Estimate vs quote

Both documents are pre-sale price communications, but the regional convention differs. In the US, an estimate is the standard term. In the UK and Australia, a quote is the standard term. The format is essentially the same: line items, totals, valid until date, optional exclusions.

What the editor does

The estimate generator and the quote generator are the same editor under two regional labels. Either can be converted into the other, and either can be converted into an invoice on acceptance.

When to use which

• US / Canada: use estimate.
• UK / Australia / New Zealand: use quote.
• Europe / other: either is acceptable; pick the one your customer expects.

From estimate to quote

The conversion copies parties, line items, currency, and locale. The estimate number is retired; the quote gets a new number. The conversion is a true_conversion in the conversion graph (see quote-to-payment workflow).