Short answer
The quote template is an Excel file that calculates line items, discounts, VAT and the total rounded to 5 centimes by itself. You enter company, customer, validity and services. A quote with a validity date binds you until that date (Code of Obligations, art. 3). If you want to quote without commitment, say so explicitly (art. 7).
How to fill in the quote template
- Enter your company details. Name, address, contact and your VAT number if you have one. Add your logo at the top right via Insert › Picture.
- Enter the customer. Company, contact person, street and number, postcode and town. If the quote turns into an order, the details carry over one-to-one to the invoice.
- Set number and validity. Enter the quote number and date. «Valid until» adds 30 days, for material prices that fluctuate choose a shorter period.
- Describe the services. One clearly defined service per line with quantity, unit and price. A discount in percent applies only to its line.
- Check VAT. The standard rate of 8.1 % is preset. Without VAT registration, set the rate to 0 %.
- Adjust the terms and send. Add the schedule, payment terms and closing, save as PDF and send.
What belongs in a good quote
There is no required form for quotes. So the customer can accept quickly and the quote later turns cleanly into an invoice, include:
- Sender and recipient with full address
- Quote number and date, so queries and the later order are clearly linked
- Validity as a specific date
- Itemised services with quantity, unit and price instead of an empty lump sum
- Prices excluding or including VAT, clearly labelled
- Schedule and payment terms, such as date, deposit and payment period
How binding is a quote?
Legally a quote is an offer to conclude a contract. If you set a deadline, you remain bound until it expires (Code of Obligations, art. 3). Without a deadline you are bound for as long as you can normally expect a reply (art. 5). If the customer accepts in time, the contract is concluded.
If you do not want to be bound, add «non-binding» or «subject to change» (art. 7). For construction and craft work, an approximate cost estimate is common. If it is exceeded disproportionately, the customer may withdraw from the contract or demand a reduction (art. 375).
For the invoice after the order there is the matching Swiss invoice template.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a quote be valid?
- 30 days is common. For materials with fluctuating prices 10 to 14 days make sense, for larger projects with long decision times up to 90 days. What matters is a specific date instead of a vague statement.
- Does VAT need to be in the quote?
- It is not mandatory. But state clearly whether your prices include or exclude VAT. Otherwise a dispute about the final price with private customers is almost guaranteed.
- What is the difference between a quote and a cost estimate?
- A quote usually states fixed prices and binds you until it expires. A cost estimate is an estimate. If the final price exceeds it disproportionately, the customer can withdraw or demand a reduction under art. 375 of the Code of Obligations.
