Quotes for new and existing orders

Quotes help customers review pricing and key purchase terms before they place or update an order. They are commonly used by businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies that require internal budgeting, procurement approval, or purchase order processes.

Depending on your account settings, quotes can be requested by customers or created by managers for the customer's approval.

Quote types

Quotes serve different purposes depending on where the customer is in their subscription or purchasing journey. The following quote types are available:

• Initial order quotes: Issued to support first-time purchases, especially for enterprise buyers, such as corporations, educational institutions, or government agencies. These quotes outline pricing and product details and are often used for internal budgeting and procurement approvals.

  Initial order quotes can be created by managers from SCM or requested by customers as part of the checkout flow.

• Renewal quotes: Used to extend an active subscription or service agreement. Renewal quotes reflect the current subscription setup and are typically required by customers with formal approval processes before a contract term ends. Learn more about renewal quotes in the Use quotes for renewals article.

• Upgrade quotes: Enable midterm adjustments to active subscriptions. They allow customers to move to higher-tier plans, modify quantities, or apply new pricing structures. The changes are scheduled for a future date and activated only upon confirmation. Learn more in the Use quotes for upgrades article.

Quote process flows

Quotes typically follow a standardized sequence from creation to fulfillment. While the specific steps may vary slightly depending on the quote type, the core lifecycle generally includes the following stages:

• Quote creation: A quote is either generated by a manager or initiated by the customer through a self-service request.

  note

  Upgrades can also be requested outside the platform, for example, during a call or an in-person meeting, and created by a manager using the API.

• Receipt of the quote: The customer receives the quote through a direct link, by email, or through the UI, such as the checkout page or subscription management portal.

• Quote decision: The customer reviews the quote and chooses to either accept or reject it.

  • If accepted, the process continues with invoicing and fulfillment.
  • If rejected, the flow ends or restarts with revised terms as needed.
  note

  For upgrade quotes, invoicing and fulfillment do not begin immediately upon acceptance. Instead, the changes take effect on the scheduled upgrade date.

Standard quote fulfillment process

The following diagram shows a typical quote fulfillment process. It outlines how quotes are requested, processed, and finalized based on customer interaction and payment method.

This diagram is based on an initial order quote, but the process is similar for other quote types.

Key points:

• Customers can request quotes through a form or by contacting Customer Service.
• Quotes can be created proactively by managers.
• Orders are placed only after the customer confirms the quote and selects a payment method.
• Invoices or proforma documents are issued depending on requirements.

note

Validity periods mentioned in the diagram can be configured according to your business needs.

Quote-to-PO process

Some organizations, especially in B2B settings, require quotes to be converted into formal purchase orders (POs). The Quote-to-PO process supports these use cases by enabling offline approvals, purchase order conversion, and extended payment collection timelines.

This diagram is based on an initial order quote, but the process is similar for other quote types.

Key points:

• Once a quote is sent, customers can place an order using an offline payment method.
• The quote is converted into a purchase order, pending official approval.
• The process supports complex internal reviews, staged deliveries, and payment follow-ups.
• Notifications and reminders ensure that order fulfillment or cancellation is handled according to policy.

These flows ensure transparency and adaptability across different business workflows, whether the quote starts as a direct self-service request or supports a procurement-based PO cycle.

Learn more

Initial order quotes are part of the checkout process. Learn more about them in the Create quotes for initial orders article in the Checkout URLs section.

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In the Checkout URLs section, you can also learn about other URL types that can be generated and used to streamline checkout, safeguard sensitive information, and deliver personalized purchasing experiences for your customers.

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