Estimate vs Proposal: What's the Difference?

Estimate

An estimate is your internal working document. It's where you:

Build out the scope of work
Add line items for labour and materials
Calculate costs and margins
Make adjustments with Sammy's help
Reconcile with supplier pricing

Think of the estimate as your behind-the-scenes workspace. It contains all the detail you need to price a job accurately, including cost breakdowns, margins, and supplier information.

The estimate is for you, the tradie.

Proposal

A proposal is the client-facing version of your estimate. When you send an estimate to a client, it becomes a proposal. The proposal:

Looks professional and polished
Shows only what you choose to display
Can hide sensitive information (like unit rates or margins)
Includes your business branding
Allows clients to accept, decline, or request changes

The proposal is for your client.

Key Differences

Aspect	Estimate	Proposal
Audience	You (internal)	Client (external)
Detail level	Full breakdown	Controlled by display settings
Margins visible	Yes	No
Supplier costs	Yes	No
Editable	Yes	Locked once sent
Client actions	N/A	Accept, decline, request changes

Controlling What Clients See

When you send a proposal, you choose the level of detail:

Project total only – Just the bottom line
Group totals – Totals for each section (e.g., "Framing: $2,500")
Full item detail – Every line item visible

You can also toggle:

Show/hide quantities
Show/hide unit rates
Show/hide scope of work

This means you can have a detailed estimate for your records while sending a simplified proposal to the client.

Workflow Summary

Create an estimate – Build out the job with Sammy
Refine and finalise – Adjust pricing, reconcile with suppliers
Send as proposal – Choose display settings and email to client
Track the proposal – See when viewed, get client responses
Convert to invoice – Once accepted, bill for the work

The estimate stays in your system. The proposal is what the client sees and interacts with.