more than 15%, the quote could automatically be routed to a specific manager for review. If it’s a huge discount say, over 30%, it might even be automatically blocked until it’s adjusted or escalated.
  • Product Type: Quotes for specific high-value or specialized products might require approval from a product expert.
  • Multiple Approvers: You can set up multi-stage approvals, where a quote needs to pass through several different people or departments in a specific order.

When a quote enters an approval workflow, it often gets a “Pending approval” status. If it’s rejected, the sales rep can receive a task to review the changes needed. Once approved, another task might be created to send the quote to the client. This automation ensures that everyone stays in the loop and that deals move forward efficiently, rather than getting stuck in manual back-and-forth emails. Unlock Efficiency: Integrating with HubSpot Playbooks (and the Power of the HubSpot API)

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Understanding HubSpot Quote Statuses

Just like your deals and tasks, quotes in HubSpot have different HubSpot quote status levels that tell you exactly where they are in the sales cycle. Keeping an eye on these statuses helps your team stay organized, follow up effectively, and track progress.

Here are the common quote statuses you’ll encounter:

  • Draft: This is when you’re still working on the quote and haven’t published or sent it yet. You can save a quote as a draft at any point during its creation process.
  • Pending Approval: If you have quote approvals enabled especially in Sales Hub Enterprise, a quote will enter this status after a sales rep submits it for review. It’s waiting for a manager or designated approver to give the green light.
  • Sent: Once the quote has been emailed or shared with the prospect, it moves to this status.
  • Viewed: This is a fantastic tracking feature! HubSpot can tell you when your prospect opens and views the quote. This insight is incredibly valuable for understanding engagement and timing your follow-ups.
  • Signed: When the prospect accepts and signs the quote especially if you’re using e-signatures, it automatically updates to this status. This is a big moment in the sales process!
  • Processing: If payments are integrated into the quote and a payment is initiated, the status might temporarily show as “Processing” while the transaction clears.
  • Paid: Once the payment is confirmed, the quote status will update to “Paid.” This helps tie the entire quote-to-revenue process together within HubSpot.

By tracking these statuses, your team gets real-time insights into customer engagement and the effectiveness of your quoting strategy. It means you can quickly identify bottlenecks, follow up at the right time, and keep your sales pipeline moving.

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Going Advanced: The HubSpot Quote API

For businesses with highly specific needs, complex integrations, or unique automation requirements, the standard HubSpot quote tool might need a bit of a boost. That’s where the HubSpot Quote API comes into play. If you’re looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible with your quoting process, the API is your friend.

What the API Allows You to Do

The Quotes API provides developers with the tools to programmatically create, manage, and retrieve sales quotes. Essentially, it opens up a world of possibilities for customizing and integrating your quoting system with other platforms or internal tools.

Here are some key things you can do with the API:

  • Automated Quote Creation: Imagine a scenario where a complex product configurator on your website automatically generates a HubSpot quote based on customer selections, without any manual input from your sales team. This is a prime hubspot quote generator use case for the API.
  • Syncing with External Systems: You can sync quote data between HubSpot and other business systems, like your ERP Enterprise Resource Planning software, accounting platforms, or custom inventory management systems. This ensures data consistency across your tech stack.
  • Advanced Quote Management: Beyond basic creation, the API allows for detailed management, including updating associations with deals and line items, configuring e-signatures, and setting payment options programmatically.
  • Custom Workflows Beyond Native Capabilities: While HubSpot offers robust workflows, the API lets you trigger highly customized actions related to quotes that might not be possible with out-of-the-box workflows. For instance, triggering an external system to provision services immediately upon a quote being signed and paid.
  • Retrieving Detailed Quote Data: You can pull rich quote data for custom reporting, analytics, or to display specific quote information on a client portal.

Example Use Cases for the HubSpot Quote API

  • Custom CPQ Configure, Price, Quote Solutions: For businesses with highly complex pricing models or product configurations, an external CPQ system could use the HubSpot API to push finalized quotes directly into HubSpot, linked to the correct deals and contacts.
  • E-commerce Integration: If you have an e-commerce platform, you could use the API to automatically create quotes in HubSpot for large-volume or customized orders placed online, streamlining the backend sales process.
  • Payment Gateway Integration: While HubSpot supports Stripe and its own payments, the API could enable integration with other specific payment gateways required by your business.
  • Automated Contract Generation: Once a quote is approved, the API could trigger an external system to generate a formal contract document, pulling all relevant details from the HubSpot quote.

Working with the API typically requires some technical know-how or a developer. If you’re exploring options for the hubspot quote template api, it’s usually about programmatically creating or manipulating the templates themselves, or generating quotes from existing templates via code. While the API opens many doors, it’s worth noting that some third-party integrations from the HubSpot App Marketplace already offer advanced CPQ functionality without needing custom code. However, for truly unique needs, the API is an incredibly powerful resource.

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Power-Up Your Quoting: Best Practices & Pro Tips

you know the ins and outs of HubSpot quotes now. But to really make them work wonders for your sales team, it’s about adopting some smart habits and using the tools strategically. Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your HubSpot quoting:

1. Be Crystal Clear with Descriptions

Don’t leave your clients guessing! Make sure every product or service you list has a clear, concise, and compelling description. This prevents confusion and helps clients understand exactly what they’re getting. If you’re constantly asked the same questions, put the answers right there in the description.

2. Double-Check, Then Triple-Check Pricing

This one sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often a small miscalculation can throw off a deal. Before finalizing and sending any quote, meticulously verify all prices, discounts, taxes, and totals. HubSpot automates much of this, but it’s always good practice to give it a quick once-over.

3. Always Set an Expiration Date

Including an expiration date on your quote isn’t just a formality. it’s a strategic move. It creates a sense of urgency for the client and prompts a timely response, helping to keep your deals moving forward. Plus, it sets a clear boundary for when your offer is valid.

4. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize

Even with templates, you can and should add personal touches. Use the “Comments to Buyer” section for a personalized message, referencing specific conversations or unique needs of the client. This shows you’re engaged and that it’s not just a generic offer. Using personalization tokens linked to deal properties can also make generic terms feel more specific. Demystifying HubSpot Pipelines: Your Ultimate Guide to Sales Success

5. Leverage E-Signatures and Payment Options

This is a huge time-saver! Enabling e-signatures allows clients to approve quotes electronically, which dramatically speeds up the approval process and cuts down on paperwork. If your business allows it, integrating payment options via HubSpot Payments or Stripe directly into the quote can accelerate the quote-to-cash cycle, allowing clients to pay as soon as they sign.

6. Automate with Quote-Based Workflows Sales Hub Professional/Enterprise

If you’re on a Professional or Enterprise plan, you absolutely need to be using quote-based workflows. These are powerful for automating actions based on quote status changes. For example:

  • Internal Notifications: Automatically notify your sales rep when a client views or signs a quote.
  • Task Creation: Create follow-up tasks for your team once a quote is sent, viewed, or accepted.
  • Sales-to-Service Handoff: Once a quote is signed and paid, trigger workflows to notify your operations or service team to begin onboarding the new client. This ensures a smooth transition.
  • Approval Routing: As we discussed, automate approvals based on deal value, discount levels, or other criteria.

This kind of automation ensures that no opportunity is missed and that your team stays agile.

7. Build Your Product Library Don’t Create New Line Items in the Quote!

It’s tempting to just type in a new line item directly into a quote, especially for a unique offering. However, if that product or service is something you offer regularly, or even a variation of it, add it to your product library first. Then, when you’re building a quote, you can pull from your library and simply edit the details like price or description for that specific quote without affecting the master product record. This keeps your data clean and your reporting accurate. If you create new line items within the quote, they won’t save to your product library and you’ll lose valuable data.

8. Consider Third-Party CPQ Tools for Complex Needs

While HubSpot’s native quoting tool is fantastic for most businesses, if you have incredibly complex pricing, multi-layered configurations CPQ, or need very advanced interactive proposals, you might hit some limits. In such cases, exploring integrations from the HubSpot App Marketplace like PandaDoc, Quoter, or DealHub can offer more sophisticated features, automated approvals, interactive pricing, and deeper analytics. These tools often integrate seamlessly, extending HubSpot’s capabilities without disrupting your workflow. How Much Is HubSpot Per Month? Let’s Break Down the Cost!

By applying these best practices, you won’t just be using HubSpot quotes. you’ll be mastering them, transforming your sales process into a highly efficient, professional, and deal-closing machine.


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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary benefit of using HubSpot’s quote tool?

The main advantage of using HubSpot’s quote tool is its seamless integration with your existing CRM data. It lets you create, send, and track professional, branded sales proposals directly from your deals, contacts, and company records. This significantly reduces manual data entry, minimizes errors, and streamlines your entire sales process, helping you close deals faster.

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Can I customize the look and feel of my quotes in HubSpot?

Yes, absolutely! HubSpot allows for extensive customization of quote templates. You can add your company logo, adjust colors and fonts to match your brand, and even modify the layout by adding or removing different sections modules like reference numbers, comments, or specific terms. Keep in mind that full customization features, such as creating entirely new templates, are typically available with Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise plans. Mastering HubSpot: Essential Tips and Tricks for Business Growth

Do I need a specific HubSpot plan to use the quote approval feature?

Yes, the robust quote approval feature, which allows you to set up multi-stage or conditional approval workflows for your sales proposals, is primarily available for Sales Hub Enterprise accounts. This plan gives you the flexibility to define who needs to approve a quote based on criteria like deal value or discount thresholds, ensuring consistency and risk management.

How does HubSpot track the status of my quotes?

HubSpot tracks quotes through various statuses such as Draft, Pending Approval, Sent, Viewed, Signed, Processing, and Paid. Once you send a quote, HubSpot provides real-time notifications when a prospect opens or views it. When a client uses the e-signature feature to accept the quote, its status automatically updates to “Signed,” and if payments are integrated, it can further update to “Processing” and “Paid.”

Is it possible to automate the creation of quotes in HubSpot?

While HubSpot’s native tool streamlines the manual creation process, automating quote generation entirely through standard HubSpot workflows isn’t directly possible. However, for advanced automation, you can leverage the HubSpot Quote API. Developers can use this API to programmatically create quotes, integrate with custom product configurators, or sync with external systems for highly automated and complex quoting solutions.

Can customers pay directly through a HubSpot quote?

Yes, they often can! If you have HubSpot Payments set up or have integrated your HubSpot account with Stripe for payment processing, you can configure your quotes to allow customers to make payments directly through the quote link. This simplifies the transaction for your clients and speeds up your revenue collection process.

What’s the benefit of associating quotes with deals?

Associating quotes with deals is crucial because it keeps all your sales-related information connected within your CRM. When a quote is linked to a deal, all its details – from line items and pricing to communication and status updates – are centralized on that deal record. This provides your team with a complete overview of the sales opportunity, helps with accurate reporting, and ensures a smooth progression through your sales pipeline. What Exactly is HubSpot Marketing Hub, Anyway?

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