Quotes

A quote is a document issued from a business, such as yourself, to customers, mainly businesses. It outlines the price of a sale before agreeing to a purchaseClosed An order made by a customer and the records associated with it.. Quotes can be used for price negotiations with the customers.

The lifecycle of a quote looks as follows:

Quote for Initial Orders

Corporations, governments, and educational institutions typically request a price quote to pre-approve purchases. You can use the Quote Links feature available in our web admin tool to create a quote page for a product and send it to the customerClosed An individual or business purchasing your product or service by placing an order through Cleverbridge. The customer is the end user of this product, as they are not allowed to resell the purchased products or services. ​ A customer is unique per client. If a customer purchases products or services from two different clients, there are 2 separate records of said customer.​.

To create a quote link for an initial orderClosed An agreement between a seller and a buyer to exchange goods and/or services for money. An order can: - contain multiple products and quantities; - have multiple financial transactions. A preorder authorization is considered an order. in our web admin tool, you need to perform the following steps:

  • Go to Manage > Quote Links.
  • Click Create Quote Link
    .

Note

You can also access this option by navigating directly to the Customer Profile under Manage > Search and selecting a customer profile of interest.

Fill in the Customer area.

The Customer area allows you to enter contact information to be pre-filled in the cart. The Cleverbridge platform supports different types of contact information. This enables you to provide, for example, separate e-mail addresses for billing, delivery, and licensing issues.

Contact TypeDescription
BillingPerson or company that purchases the software or signs up for the subscription. Their contact information is used for paymentClosed Exchange of money for goods and services in an acceptable amount to the customer where the payment amount has been agreed upon in advance. The customer can only pay with an accepted payment method. Each payment has an individual payment cost.-related communication, for example, to send the invoice (receipt) email after a purchase.
Delivery Person or company to whom the software or service is delivered. Their contact information is used for physical shipments, electronic delivery, and communication concerning the delivery of licensing information.
Licensee Person or company that the software license is registered to. Their contact information is used for generating the licensing information.

Add New Customer's Contact Details

If the customer’s contact information is not available in our web admin tool, select the New Customer tab and perform the following steps:

  1. Select the type of contact details.
  2. Select the text version. You can enter the details in different versions.
    • Original — Use the language used by the customer. For example, enter the details with Polish, German or Greek alphabets, use Cyrillic, etc.
    • Katakana — Use the Katakana set if you need to transcribe the information into Japanese.
    • Romanized — Use the Romanized version of the original details.
  3. Fill in the details.

Note

State submissions are possible for Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Ireland, Japan, the UAE, and the USA.

Tip

Once you have filled in contact details for at least one of the types, you can copy it to another one using the Paste from option.

Add Existing Customer's Contact Details

If the customer's contact information is available in our web admin tool, select the Existing Customer tab. To prefill details of an existing customer:

  1. Click the Select Customer button.
  2. Select the customer from the grid and click OK. You can search by customer last name or ID, company name, or email.

The customer's delivery, billing, and licensee contact information is displayed in the corresponding tabs.

Tip

For an existing customer, you can create a quote link by accessing the Customer Profile and clicking Create Quote Link.

The Cart Content & Pricing area is used to add products and product selections and to define their details, including dynamic product pricing.

Populate the quote link with details of chosen products:

  1. Click the Add Product button.
  2. Select the products.
  3. Click OK.

The products will be added to the Cart Content & Pricing area.

Tip

To filter products in the grid, click the search icon in the column header and enter the search text. The list can be filtered by any of the columns.

Items selected earlier and not meeting the filter conditions are still selected, even though you don't see them in the grid.

  • To see the filter, hover over the search icon.
  • To clear the filter, hover over the search icon and click the cross icon to the right of the search box.

For each of the products in the quote, you can adjust the quantity values and define custom settings.

Define Product Quantity

Enter the following quantity settings for the product:

  • Quantity in Cart — Quantity of a product for which the customer wishes to receive a price quote.
  • Minimum Quantity — The minimum quantity of the product that the customer can order.
  • Maximum Quantity — The maximum quantity of the product that the customer can order.

The values displayed when the product is added depend on the quantity values you determined when setting up the product. You can redefine them for a specific quote link.

Define Custom Product Settings

Enable the Custom Product Settings toggle to adjust custom product information and pricing for a particular quote. These custom settings will override the defaults defined for the product.

When the toggle is enabled, the following sections will be displayed:

The following custom details can be defined in the Custom Product Information section:

  • New Product Name — Enter an alternative name for the product. The product name is displayed to customers.
  • Internal Product ID — A unique identifier used internally by the system to track the product. It cross-references the purchases for this product with your own internal number, helping you to easily recognize your products and keep track of them.
  • Additional Product Information — Provides a short product description with more detailed information about the essential features of the product. This description displays as an additional line below the product name.

Note

Due to legal requirements for Cleverbridge as an online reseller, customers must be presented with a clear and concise description of the product's essential features immediately before making a purchase. This description should provide enough detail for customers to make an informed decision.

The product description should give customers a general understanding of how the product works. If the product name is self-explanatory, no further action is needed. However, if the product functionality is not clear from its name alone, the Additional Product Information field should be used to outline the key features.

For more information, please contact the Client Experience team.

Custom pricing cannot be defined unless it is allowed by the product configuration. Otherwise, the settings are blocked.

For more information, see Configure Your Products.

When enabled, the Custom Price Settings area will become available.

The following actions are available to tailor and adjust the pricing:

Manage Currencies

The Manage Currencies drop-down list lets you control which currencies are available for selection in the quote. You can use this to localize the quote for customers in a specific region. For more information, see Localize Your Checkout Pages.

To define new currency settings:

  1. Click Manage Currencies in the top right corner of the Price settings table.
  2. Select the currencies you want to enable for the product.
  3. Click OK.

The selected currencies will appear in Price Settings with their prices and discounts undefined.

To return to the initial price settings defined for the product, click Manage Currencies again and click Reset.

Tip

You can use search to find necessary currencies faster.

Add Discounts

The settings depend on the chosen discount type. There are two types available:

  • Percentage Discount — Subtracts a specific percentage from the price of the product.
    1. From the Discount Pricing Method drop-down list, select Percentage Discount .
    2. Define the value in the Percentage field that will appear to the right.

    The discount will be applied to all currencies enabled for the link.

  • Absolute Discount — Subtracts a specific, fixed amount from the price of the product.
    1. From the Discount Pricing Method drop-down list, select Absolute Discount .
    2. Enter the absolute discount values into the Discount column of the Price settings table.

    The discount will be applied to the corresponding currency. If no discount is defined for a currency, it will not be applied.

Warning

A dynamic discount created for a quote link in the Custom Price Settings will also work in addition to a promotional discount defined with a coupon code in the Link Setting area, even if the Can't be combined with other discounts option is selected. To avoid this scenario, don't use dynamic discount along with the Coupon Code option.

Modify Prices

You can define a specific new price of the product in the Price column of the Price settings table.

The price is defined for the currency specified in the previous column. If there is a default price setting, it is displayed in the column in gray. Otherwise, "Set price" is displayed. To define the price:

  1. Click the corresponding Price column.
  2. Enter the price.

Tip

When defining prices, you can look up the base retail price for the goods. To do so, click the Show Suggested Retail Price button to the right of the product name.

Use Gross Pricing

The Defined price is gross (including VAT) toggle lets you configure the quote link to always display a single tax-inclusive price. If the toggle is enabled, the same price will be quoted for all customers using the corresponding currency regardless of their tax rules.

The gross price approach can be used to maintain a uniform price presentation and create a consistent customer experience; however, it also means that if German customers (19% VAT) pay the same gross price as Danish customers (25% VAT), the VAT rates will impact the revenue you receive.

Example

In the following example, the customer in a country with no taxation obligation doesn't pay tax, but the gross price remains the same as for EU customers who do pay tax.

Customer Type Gross Price TAX Net Price
EU Customer 1 in Germany 39€ 6,22€ 32,78€
EU Customer 2 in Denmark 39€ 9,75€ 29,25€
Non-EU Customer in a non-tax country 39€ 0 39€

In short, your revenue will fluctuate if you select this option, but you’ll display “marketing-friendly” pricing.

Product selections and their details can also be added in the Cart Content & Pricing area. Product selections are used to create product variations that allow customers to choose between different options for one product in their carts. Product selections are defined in the Configure > Selection Text page. For more details, see Offer a Product with Several Languages.

To add a product selection to your link:

  1. Go to Cart Content & Pricing.
  2. Click the Add Product button.
  3. Switch to the Selection Text tab.
  4. Check the selections to be added. If needed, use search boxes in the grid column headers.
  5. Click OK.

The selection (along with the products added for the link) will be added to the list on the left.

Define Selection Settings

When the selection is added, you can change its settings. The available settings are:

  • Selected Product — The product added to the cart with the product selection. The list of available products is displayed in the drop-down list. By default, the first product in the hierarchy for the product selection is added.
  • Quantity — Define the default, minimum possible and maximum possible quantities for each selection.

Delete Products and Product Selections

To delete a product or a product selection, click the bin icon in the top right corner of this product or selection area.

Fill in the Link Settings area.

The Link Settings area contains the settings you can use to build the link.

Under the Link Settings header, you will find the following key settings of the link:
ParameterDescription
NameA name that could be used to refer to the link in the future. It displays in the Quote Links table.
Configuration A configuration template to be applied to the link. For more information about configurations, see Brand Your Checkout Process.
Link Validity in Days How long the link can be used. The link will not open to the destination beyond the defined period. This is particularly useful for time-limited promotions, exclusive offers, or campaigns that are only available during a specific period, ensuring that quote links are only accessible within the intended timeframe. The default validity period is 7 days.
Enable purchase orderClosed A B2B payment option in which software is delivered either immediately without the upfront collection of payment or after prepayment with proforma invoice. without review When this option is enabled, customers are no longer required to submit their purchase orders by fax, letter, or PDF to Сleverbridge before the product is delivered. This option is typically used for reliable B2B customers.

If needed, you can expand the generated link with additional parameters.

You can use any parameter defined in the system. To add the parameters:

  • Open any of the settings tabs for a cart, quote, or checkout page link.
  • Add the value pair into the Additional URL parameters field in the following format:

    <key>=<value>

    Example

    You can use these additional parameters for various purposes. For example, you can:

    • apply custom product bundles: <customBundleID>=<45789>.
    • pre-select delivery options: <delivery>=<express>.
    • encounter acknowledgements: <consent>=<true>.
  • To add multiple parameters use &.
Under the Coupon Code header, you can:
  • define a specific coupon code that will be automatically applied to the quote.
  • use the Enable coupon code entry field in a cart toggle to allow the use of coupon codes for the quote.

If the Apply tracking parameters toggle is enabled, you can use the Tracking area to add information to the link that associates data with transactions that occur on Cleverbridge-hosted pages for the purpose of tracking information and viewing the information in reports.

Link Generator will display your top three x-parameters — components of URLs that you can use to pass information through the checkout process, such as revenue source, customer information, and affiliateClosed An individual or a company that markets a product to potential customers. The Affiliate receives a commission on a specific action (also called event: e.g., sale, lead, click, visit etc.) previously agreed upon with you, the advertiser. Each action is tracked via a unique tracking link from Partnerize.​ ​An affiliate is also called a publisher. or partnerClosed A company that buys your products in bulk for a discounted price and resells them to their customers for a profit. In legal terms, a partner is a regular customer as there is no partnership agreement with Cleverbridge in place. details. For more details, see Set Up X-Parameters.

Options in the parameter drop-down lists are pulled from the hierarchy where they were created. If no options are displayed, then a hierarchy is not set up for that parameter.

Additional Parameter

Enter any additional x-parameters to include in the link, using this format: <key>=<value>.

Example

summercampaign=abc123

If the Currency Selection toggle is disabled, your customer will not be able to change the currency of the quote.

When the Currency Selection toggle is enabled, you can control which currencies are available for selection in the cart. This overrides the cart's default settings. You can use this to localize the cart for customers in a specific region. For more information, see Localize Your Checkout Pages.

You can define the following parameters:

  • Preselected Currency — The currency by default selected in the Currency drop-down list of the cart.
  • Available Currencies — Under Preselected Currency you can create a list of currencies to include in or exclude from the cart's currency selector.
    1. Start typing the currency name.
    2. Click the name of the currency you want to add.

    The currency will be added to the list. You can click the cross icon next to the currency name to remove it from the list.

  • List Type — There are two options:
    • Select Exclude List to exclude the currencies listed in Available Currencies.
    • Select Include List to include the currencies listed in Available Currencies.

Save the Quote

Click Save and Close. The protected link to your quote is created. You can copy it now or get back to it later using the Quote Links section under Manage.

View Quote Links and Requested Quotes

To view the quotes created in your account, go to the Quote Links table. There are two tabs:

  • Quote Links contains all links created in your account. However, if the Personal Only toggle is enabled, you can only see the links created by yourself.
  • Requested Quotes tab displays quotes requested by the customers.

Quotes for Renewals

A renewal quote is a quote generated for your customers to renew an existing subscription, originally initiated through a quote process. This step is often a prerequisite for corporations, governments, and educational institutions. Renewal quotes streamline the subscription renewal process for B2B customers, who don’t have to go through the hassle of placing an initial quote each time they wish to renew their subscriptions.

Note

A renewal quote is part of the CleverEssentials product package. For more information, reach out to Client Experience.

Create a Renewal Quote

To create a renewal quote in our web admin tool:

  1. Go to Manage > Search, and select the Subscriptions tab.
  2. Search for a customer profile or subscription of your interest.
  3. From the displayed results, choose the subscription you want to renew.
  4. Click the Add Renewal Quote button.
  5. In Quotes Settings, you can view Renewal Quote Type and Renewal Effective Date, and add an internal note.
  6. In Products & Promotions, choose the product quantity in the quote and add a coupon code, if applicable.
  7. Click Save and Close. The renewal quote is created.

    You can view the renewal quote in the Renewal Quotes tab in the customer profile.

View Renewal Quotes

Existing customers can access and view renewal quotes in the Subscription Management Portal. Pending renewal quotes appear in the subscription overview document history and can be easily converted by the customer into a paid subscription renewal.

Enable Customers to Create and Convert Quotes

You can enable customers to generate their own quotes during the manual renewal flow on the Subscription Management Portal. This reduces the contact rate and workload for your customer support team, and allows the customers to convert their subscriptions with minimal friction.

Customers are able to request quotes for different offers that are available during the renewal flow. Upon request, a Customer Support agent can:

  • extend the validity date of the quote.
  • apply a discount.
  • send the renewal quote to the customer via email.

For more information on the renewal flow, see Subscription Management Portal.

Note

The renewal quote becomes invalid in the following cases:

  • The quote expires.
  • The subscription was renewed before the customer accepted the quote.

Quote Fulfillment Process

The processes for initial quote and renewal quote fulfillment are similar. The customer can either request a quote by contacting the Customer Service or by using the Get a Quote form available on the client’s website, if applicable.

In case of a renewal quote, there are two more options available:

  • The customer can create the quote themselves through the Customer Self-Service page if it’s available.
  • You can generate a renewal quote for the customer any time you want without the customer’s request and provide the customer with the link to the quote. This might help to encourage the customer to renew a subscription before they ask for the quote themselves.

Quote Process

Quote-to-PO Process