Creating & Sending Proposals
SwiftlyCRM's Proposals module lets you build professional, itemised proposals and deliver them to clients via a branded PDF or a shareable web link. You can track exactly when a client opens your proposal so you know when to follow up.
The Approval Workflow
Proposals follow a four-step status lifecycle:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Being edited; not yet submitted for review |
| Pending Review | Submitted internally; awaiting manager approval |
| Approved | Approved by a manager; ready to send to the client |
| Sent | Delivered to the client via link or email |
To advance a proposal from Draft to Pending Review, click Submit for Review. A manager with the admin or sales_rep role can then approve or reject it with a comment. Only Approved proposals can be sent.
Creating a Proposal
Navigate to Proposals → New Proposal. Give the proposal a name, select the linked Account and Opportunity, and set an expiry date. You can start from scratch by adding line items manually, or load a catalog preset if your admin has configured product/service templates.
Adding Line Items
Each line item represents a product or service. For every item you can set:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Description | Name or short description of the item |
| Quantity | Number of units |
| Unit Price | Price per unit (before discount/tax) |
| Discount | Percentage or fixed amount discount |
| Tax Rate | Percentage applied after discount |
The line item subtotal is calculated as: (Quantity × Unit Price) − Discount. Tax is applied on top of the discounted subtotal. The proposal footer shows a summary of subtotal, total discount, total tax, and grand total.
Loading from Catalog Items
If your branch has a product catalog, click Add from Catalog in the line items section. Search or browse catalog items, select one or more, and click Add Selected. Prices and descriptions are pre-filled from the catalog but can be edited on the proposal without affecting the catalog entry.
Generating the PDF
Click Generate PDF on any proposal in Approved or Sent status. SwiftlyCRM uses WeasyPrint to produce a styled PDF that includes your branch logo, contact details, line item table, totals, and expiry date. The PDF is generated on demand and is available to download immediately.
Sending the Proposal
You have two delivery options:
| Method | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Shareable Link | Click Copy Link to get a public URL. The client does not need a SwiftlyCRM account to view it. |
| Send via Email | Enter the recipient's email and an optional message. SwiftlyCRM sends the link and logs the event. |
Tracking Client Opens
Each time the shareable link is loaded, SwiftlyCRM records a View event with a timestamp. View events appear in the proposal timeline and trigger a notification to the assigned sales rep. Multiple views are each logged separately so you can gauge client engagement.
Creating Revisions
If a client requests changes after a proposal has been sent, click Create Revision. This creates a copy of the proposal as a new Draft, increments the version number (e.g., v2), and links it to the original. The original proposal remains in Sent status for audit purposes. The client link updates automatically to show the latest active revision.
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