The "Opportunities Record" is a centralised screen allowing users to effortlessly view, accept, reject, edit, or send proposals to customers with ease. Additionally, users can track an opportunity through a timeline of activity, offering insights into key interactions and developments. This timeline feature enhances transparency and accountability, empowering users to make informed decisions.
View Opportunities Record
➡️ Opportunities tab > Click the relevant Card
➡️ View Customer record > On going works > Locate the Opportunity > View
You can get to the Oppurtuntites Record screen in two ways as above. Once here you can perform a variety of actions and see relevant information.
- Pipeline: Move the Proposal along the various stages.
- Edit Opportunity: Edit the opportunity details, site details, customer phots and sales information
- View customer information: Name, address, contact number and email
- Site details: Edit site details such as site contact, parking notes and access notes
- Proposal: You can edit/delete the proposal and view the financial breakdown.
- Timeline: View all the actions/updates made.
Pipeline
- Update the stage of a Pipeline by clicking the relevant stage, this will also register an action in the Timeline.
Opportunity
Before the customer accepts the proposal, you can view and edit the opportunity. Once the customer accepts the proposal, you can only view the opportunity but cannot edit it.
Edit Opportunity
➡️ Opportunity section > Edit
Before proposal acceptance, you can edit all opportunity-related information except the opportunity template.
- Edit opportunity: You can add/edit the customer contact, opportunity pipeline, opportunity notes, user group, business units, tags.
- Site details: You can add/edit site contact, access notes and parking instructions.
- Customer photos: You can upload photos shared by/to customer.
- Sales information: Choose the sales person and reporting line from the drop-down.
Site Details
In this section, you can view the site contact name, email and contact number.
Edit Site details
➡️ Site details section> Edit
This section is also editable when modifying the opportunity.
- Site contact - Edit the customer name/site contact.
- Access notes - Include/edit access notes relates to the customer location.
- Parking instructions - Specify the parking facilities available at customer location.
Proposals
Depending on the opportunity status, the information in the proposal section will differ.
- Created date - For pending proposals, editing updates the creation date; accepted proposals only show the proposal sent date.
- Proposal template - While the proposal is awaiting Customer approval, you have the Edit option to modify the template and if the proposal accepts, then you can only View.
- Price - Total amount detailed in the proposal.
Start creating your proposal
When you create an opportunity for a customer, the initial step is to create a proposal for it. Crafting a proposal is pivotal in transforming an opportunity into a successful project. It serves as a comprehensive document that clearly communicates the value of your services, outlines the scope of work, and highlights the benefits to the customer. A well-crafted proposal not only showcases your offerings but also demonstrates your understanding of the customer's needs and your ability to deliver results.
➡️ Proposal section > Start creating your proposal > Proposal related to this opportunity will be displayed.
In the proposal template,
- Content blocks: You can add/edit/remove the options available under the content blocks in the existing proposal
- Pricing section: Edit the labour, material and expenses section.
- Payment schedule: Edit the deposit, on completion payment percentage and invoice details
- Add Finance: Attach a new finance template or edit the existing one to include financing options relevant to the proposal.
- Set up a grant option(s): Add the new grant template or edit the existing grant template assigned to this proposal.
- Add new Add-ons - Create a new Add-ons and provide the details for labour, material and expenses.
X to close the proposal. In the proposal section, you'll notice the button change to Send to customer.
Send to customer
➡️ Proposal section > Send to customer > Side panel opens on the right > Choose SMS, Email, Print
On the right panel, the proposal can be previewed. Empty content blocks will be excluded from both the preview window and the PDF. Additionally, if content extends beyond a "PDF page break," it will continue onto the next page in the PDF
- SMS - Proposal link will be share via SMS.
- Email - Click attachment icon and add the Proposal PDF manually.
- Print - To Print the proposal PDF. This option can also be used to View or Download the PDF.
Download the Proposal PDF
If the proposal is shared multiple times, a new PDF will be generated each time, with a corresponding version number. All versions will be documented and available in the timeline for easy reference.
Proposal not Sent to Customer
➡️ Opportunities tab > Click the relevant Card > Proposals > Send to Customer > Print > > Save
➡️ View Customer record > On going works > Locate the Opportunity > View > Proposals > Send to Customer > Print > > Save
Propsosal Sent to Customer
➡️ Opportunities tab > Click the relevant Card > Proposals > Download PDF > > Save
➡️ View Customer record > On going works > Proposals > Download PDF > > Save
PDF Version control
Each time you download a PDF copy the action is logged on the timeline click on any of the version to see the PDF at that time.
➡️ Click here to view the PDF (Version X)
Edit Proposal
If the Proposal has not be sent to the Customer
➡️ Click Edit; next to Created date > Make amendments as required > Exit > Updates to the proposal will be saved.
If the Proposal has been sent to the Customer
➡️ Click Edit; next to Created date > Leave "Do you want to regenerate material prices?" set to "Please Select" > Type "Confirm" > Make amendments as required > Exit > A new version of the proposal will be saved.
- The Propsal status will be changed to draft, and the Send to customer button will be enabled.
In the proposal template you can amend the following:
- Content blocks: You can add/edit/remove the options available under the content blocks in the proposal
- Pricing section: Edit the labour, material and expenses section.
- Payment schedule: Edit the deposit, on completion payment percentage and invoice details
- Add Finance: Add the new finance template or update the existing template.
- Set up a grant option(s): Add the new grant template or edit the existing grant template assigned to this proposal.
- Add new Add-ons - Create a new Add-ons and provide the details for labour, material and expenses.
Regenerate parts prices
This feature enables real-time updates for integrated suppliers through an immediate API response and for non-integrated suppliers via email template. Additionally, material pricing can be adjusted to match the lowest rate among all suppliers. This streamlined process ensures that customers always receive the most accurate and competitive pricing information, enhancing the overall proposal accuracy and value. The version history can be accessed by viewing opportunities under the opportunity number.
If the Proposal has been sent to the Customer
➡️ Click Edit; next to created date > Choose one of the three options under "Do you want to regenerate material prices?" > Type "Confirm" > Make amendments as required > Exit > A new version of the proposal will be saved.
When you have finished customizing the proposal, click X to close the proposal. In the proposal section, you will notice the button change to Send to customer, indicating that the proposal is ready to be sent.
Regenerate price from integrated suppliers only:
- We will send an API call with just the integrated suppliers and the response with the latest price will be immediate(This is completely backend work).
- The latest pricing will be automatically reflected in the proposal.
Regenerate price from all suppliers from the integration and local settings:
- Material prices will be regenerated for both integrated and non-integrated suppliers.
- For integrated suppliers, we use API calls.
- For non-integrated suppliers, the system will check for the pricing in Settings > Parts.
- In the proposal, the pricing will be updated based on the latest pricing.
Regenerate prices from integrated suppliers and email all suppliers for latest prices:
- Material prices will be regenerated for integrated suppliers via API call.
- An email will be sent to the non-integrated suppliers for the latest pricing.
- The list of materials mentioned in the proposal will only be sent to suppliers.
- Either non-integrated suppliers can share the updated pricing via email or, they can share the pricing via portal link. (We have a separate setting for creating a template for this communication. I explained it at the end)
- Usually, this may take a day or two to receive a response from the non-integrated suppliers.
- In this case, the office person should update the pricing manually in the proposal template if the pricing is received via email.
- If the local supplier updates the pricing via portal, then the pricing will be automatically updated in the proposal.
Automatically change the supplier to the cheapest supplier price
- This field automatically switches the supplier to the one offering the lowest price for the item.
Accept a proposal
Proposals can be accepted in two ways, by a User this is Role dependent and is a Web action only or By the Customer via A link is sent via Email or SMS.
By a User
Once the Customer accepts the Proposal via a call the User can seamlessly accept the Proposal in a variety of ways as highlight below.
Click the Opportunity Card
➡️ Opportunities tab > Click the relevant Card > Accept > Complete the Accept proposal form
Drag and Drop the Opportunity Card
➡️ Opportunities tab > Drag the opportunity to bottom of your screen, drop the card on 'Won'
> Complete the Accept proposal form
Via the Customer record
➡️ View Customer record > On going works > Locate the Opportunity > View > Accept
> Complete the Accept proposal form
Accept Proposal form
- Options: If the proposal has more than one pricing, then choose the required option > Next.
- Additional: If any Add-ons are in proposal, choose the required or ignore and click Next.
- Confirmation: Provide required information > Next.
- Deposit payment: Summary of the total cost along with the deposit amount will be displayed > Accept.
- Proposal confirmation: Confirmation message and job is created.
By the Customer
➡️ View Email/SMS > Click the Proposal link > Opens the Commusoft portal > View proposal > Accept proposal
Reject a proposal
Proposals can be rejected in two ways, by a User this is Role dependent and is a Web action only or By the Customer via A link is sent via Email or SMS.
By User
Once the Customer rejects the proposal via a call the User can seamlessly reject the proposal in a variety of ways using Reject reasons:
Click the Opportunity Card
➡️ Opportunities tab > Click the relevant Card > Reject > Choose the Reject reason > Reject
Drag and Drop the Opportunity Card
➡️ Opportunities tab > Drag the opportunity to bottom of your screen, drop the card on 'Lost'
> Choose the Reject reason > Reject
Via the Customer record
➡️ View Customer record > On going works > Locate the Opportunity > View > Reject
> Choose the Reject reason > Reject
By Customer
➡️ View Email/SMS > Click the Proposal link > Opens the Commusoft portal > Decline proposal > Reason for not working with us > Decline proposal
Proposal once Accepted/Rejected
View Proposal
➡️ Click View; next to Proposal name : If the Proposal has been sent to the Customer
This is view only and no edits can be made.
Amend/Update the Proposal
You can amend the Proposal template in two ways depending on wether you want to update the parts pricing only or make further edits to costs, layouts, add-ons etc.
Once a Proposal is accepted you can not make further edits.
Delete Proposal
➡️ Proposal section > Click Delete; next to the value. > Type Delete > Delete
Deletion is permanent and can not be undone
View financial breakdown
➡️ Proposal section > Click View financial breakdown
View the detailed pricing section(s) along with the cost price and sale rate.
Quick links
Two options available in Quick links: Clone and delete.
Clone
➡️Quick links > Clone
Clone the opportunity, and all associated information will be replicated to create a new opportunity.
Delete
➡️Quick links > Delete
Delete the opportunity. Once a proposal is created or sent to customer, opportunity cannot be deleted.
Add record
You have a few communication options to add or schedule an activity specifically for this opportunity.
- Send a new email - Draft a new email for communicating about the opportunity.
- Send a new SMS - Compose a new text message for communication about the opportunity.
- Log a new call - Arrange a call with the customer for inquiries or follow-ups regarding the opportunity.
- Add a diary event - Schedule a new event for contacting the customer.
- Attach a new file - Upload a new image or file relevant to the opportunity.
- Schedule an activity - Plan a call, email, meeting, or task with a specified due date.
- Add a new note - Include any pertinent information about the opportunity and optionally share it via mobile.