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Why did the quote add my basic and premium packages together instead of showing two options?

Because a quote in the tool represents one order, and every line is added into the total. Enter the two packages as two lines and the tool assumes the client is buying both, producing a total that matches neither option. The fix is a separate quote for each package, such as Q-031-A and Q-031-B, each with its own correct total.

Published · 3 min read

What the client saw

A designer offers a restaurant two brand management packages, basic at 3,000 and premium at 5,500, and wants the client to pick one. Both went in as lines on a single quote, with tax at the rate the designer enters (15% here):

Worked example

Subtotal 8,500.00, tax 1,275.00, total 9,775.00. A figure nobody will pay.

Basic package alone: 3,000.00, tax 450.00, total 3,450.00.

Premium package alone: 5,500.00, tax 825.00, total 6,325.00.

A client who reads ‘Total 9,775.00’ may turn the quote down before realising they were meant to choose. And if they accept without reading closely, the dispute arrives with the invoice.

The right way: one quote per option

  1. Create the first quote in the Quotation generator with only the basic package, numbered with a letter suffix such as Q-031-A, and download it.
  2. Without closing the page, change the quote number to Q-031-B and swap the package line for the premium one. Your details and the client's stay as they are.
  3. In each quote's notes, point to the other one, for example ‘A premium package option is also available in quote Q-031-B’.
  4. Send both files together and say in your message that they are alternatives.

What about optional add-ons?

The same issue comes up with add-ons. Put ‘Menu dish photography, optional’ at 900 as a line on the basic quote and the total becomes 4,485.00 instead of 3,450.00; the word ‘optional’ in the description does not change the maths. You have two choices:

  • Mention the add-on and its price in the notes, such as ‘Menu dish photography available at 900 SAR before tax’, so it stays out of the total.
  • Or create a third version of the quote that includes it, so the client sees the total both ways.

Making the comparison easy for the client

  • Use the same descriptions on both quotes and change only what differs, so they are easy to set side by side.
  • Give both options the same validity date, so neither looks like a pressure offer.
  • If the difference is in quantity rather than type of service, such as 8 or 12 posts a month, state the number clearly in the description.

Common questions

Can I make a line that is not added to the total?

No. Every line with a price above zero goes into the total. Anything you want to mention without counting belongs in the notes.

Do I have to re-enter everything for the second quote?

No. While the page is open the form keeps its contents. Change the number and the lines that differ, then create the file.

How do I invoice once the client chooses?

Create the invoice in the invoice generator using only the figures of the quote they chose.