Convert a lead to a quote
What the Convert to quote button does: the client it creates or matches, the draft quote it opens, what carries over, and why the lead is not Won yet.
Convert to quote on the lead panel turns an enquiry into a draft quote with the person's details, the service they asked for, their answers and their photos already on it, and lands you in the builder ready to price. It creates the client record at the same time — or matches one you already have.
It does not make the lead Won. Drafting a quote is not winning the work; the lead follows the quote's real fate from here.
Overview
Converting is one press and it is safe to press twice: a lead already linked to a quote shows View quote Q-… instead, and pressing it opens that quote rather than making a second one.
The quote is created in draft with a total of zero. Nobody has priced it yet, and a number the homeowner could see that you never agreed to is exactly what the lead-versus-quote distinction exists to prevent. Your job in the builder is the price; the rest is already filled in.
How to convert
- Open the lead on the Leads board.
- Read Why this score, Their message and What they told us — the answers will be on the quote's notes, but this is where you decide whether to phone first.
- Press Convert to quote. The button reads Converting… and the builder opens on the new draft.
- Add the lines and the price, then Save as draft or Save & send — see Build a quote and Send a quote.
Convert before you phone if you want the quote number in front of you during the call. The lead card shows the number the moment it exists.
What carries over
| On the lead | On the quote |
|---|---|
| Name, email, phone | The client. Matched to an existing client by email first, then by phone, so a repeat enquirer does not become a second client record. |
| Address, city, province, country from the form | The client's address and tax jurisdiction — which is the difference between a quote that charges the right tax and one that silently charges none. |
| The service they picked | The quote's first scope group, of that type, with no lines yet. |
| Budget and timeline | Two lines at the top of the quote's Notes: “Budget: 5,000 – 15,000”, “Timeline: Within 2 weeks”, followed by their message. |
| Photos, videos, PDF plans | The quote's Photos & videos from the client. See Photos on a quote. |
| The language they chose | The quote's language, fixed at creation. A lead that was never asked falls back to your company language. See A quote keeps its language. |
| The lead itself | Linked to the quote: the card shows the quote number and the panel offers View quote. |
The two lines about budget and timeline go on the quote's notes, which the client can read. Edit the notes in the builder if you would rather they did not see what they told you.
The lead follows the quote
Converting leaves the lead's column where it was. From then on the lead moves with the quote:
- Quote sent → the lead moves to Contacted, if it was still in New. A re-send never drags a won or lost lead back.
- Quote accepted → the lead moves to Won. This is also the moment a job is created; see What happens when a quote is approved.
- Quote declined → the lead moves to Lost.
Until a quote exists, Won is refused on the board and in the panel, with the sentence Won follows the quote's own outcome — convert this lead first. A false win would sit in your win rate forever.
Who can do it
Converting creates a quote, so it needs View, create, and edit on Quotes — Estimator, Dispatcher, Manager, Administrator and the owner. A member who can see leads but not create quotes gets a refusal from the server, shown in the panel.
Frequently asked questions
I converted the wrong lead. Can I undo it?
Delete the draft quote from its page if your access level allows deleting quotes. The lead is unlinked when the quote goes and can be converted again. There is no undo button on the lead itself.
Why did converting not create a new client?
Because you already had one with that email or phone. The quote is attached to the existing client, which is what you want for a repeat customer.
The quote opened in French but my company works in English.
The person chose French on your form, and everything they have been sent since was in French. Switching the document to English at the moment it starts to matter is exactly what the rule prevents. See A quote keeps its language.
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