General Estimate Template

This general Estimate Template in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format helps you create job / work / project estimates / quotes as easy as filling in a blank paper form. The estimate form features a customizable logo image and 2 columns - "Description" and "Amount".

Both the "Description" and "Amount" column on this form are manually editable / fillable. The "Item#" column, which is required by Invoice Manager for Excel, is moved out of the printable form. The printable form is the area defined by the "Print_Area" name. In Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, each worksheet could have a print area defined - you it is not defined, the whole used area is printed when you issue the print command; otherwise, only the area identified by "Print_Area" name is printed.

All the templates available here on InvoicingTemplate.com have the "Print_Area" name defined. To find out what is printable on the current worksheet, pull down the name box located on the left-side of the formula bar, scroll down to the end of the list and choose "Print_Area", Excel selects the printable form on the current worksheet.

Although the "Item#" column is moved out of the printable estimate form, it is still functional - that is, Invoice Manager for Excel still supports the "in-cell lookup" feature. Which means that, you can simply enter the item# into a cell to retrieve the description from the backend Access database, to avoid typing the same text again and again. If you have a very long product list, another tool provided by Invoice Manager for Excel could help, which is called on-sheet picker. When you click and select any cell on the item line, a litter button appear underneath the cell. Click this button to open a window that contains the full list of your products / items. On the top of the window you can find a "search bar", which allows you to search for an item by any field defined for your products - Item# (SKU#), description, prices, or even custom fields (if you use it).

Unlike an invoice form, a quote or estimate shows preliminary assessment of a project cost, so there is no need to use the "Deposit", "Paid" and "Balance Due" cells, so we move these fields out of the printable area. Please don't delete these fields are they are required by Invoice Manager for Excel. However, if you prefer, you can hide the columns where these fields are located.

This template has one tax set by default. And by assuming all items are taxable, it does not include the "Taxable" checkbox column like many other templates available here on InvoicingTemplate.com.