Sending professional estimates helps you win more jobs, set clear expectations with clients, and get paid faster. This article covers how to create a new estimate, customize it with line items, terms, and a required signature, and send it to your client through Thryv Business Center™.

This article covers:

• Why estimates help you close more business
• How to start a new estimate
• How to select a contact for the estimate
• How to edit the estimate header
• How to add, edit, and reorder line items
• How to set terms, notes, and a required signature
• How to review and send the estimate
• How your client views and accepts the estimate

Why Sending Estimates Helps You Win More Business

Sending a professional estimate before starting a job builds client trust, reduces back-and-forth, and sets clear payment expectations upfront. When clients receive a polished, itemized estimate through the client portal, they can review, ask questions, and approve it from any device  without a phone call or in-person meeting. Requiring a digital signature locks in the scope of work before you lift a finger, protecting both you and your client if questions come up later. Estimates in Thryv Business Center also convert directly into invoices once approved, so there is no re-entering information or manual follow-up.

How to Start a New Estimate

Thryv Business Center gives you three ways to create a new estimate, so you can start from wherever you are in the app.

• Click the Quick Actions button from any screen and select New Estimate.
• Open the contact card for the client you want to estimate, and select New Estimate from the contact card actions.
• Click Sales in the left-hand navigation. Click Estimates. Click New and select Estimate.

How to Select a Contact for Your Estimate

If you started the estimate from a contact card, Thryv Business Center will automatically attach the estimate to that contact and move you directly to the estimate template.

If you started from Quick Actions or the Sales > Estimates screen, you will need to select who the estimate is for before the template opens. On the contact selection screen, search for and select a contact, an individual (such as a client, patient, student, or pet), or an item (such as a job, project, opportunity, or property). If the client does not yet exist in your contact list, click + New Client to add them before continuing.

How to Edit the Estimate Header

Once you select a contact, Thryv Business Center opens the estimate template. The estimate header section is collapsed by default. Click the arrow icon next to the header to expand it and view the editable fields.

Inside the estimate header, you can edit the following:

• Business address and information — Click the pencil icon next to your business details to change what appears on the estimate.

• Estimate label — Change the label from "Estimate" to match how your business refers to this document, such as Quote, Proposal, or Bid.

  

• Expiration date — The default expiration date is 30 days from the date the estimate is created. Click the expiration date field to select a different date.
• Bill To fields — To change which client fields appear in the Bill To section, update your Estimate Settings. Changes made in Estimate Settings apply to all future estimates.

How to Add and Edit Line Items on an Estimate

After reviewing the estimate header, add the products or services you are estimating. Click inside the line item field and begin typing to search for an existing service, or type a new item name to create one on the spot.

To edit a line item after adding it, hover over the line item row and click the pencil icon that appears on the right side of the row. This opens the item detail panel where you can edit:

• Item name
• Description — There is no character limit for item descriptions on estimates. If the description appears cut off in your Thryv Business Center view, the full description will display correctly in the client's PDF.
• Quantity
• Price
• Discount — Apply a discount by percentage (%) or dollar amount ($).

• Taxes — Apply one or more tax rates to the line item if applicable.

  

  

To reorder line items, click and hold the drag handle on the left side of any line item row and drag it to the position you want. Release to place the item. You can arrange line items in any order before sending the estimate.

How to Set Terms, Notes, and a Required Signature

Click the arrow icon next to Terms & Notes to expand this section. By default, your estimate will display the terms and conditions saved in your Estimate Settings. To change the terms for this specific estimate only, click Edit inside the Terms & Notes section and type your changes. Editing terms here does not change the default terms saved in your settings.

To resize the terms text box, click and drag the resize handle at the bottom-right corner of the text field.

In the Note to Client field below the terms, add any message you want your client to see on the estimate. To reuse the same note on all future estimates, check the box labeled Save notes for future estimates. Once saved, that note will automatically appear on every new estimate you create.

To remove a saved note, erase all text from the Note to Client field, check the Save notes for future estimates checkbox, and click Save Draft. When you reopen the draft, the Note to Client field will be blank. All new estimates created after that point will also have a blank Note to Client field.

To replace a saved note with a new one, delete the existing note text, type your new note, and check the Save notes for future estimates checkbox. The new note will appear on all new estimates going forward.

How to Require a Signature on an Individual Estimate

To require a client signature on a single estimate, expand the Terms & Notes section and check the box labeled Signature required. This applies the signature requirement to this estimate only and does not change your default signature settings.

If your Estimate Settings already require a signature on all estimates, the Signature required checkbox will be checked by default. To exempt a specific estimate from requiring a signature, uncheck the Signature required box for that estimate.

To require a signature on all estimates by default, update your Estimate Settings. 

How to Review and Send Your Estimate

Before sending, review the estimate to confirm the contact information, line items, pricing, discounts, taxes, terms, and notes are all correct. Scroll through the full estimate template to check each section.

When the estimate is ready, click Send at the top right of the estimate template. Thryv Business Center will send the estimate to your client and take you to the Estimate Details screen. 

How to View Estimate Details After Sending

After you click Send, Thryv Business Center takes you to the Estimate Details screen for that estimate. The Estimate Details screen displays the estimate status, the client's name and contact information, all line items, the total amount, the expiration date, and the full activity history for the estimate including when it was sent and when it was viewed.

How Your Client Views and Approves an Estimate

When you send an estimate, your client receives an email notification. The email contains a View Estimate button and a Send Message button. Clicking View Estimate takes the client to the client portal where they can review the full estimate details.

To customize the email your client receives, click Settings in the left-hand navigation. Click Email Templates. Click Payments. Click New Estimate to edit the subject line and body of the estimate notification email.

From the client portal, your client can take the following actions on the estimate:

• Accept the estimate — The client clicks Accept to approve the estimate. Acceptance requires the client to be signed into the client portal. 
• Send a message — The client can send a message directly to your business from the client portal. Download a PDF — The client can download a PDF copy of the estimate at any time.

How a Client Signs an Estimate Digitally

If a signature is required on the estimate, the client will see a signature field on the estimate in the client portal. The client draws or types their signature directly on their device before clicking Accept. The signed estimate is recorded in the Estimate Details screen in Thryv Business Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit an estimate after I have already sent it? Yes. Note that editing a sent estimate will notify the client that a change has been made.

Can I convert an approved estimate to an invoice? Yes. Once a client accepts an estimate, you can convert it to an invoice directly from the Estimate Details screen. 

Can I track which estimates have been viewed or accepted? Yes. The Estimate Details screen shows a full activity log for each estimate. 

Can I change the default terms and conditions for all estimates? Yes. Default terms and conditions are set in Estimate Settings and apply to all new estimates automatically. 

Can I send an estimate to someone who is not yet a contact? Yes. When selecting a contact during estimate creation, click + New Client to add a new contact and issue the estimate to them in the same workflow.

Can a client approve an estimate without being logged into the client portal? No. A client must be signed into the client portal to accept an estimate. The shareable estimate URL allows the client to view the estimate without logging in, but the Accept button is only available to clients who are signed in.