Proposals
- Create Proposal
On the top left side click Create Proposal
You can create proposal to lead or to customer.
- Choose Related to Lead or Customer.
- Choose which lead/customer is related. On the right side the found informations will be auto filled. You can adjust according to your needs.
- Status – By default the draft status will be auto selected. Note that proposals with draft status are not visible to customers.
- Open Till – The date when the proposal will stays open and the user can take actions (Accept/Decline) – Go to Setup->Settings->Finance->Proposal to set Proposal due after to auto populate this field.
- Currency – When createing proposal to lead you are allowed to add any currency you need otherwise if you are creating proposal for customer the system base currency will be used or the customer currency.
- Allow Comments – If this field is unchecked the user wont be able to comment on the proposal ex. Negotiate with price etc.
Save the proposal to add proposal content.
Add proposal content
You can add proposal content directly from the admin area while previewing the proposal.
After saving the proposal you will be redirected to the preview area where you can add content.
When you finish adding content click on the top left green button Save Proposal on the editor popup shown as in the screenshot above.
To prevent creating the same content again and again you can use the merge fields feature by clickin on the link Available Merge Fields and when you will need to create new similar proposal you need to copy the existing one.
To copy the proposal click on More and click on Copy.
- Converting Proposal To Estimate/Invoice
To convert proposal to invoice or estimate select the proposal from the table and on the right side a convert button will be shown
Click on the button and choose Estimate or Invoice. After you choose a popup will be shown with the preview info also with the parsed items which are auto inserted to the estimate/invoice.
When you are satisfied from the result click Save.
After converting the proposal will be auto marked as accepted (if is not already marked as Accepted)
NOTE: If the proposal is related with some lead which is not converted to client you will need to convert first the lead to client and then get back here and convert the proposal to estimate or invoice.
- Sending Proposal To Customer Or Lead
We assume that you already have created the proposal. Click on the mail icon from the right side and popup with with the preview email template will be shown.
You can include the proposal link inside the email template and let your customer view it without login. This is also useful for leads.
After you send the proposal a lead/customer can open it an make action ex/ accept, decline, make comments. The creator of the proposal and the assigned sale agent will get notification in the CRM and email that customer commented or accept/decline the proposal.
- Proposal Expiration Reminders
You can send expiration reminders to the lead/customer that this proposal is assigned, email will be sent to the proposal email added while you created/edited the proposal.
To configure email expiration reminders navigate to Setup->Settings->CRON job
- Set Send expiration reminder to YES
- Set expiration reminder before in days. eq. BEFORE 4 DAYS – proposal open till date is XXX-09-22 and expiration reminder will be sent on XXX-09-18
NOTES:
- You will need cron job configured for this feature.
- Expiration reminders will be sent only on proposals with status OPEN and SENT
Estimate
- Create Estimate
To create new estimate go to Sales -> Estimates -> Create New Estimate or by clicking on the Build icon on the top left side and click Create Estimate
Client – Before selecting a client you must have added clients Customers->New Customer.
When selecting a Customer the customer informations will be fetched directly from the customer profile you created. Another option is that you can click on the edit icon and directly add the desired customer informations, this also is applied for the billing informations they are also fetched when selecting a customer.
NOTE: If you want the billing details to be auto populated when selecting the customer you need previously to have added Billing details in the customer profile.
Billing and Shipping – If you change the billing and shipping informations after selecting a client and click on the edit icon, this will be changed for the Estimate but in the customer profile the informations will remain the same and wont be any changes in the Invoice.
Number – Number is automatically populated Eq. 001 next will be 002.
This number its fetched from Setup->Settings->Finance->Estimates – Next Number the number its auto increment but you can change the next number in Setup->Settings->Finance->Estimates.
Status – By default the draft status will be selected, you can change the status anytime you want, note that when you send the estimate to your customer the status will be change auto to SENT.
Currency – The currency is automatically selected based on your default currency or currency set for the selected Customer you selected previously in the customer profile. If the currency for this customer is USD it will be automatically selected and cannot be changed, read more here
Sale Agent – You can select sale agent for this estimate then then generate reports in Reports->Sales->Estimate Report. Note that the sale agent full name will be shown on the estimate if inSetup->Settings->Finance->Estimates -> Show sale agent on estimate is set to yes.
You can add Estimate items, when adding make sure u click on the blue check icon in order the item to be added you can also select tax options see shown in picture.
The items will be stored separately for each estimate and changing the items informations in Sales->Items wont affect the already created estimates with specific item/s.
Admin note is only for admins/staff members.
Customer note is visible to client side also, on the HTML estimate and PDF estimate.
You can setup terms directly in the estimate or you can have predefined terms which will be auto populated. To setup predefined terms go to Setup -> Settings -> Finance -> Estimate scroll down and you can populate the fields as it fits you.
Click submit to save the estimate.
While editing/creating estimate the adjustment option is always available if you want to +- the total amount.
- Converting Estimate To Invoice
You can easily convert the estimate to invoice from the admin area.
Open the estimate you want to convert and on the right side click Convert to Invoice
Invoices
Invoices is quote an important part in one company management. Topaz Crm allows you to track your invoices, items and generate reports. Add new currencies, using multiple currencies is allowed. Invoice with different tax based on item. Create recurring invoices who will be regenerated automatically based on your setup for recurring invoice (every X months). You can set recurring starting from 1 month to 12 months
- Create Invoice
To create new invoice go to Sales -> Invoices and click on the button Create new invoice
Select Customer, when selecting a Client the customer informations will be fetched directly from the customer’s profile. Another option is that you can click on the edit icon and directly add the desired customer informations, this also is applied for the billing informations they are also fetched when selecting a customer.
NOTE: If you want the billing details to be auto populated when selecting the customer you need previously to have added Billing details in the customer profile.
Billing and Shipping – If you change the billing and shipping informations after selecting a client and click on the edit icon, this will be changed for the Invoice but in the customer profile the informations will remain the same.
Allowed payment modes for this invoice – Select allowed payment modes for the invoice you are creating, if you customers pays online using Perfex CRM payment gateways they will be visible in the invoice html area and when recording payment for invoice from admin area.
Currency – The currency is automatically selected based on your default currency or currency set for the selected Customer you selected previously in the customer profile. If the currency for this customer is USD it will be automatically selected and cannot be changed, read more here
INVOICE Number – Number is automatically populated Eq. 00012 next will be 00013.
This number its fetched from Setup->Settings->Finance->Invoice– Next Number the number its auto increment but you can change the next number in Setup->Settings->Finance->Invoice.
Customer note is visible to client side also, on the HTML invoice and PDF invoice.
You can setup terms directly in the invoice or you can have predefined terms which will be auto populated. To setup predefined terms go to Setup -> Settings -> Finance -> Invoice scroll down and you can populate the fields as it fits you.
Recurring Invoice – Read more here about how to setup recurring invoice.
Sale Agent – You can select sale agent for this invoice then then generate reports in Reports->Sales->Invoices Report. Note that the sale agent full name will be shown on the invoice if inSetup->Settings->Finance->Invoice-> Show sale agent on invoice is set to yes, see picture.
You can add Invoice items, when adding make sure u click on the blue check icon in order the item to be added you can also select tax options see shown in picture.
The items will be stored separately for each invoice and changing the items informations in Sales->Items wont affect the already created invoices with specific item/s.
Admin note is only for admins/staff members.
Customer note is visible to client side also, on the HTML invoice and PDF invoice.
Click Save.
While editing/creating invoice the adjustment option is always available if you want to +- the total amount.
- Recurring Invoice
Settings
Navigate to Settings Menu -> Settings -> Cron Job
Create new invoice from the main recurring invoice only if the main invoice is with status paid?
If this field is set to No the recurring invoice is not with status paid the new invoice wont be created
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Automatically send the renewed invoice to the client
Send after the invoice is renewed send the invoice to the client. Also the PDF will be attached
NOTE: The customers contacts needs to have permission for Invoices to receive the email.
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Create recurring invoice
When you add/edit invoice you have an option to set this invoice to be recurring.
That means that the invoice will be re-created automatically based on your setup for recurring invoice (every X months). You can set recurring starting from 1 month to 12 months or select custom to fit for your needs.
How the recurring days are calculated?
The date when the invoice needs to be re-created(renewed) is calculated from the invoice date.
The dates in the examples are shown in Y-m-d format.
Example 1:
- Invoice date is XXXX-08-17
- Recurring is every 1 month
- The invoice will be re-created (renewed) on XXXX-09-17
Example 2:
- Invoice date is XXXX-03-01
- Recurring is every month
- The invoice will be re-created (renewed) on XXXX-04-01
When the invoices from this invoice will be generated you will have overview which invoices are generated from this invoice. See image below.
NOTES:
- You need to have setup cron job for this feature.
- The invoices will be created at specific hour based Hour of day to perform automatic operations value that is set in Setup->Settings->Cron Job->Invoices
- Send Invoice To Email
Topaz Crm have an option to send this invoice to client which is related. Also the PDF invoice will be attached to the email. If you want to do not attach the PDF invoice simple uncheck the checkbox Attach Invoice PDF
After sending the invoice to the client if you want to send again the invoice there will be another email content. Becuase the initial invoice is already sent. Now the client maybe want the invoice again and in all cases this content will be different.
Go to Setup-> Email Templates -> Invoice Already Send to Client to edit the email content.
By default all contacts with permission invoice will be selected you can adjust to your needs.
NOTE: When cron job will try send the invoice will be sent to all contacts with permission for Invoices. Make sure you give the contacts appropriate permissions.
- Record Invoice Payment
While viewing the invoice click on the Record payment button and new view will be opened.
Payment records can be added only from invoice. There is no option to add payment record without invoice.
After payment is recorded email will be sent directly to the client to inform that payment is recorded to this invoice. To edit the email content go to Setup -> Email Templates -> Invoice Payment Recorded
- Invoice Overdue Notices
You can send invoice overdue notice manually or automatically with cron job.
Sending with cron job
To setup automatically overdue notice go to Setup -> Settings -> Cron Job
If you want to send the same day when the is the ovredue set the field Automatically send reminder after to 0 otherwide set it according your needs.
The second field is about resending the overdue notice based on the last notice date. If you want to disable resending the overdue notice set this field to 0
NOTE: The overdue notices will be sent at specific hour based Hour of day to perform automatic operations value that is set in Setup->Settings->Cron Job->Invoices
-Merging Invoices
Merging invoices is a feature on Topaz CRM that allows you to merge/include already created invoices into 1 invoice by passing all the invoice info to new invoice. This feature is used if your customer have other unpaid invoices but you need to create another invoice for the customer and you want to prevent your customer to pay multiple invoices, in this case your customer will only need to pay 1 invoice.
How to check if there is available invoices to be merged?
Available invoices to merge are showing in different places.
- When create new invoice – Available invoices to merge are shown after selecting customer, the system will check if there is available invoices to be merged into the invoice you are creating for the selected customer.
- When you preview existing invoice from admin area – Available invoices will be shown on top and you can click on the edit button to apply the necessary action.
- When you edit existing invoice – Available invoices for merging are shown immediately after entering the edit invoice area.
NOTE: You can merge invoices only that belongs to the following statuses: Unpaid, Overdue, Draft.
Eq. If the invoice you edit is with status Partially Paid you wont be able to merge existing invoices in this invoice with status Partially Paid.
How to merge the invoices?
When you create/edit invoice on the top a message will be shown if there is invoices available for merging.
You can merge multiple invoices by clicking on the checkbox on the left side from the invoice number.
After the field is checked the invoice items will be auto added in your existing invoice that you are currently creating or edit.
Additionaly you can mark the merged invoices as cancelled instead of deleting becauase merging invoices will create gaps in invoice numbers. Please do not merge invoices if you want no gaps in your invoice history. You also have the option of manually adjusting invoice numbers if you want to fill the gaps.
Cancelled invoices are excluded from the report, overdue reminders.
Payment Modes
To add new payment mode go to Setup -> Finance -> Payment modes and click New Payment Mode
Payment modes are used when invoice payment is recorded.
These are offline payment modes. Online payment modes can be configured in Setup -> Settings ->Payment Gateways
- Tax Rates
To add new taxes go to Setup -> Finance -> Tax Rates and click New Tax
NOTE: When updating tax and this tax is already applied on invoice/item the tax on the already created invoice wont be changed.
- Tax Calculation
The tax is calculated based on the invoice item selected tax. When adding new invoice you have option to select tax. If this item is not taxable leave it blank.
Ex. If we have 3 items, 2 with tax 18% and 1 with tax 10%, the total tax from the 2 items with 18% will be calculated and added to the botton of the invoice. See the example below.
- Add Discount
You can add discount to estimates and invoices in percent. While adding/editing invoice or estimate you need to choose the discount type.
You can choose to apply the discount before or after tax from the dropdown menu in advanced settings.
Then navigate to the bottom of the page where total is calculated for the invoice or estimate and type discount percent
The discount is calculated in percent. You cant type total amount.
- Currencies
To add new currency go to Setup -> Finance -> Currencies and click New Currency.
If this is your base currency you will need to mark it as base by clicking on the Star icon.
This currency will be used all over the system by default.
Topaz CRM by default record all transactions (invoices, estimates, expenses, proposals) in the base currency.
Changing the currency while recording a transaction is not possible.
If you need to record the transaction in different currency you need to set customer currency.
- Offline Payment Modes Bank Details
To add bank details to offline payment mode who will be shown on the invoice navigate to Setup -> Finance -> Payment modes and click on the edit button.