In this article, you will learn about some of the most common questions related to creating and managing estimates in Workiz.
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While you can update the client name on an estimate by editing their profile, changing the client entirely on an existing estimate is not possible. Updating the name will keep the estimate under the original client profile — it does not create a new client or transfer the estimate to a different client. If the estimate needs to be associated with a different client, you will need to create a new estimate under the correct client.
Depending on the situation, it may be best to recreate the estimate under the desired client.
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It’s likely that this estimate was created directly from a job rather than as a standalone estimate. The job was originally tied to one client, but the client name may have been manually changed at the job level. However, all documents (e.g., estimates, estimates) generated from this job will use the client name saved in the client profile, not the name updated at the job level. This is why you’re seeing a discrepancy in client names.
This is designed for situations where the point of contact at the job site differs from the person that actually booked the job, ensuring that there is a difference between the billing and service details on your documents.
To ensure the client names match across the job and documents, you will need to change the name saved at the client-profile level.
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Signatures are automatically required for all estimates approved through the client portal. You will not be able to disable the signature requirement. Once signed, the signature will appear on the estimate document itself.
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Yes, you can restrict edits on approved estimates. This will prevent accidental changes and ensure pricing accuracy. To learn more about locking estimates after approval, please see this article.
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Yes, you will still be able to collect deposits on estimates even after they have been restricted due to approval.
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No, clients cannot see estimates in the client portal if you have not sent them through Workiz. Even if they have access to the portal through a link for a previous estimate, they will only see estimates that you sent.
Please note that as a Workiz admin, when you access a client’s portal, you’ll be able to view all relevant documents, including those not yet sent to the client. This is due to your elevated access level as an admin.
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Editing existing estimates in Workiz is simple:
- From the sidebar menu, select Estimates
- Select the estimate you want to edit
- Make your changes
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While you have some control over the sequencing for estimate numbers/IDs, you will not be able to edit a specific estimate to have a specific ID.
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You have a few different options for linking estimates and jobs in Workiz, depending on how they were created.
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Standalone estimate -> new job
If you created a standalone estimate, you can copy it to a new job. -
Existing job -> new estimate
If you already have a job, you can create an estimate directly from that job. - Existing job with an estimate
- Copy the estimate items into that job, or
- Copy the estimate items to a new, separate job
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Existing estimate + unlinked job
You can't attach an existing estimate to an existing unrelated job. If appropriate, consider recreating the job using the "copy to job" action on the invoice.
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Standalone estimate -> new job
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No, estimates cannot be duplicated. To replicate an estimate, you’ll need to manually re-add the same items from the original.
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Your estimate document template may include a space for both a billing and service address. The addresses that appear on actual estimates are generated automatically based on the information you have stored for a job and/or client. In Workiz, the service address for an estimate is pulled directly from the job details. This means that if you are working with a standalone estimate that isn't connected to a job, the space for your client's service address will be blank.
If you need the service address to appear on the estimate, you need to copy the estimate to a job or create an estimate from a job.
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No, multiple estimates cannot be merged into one. However, if you’ve created a “good, better, best” sales proposal, you can consolidate those estimates under a single job — as long as all of the estimates are tied to that job.
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Yes, you can convert an estimate into a job. Open the estimate and select Actions > Copy to job.
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Tags in Workiz can be applied to jobs, clients, and phone calls, but not directly to estimates. To indirectly tag an estimate, you can create the estimate from a job and apply tags to the job instead.
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No, multiple estimate templates aren’t supported. While you can create a custom document that resembles an estimate, all estimates will always use your default estimate template — not the custom document.
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Dates can only be altered for standalone estimates, not job-connected estimates.
To change the date on a standalone estimate:
- Open the estimate
- Select the the Date field
- Edit the date
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Yes, Workiz allows you to import estimates — typically during your onboarding period. The process requires you to submit a CSV or XLS/XLSX file to our technical support team. These files can include information such as client details, estimate creation date, and payment information.
To learn more about importing estimates to Workiz, please see this article.
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No, you cannot sync estimates from Workiz to QuickBooks Online. You may, however, sync deposits collected on estimates to QuickBooks Online. These payments will be added to QuickBooks with a status of "Unapplied". Once the estimate is copied to a job and an invoice is created and paid, the original funds will be applied to the correct invoice in QuickBooks.
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If you would like to remove images from a line item on an estimate, you will first need to remove the image from the item at the price book level.
- From the sidebar menu, select Price book
- Select the item you want to edit
- Next to the item image, select the pencil icon > Delete
- Select Save
The image for this item will be removed and will automatically update across all active estimates that contain this item.
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To learn more about collecting deposits for an estimate, please see this article.
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Yes, it is possible to collect multiple payments on an estimate. This can be done in a structured and unstructured way.
To collect multiple payments in an unstructured way, you can simply ask your client to only pay part of the estimate by changing the payment amount in the client portal.
If you'd prefer a more structured approach with specific amounts or percentages due at specific points in time, you can set up a payment schedule using progressive billing. Payment schedules can only be set up for job-connected estimates, not standalone estimates. To learn more about setting up progressive billing, please see this article.
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Because estimate deposits do not have due dates, they cannot be set to be due or overdue. You can track an estimate's status based on whether or not it has been sent, approved, or declined. To learn more about estimate statuses, please see this article.
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Yes, you can send a receipt when collecting payments in Workiz.
If you are collecting an online payment through the client portal, your client will automatically receive a receipt via email.
When manually entering a payment in the Workiz web app, you’ll see an option to send a receipt. This checkbox is selected by default for all accounts and cannot be set to remain unchecked. If you do not want to send a receipt, simply uncheck the box before submitting the payment.
If you prefer not to send receipts at all, you can add the payment directly to the job. This method does not automatically send a receipt to the client.
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The business address, phone number, or company name that you see on your estimate is likely being sourced from the information that you have saved in your account settings. To change this information:
- From the top navigation bar, select your profile icon > Account
- Change your business details and select Save
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Estimate statuses are updated automatically based on the actions you or your client take. For example, estimates approved from the client portal will be marked "Approved." If that estimate is converted to a job, it will automatically be marked "Won."
You also have the option of manually changing the status of one or multiple estimates. This can be done in bulk from the Estimates page, or by opening up an individual estimate.