Overview 

Until now, getting a Clear Estimates proposal signed by a client meant exporting the PDF, importing it into a separate tool, or chasing down an ink signature. That changes today!

We're excited to announce our most requested feature is now live. With e-signature, contractors can create & send signed, legally binding proposals without ever leaving Clear Estimates. 

Now clients get a clean, professional proposal link they can review and sign from any device. 

Here's how it works!

Submitting proposals for e signature

How it works

Once your estimate is ready to submit, click Send to Customer > Submit Proposal from your Projects page.

This will open the Review & Submit window. 

Here you can preview the proposal prior to sending it to your client. You're able to preview or download the proposal, or copy a sharable link.

You can also include attachments, and choose whether or not to include a downloadable PDF: 

Customizing proposals

You can adjust your proposal settings from Tools > Options > Formal Proposal. 

There you can adjust settings like: 

• Format settings 
• Alternate settings 
• Component settings
• Line item pricing

To edit legal language / boilerplate, head to Reports > Boilerplate. 

The project contents, tax and general description can be edited from your Projects page. 

Here's a full guide on editing your proposal: 

Formatting Your Proposal

Review & submit

Once everything looks good, you can submit the proposal for signature by clicking submit proposal from the review window.  

This takes a snapshot of the proposal and sends it to your customer via email.

Tip: View the preview link yourself before sharing with your client, to confirm everything looks correct.  

You can also copy the client link and send it yourself, or email the proposal from Clear Estimates.

Pending signature

While the proposal is live (but unsigned), it is highly recommended you wait until the client has signed before making changes. 

Any change to an unsigned estimate will immediately update what your client sees at the proposal link while signature is pending. 

You'll have the option to revoke the live proposal if needed. If revoked, a new proposal will need to be submitted for re-signing. When in doubt, use a change order instead.

Clear Estimates will show your proposal status at the top of your project, and a warning about editing the project: 

Signing

Once sent for signature, your client will receive the proposal in their email (you can also copy the proposal link to provide it to your client). You'll have an opportunity to include a note or message with your email. 

The proposal email will come from your own email address, replies will go directly to you. 

Your client will click the review & sign link within the email to view / sign your proposal. 

The link shows the full estimate details for them to review, along with any included alternates. The bottom includes a signature box for your customer to sign:

Approved proposals 

When your client signs / approves your proposal, you'll be notified immediately by email. 

You'll also see a notification within your Clear Estimates project: 

Locked project state

Once the estimate is signed, estimates will lock. This means the project cannot be edited without creating a change order. You can also duplicate the project to create a new proposal. 

TIP: You can always create a change order if needed. 

Proposal status

The Status at the top of your project indicates what state the live proposal is in. 

While the proposal is live but unsigned, you'll see an awaiting signature status. 

Once signed, the status will show “signed”, and you'll receive a notification in your email and Clear Estimates.

Alternates & change orders 

Alternates let you offer your client optional add-ons alongside your main proposal (such as like an upgrade or optional add on) without changing your original scope until the client decides. 

Alternates are also used for managing change orders on a project. Once a proposal is signed, any further changes to the job go through an alternate change order, which gets its own signature.

On the client's proposal link, these show up together under Alternates & Change Orders.

Alternate statuses

Every alternate on a proposal has one of three statuses:

Before the proposal is signed

While a proposal is still pending signature, alternates can be freely accepted by your client, and the status updates automatically:

1. Accepted - the alternate's cost is added into the proposal total your client will sign. Its status shows as "Accepted" once set. 
2. Declined - the alternate is excluded from the total and shown as declined at the bottom of the proposal.
3. Undecided - left as-is, shown as an optional add-on. If it's still undecided when your client signs, you would need to resubmit it as a change order for a separate signature. 

Any alternate can be approved right up until your client signs. Once they sign, whatever status each alternate is in at that moment is locked in. You can always submit new or existing alternates as change orders. 

After the proposal is signed

Once your client has signed, the main proposal is locked. From here:

• An alternate that was accepted before signing stays part of the signed job. The alternate parts remain editable and you can still add to it and resubmit as a new change order. 
• An alternate left undecided or declined can still be resolved after the fact, but it now requires a change order. Edit the alternate as needed, then submit it for its own separate signature. Your client will see a message letting them know a change order is available for review.
• A brand-new alternate (something not on the original proposal at all) also goes out as a change order the same way.

Signing a change order

Change orders work like a mini version of the main proposal:

1. Make your edits to the alternate, then submit it as a change order.
2. Your client gets a link to review and sign, same as the original proposal. While it's pending, any edits you make will immediately update what they see.
3. Once signed, the change order locks completely - no further edits, and it can't be converted to a component.

Now you're all set to submit your first proposal for signature! 

This is a brand new Beta feature, please feel free to reach us here with any feedback!

Remove and replace parts from a change order (Beta)

If a change order is replacing something that was already priced in the original signed estimate (i.e. swapping a fixture or finish), you can credit those original proposal parts back within the change order itself.

This only affects the change order you're editing. The original signed estimate stays locked and unchanged, and the main project parts / totals remain exactly as they were in the original signed proposal. 

How it works

• From within an open change order, click Remove Estimate Parts:
   

• This opens the Remove/Replace Main Estimate Parts window, showing every part from the main estimate. Use the filter to search by description if you're looking for something specific.
   

• Check the box next to any parts you want to credit back, then confirm your selection using the arrow:
   

• To credit multiple parts, select every part using the checkboxes and then click the arrow at the top: 

• The parts you choose are added to the change order as negative line items. You'll see them in red, with negative quantities / totals. This is a credit, not a deletion - the original estimate stays untouched: 

• Add any new parts the change order needs (replacement fixtures, additional labor, etc.) alongside the credited ones.
   
• The change order's total reflects the new parts added, minus the credited parts.  

Tip: This is useful any time a change order includes a swap rather than a complete newly added scope (i.e. upgrading a fixture already included in the original signed scope). Crediting the original part avoids charging your client for something they're no longer getting.