What Does Each Estimate Status Mean?
Estimates move through different statuses as they progress from creation to completion. Here's what each status means.
Status Overview
|
Status |
Meaning |
|---|---|
|
Draft |
Work in progress, not yet sent |
|
Sent |
Proposal sent to client, awaiting response |
|
Accepted |
Client has accepted the proposal |
|
Declined |
Client has rejected the proposal |
|
Invoiced |
Converted to an invoice |
|
Archived |
Stored for records, hidden from main view |
Status vs. Activity: The status on the Estimates list is the current state of the estimate — the latest thing that's happened. The Activity Timeline on the client page (and the Messages tab on the estimate page) show the full history of events — every send, every view, every accept or decline, in date order. If you want to know "where is this up to?" use the status. If you want to know "what's happened so far?" use the timeline. See Finding Past Proposal Sends for more.
Draft
What it means: The estimate is being created or edited and hasn't been sent to a client yet.
When it's used: - New estimates start as drafts - Estimates you're still working on - Estimates not yet ready to share
Actions available: - Edit the estimate - Send as a proposal - Delete or archive
Sent
What it means: The estimate has been emailed to the client as a proposal. You're waiting for their response.
When it's used: - After you click Send and the email is delivered - While waiting for client feedback
Actions available: - View delivery status - Edit and resend - Track if the client has viewed it
Accepted
What it means: The client has accepted the proposal. The job is confirmed.
When it's used: - Client clicked "Accept" on the proposal - You manually marked it as accepted
Actions available: - Convert to invoice - Create a project plan - View accepted terms
Declined
What it means: The client has rejected the proposal. The job won't proceed.
When it's used: - Client clicked "Decline" on the proposal - You manually marked it as declined
Actions available: - Archive the estimate - Duplicate and revise for a new quote - Review for learning purposes
Invoiced
What it means: The estimate has been converted to an invoice. The billing process has begun.
When it's used: - After using "Convert to Invoice" - The estimate is now linked to an invoice
Actions available: - View the linked invoice - Track payment status
Archived
What it means: The estimate is hidden from your main view but preserved for records.
When it's used: - Old estimates you don't need to see regularly - Declined jobs you want to keep for reference - Superseded estimates (replaced by newer versions)
Actions available: - View in archived filter - Restore to active status
How Statuses Change
Draft → Sent → Accepted → Invoiced
↘ Declined → Archived
Most estimates follow this flow: 1. Start as Draft 2. Send to client → Sent 3. Client responds → Accepted or Declined 4. If accepted, convert to invoice → Invoiced 5. Eventually → Archived
Filtering by Status
Use the status filter on the Estimates page to: - View only Draft estimates (work in progress) - See all Sent proposals (awaiting response) - Check Accepted jobs (confirmed work) - Review Declined quotes (lost opportunities)
Changing Status Manually
You can manually change an estimate's status:
- Open the estimate
- Tap Estimate Settings
- Change the status
- Save
This is useful when: - A client accepts via phone (manually mark as Accepted) - You need to edit an accepted estimate — set it back to Draft to unlock editing, make your changes, then resend. Your previous sends are still recorded on the client's Activity Timeline and the estimate's Messages tab. See Can I Edit a Proposal After Sending? for the full walkthrough. - Cleaning up old estimates