Linking Quotes to Jobs

What is Quote-to-Job Linking?

Quote-to-job linking connects a quote to an existing job. This is useful when you send multiple quotes for the same project, or when a quote gets accepted after the job already exists.

Example scenarios:

• Customer wants additional work quoted (second quote for same job)
• You sent a revised quote with different options
• Job was created manually, now you're adding the accepted quote
• ServiceM8 job exists, now linking your Cooledge quote

Automatic vs Manual Linking

Automatic Linking (Most Common)

When a customer accepts a quote, a job is created automatically and the quote links to it. You don't do anything - it happens automatically.

How it works:

1. Send quote to customer
2. Customer clicks "Accept" on the quote
3. Job is created with that quote already linked
4. Done!

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Quote acceptance flow showing automatic job creation]

Manual Linking

Sometimes you need to link a quote to an existing job manually:

When you'd do this:

• Sending a second quote for additional work on an existing job
• Customer requested options/variations (separate quotes)
• You created the job first, then quoted later
• Linking historical quotes to jobs

How to Link a Quote to an Existing Job

From the Job Detail Page

1. Open the job you want to link the quote to
2. Go to the "Quotes" tab
3. Click "Link Existing Quote" button
4. Search for the quote by:
   • Quote number
   • Customer name
   • Date created
5. Select the quote from results
6. Click "Link"
7. Quote now appears in the job's Quotes tab

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Job detail page Quotes tab with "Link Existing Quote" button]

From the Quote Detail Page — "Create / Link Job"

When a quote is accepted (or paid), a single "Create / Link Job" button appears on the quote detail page. This replaces the old separate "Create Job" and "Link to Job" actions with one smart flow.

1. Open the accepted/paid quote
2. Click "Create / Link Job"
3. The smart linking modal opens (see below)
4. Choose the best option for your situation

This works the same way on both the Portal and the mobile app.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Quote detail page with "Create / Link Job" button]

The Smart Linking Modal

When you click "Create / Link Job", the modal is context-aware and guides you to the right action:

If the Quote Was Created from a Job

If the quote was originally created from a job (e.g., via a quote visit), the modal shows a green recommendation at the top:

Convert linked quote visit to work order

This is usually the best option — it converts the existing Quote Visit job into a Work Order, so all the bookings, notes, and history stay in one place.

If Matching Open Jobs Exist

If there are other open jobs for the same customer at the same site, the modal shows an amber warning:

We found open jobs at this address. Linking avoids duplicate jobs.

Below the warning, each matching job is listed with a "Same site" badge. You can select one to link the quote to that existing job instead of creating a new one.

If No Matches Exist

If there's no linked source job and no matching open jobs, the modal shows:

Create new work order job

This creates a fresh job with the customer and site details from the quote.

You Always Have All Options

Regardless of recommendations, the modal always gives you all three options:

• Link to the source job (if one exists)
• Link to any open job in the list
• Create a brand new job

The recommendations just help you make the best choice to avoid duplicates.

Creating Quotes from a Job

You can also create quotes from a job, not just link them after the fact. When you create a quote from a job's detail page (via "More Actions" > "Create New Quote" in the Portal, or "Finish Visit & Create Quote" in the mobile app), the quote is automatically tracked against that job.

The quote appears on the job detail page with an "Unsent" badge while it's still in draft status. Once sent, the job goes on a "Pending Quote" hold until the customer responds.

For the full workflow, see Quote Visits.

What Happens When You Link

After linking a quote to a job:

• Quote appears in the job's Quotes tab
• Quote line items can be added to the job's invoice
• If the quote has a deposit, it's available for deduction on job invoices
• The job uses the customer details from the quote - if the customer address was different when quoted, the job keeps that information
• Everything stays organized in one place

Important: The customer details (name, address) from the quote are preserved on the job. This means if the customer's address has changed since you quoted them, the job will still show the address that was valid when you quoted them. This keeps records accurate.

The quote itself doesn't change - it just connects to the job.

Viewing Linked Quotes

From a Job

1. Open any job
2. Click the "Quotes" tab
3. All linked quotes show in a list:
   • Quote number
   • Amount
   • Status (Pending/Accepted/Declined)
   • Date sent
4. Click any quote to open its full details

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Job Quotes tab showing multiple linked quotes]

From a Quote

When viewing a quote that's linked to a job:

• Job number shows at the top
• Click the job number to jump to the job
• You can see the job status and details

Unlinking Quotes

If you linked a quote by mistake, you can unlink it:

1. Open the job > Quotes tab
2. Find the quote you want to unlink
3. Click the "⋯" (more) menu next to the quote
4. Select "Unlink from Job"
5. Confirm

Important: Unlinking doesn't delete the quote - it just removes the connection. The quote still exists independently.

Multiple Quotes on One Job

You can link multiple quotes to a single job. This is common when:

Quoting options:

• Quote A: Budget option ($5,000)
• Quote B: Premium option ($7,500)
• Customer accepts one, declines the other
• Both quotes tracked on the same job

Additional work:

• Original quote for AC install
• Second quote for additional vents
• Third quote for smart thermostat upgrade
• All work is part of the same job

Revisions:

• Initial quote sent
• Customer negotiates
• Revised quote sent
• Both quotes kept for record-keeping

Each quote has its own status (Pending/Accepted/Declined) and they all show on the job.

Invoice Integration

When you create an invoice for a job with linked quotes:

If quote is accepted:

• Quote line items can be copied to the invoice
• Quote deposit is automatically deducted from invoice
• Invoice links back to the quote

If quote is pending/declined:

• Deposit doesn't apply (only accepted quotes)
• You can still reference the quote
• Invoice is independent of quote amounts

See Creating Invoices for more on job invoices.

Best Practices

Keep It Simple

Don't over-link quotes. Only link quotes that are genuinely part of the same project. If it's different work at a different time, it's probably a different job.

Naming/Numbering

When sending multiple quotes for one job, use clear descriptions:

• "Option A - Split System"
• "Option B - Ducted System"
• "Additional Work - Extras"

This helps the customer and your team understand what each quote is for.

Accepted vs Declined

When a customer accepts one quote and declines others, update the quote status. This keeps your job history clean and clear about what work was actually approved.

Common Questions

Can I link a quote to multiple jobs? No. Each quote can only link to one job. If you need the same quote on multiple jobs, you'll need to duplicate/recreate it.

What if I link the wrong quote? Just unlink it and link the correct one. No data is lost.

Can I link quotes after the job is completed? Yes! You can link quotes at any time - before, during, or after the job. Useful for record-keeping and history.

Does linking affect quote numbering? No. Quote numbers never change. The quote keeps its original number whether it's linked or not.

Next Steps

• Understanding Jobs - Learn how jobs work
• Quote Visits - Creating quotes from jobs and the quote visit workflow
• Putting Jobs on Hold - How the "Pending Quote" hold works
• Creating Invoices - Bill for jobs with linked quotes
• Creating and Managing Jobs - Full job management guide