Sending Proposals

Once you have built a proposal with line items and pricing, the next step is to get it in front of your client. ServiceCortex provides several ways to deliver proposals and track whether they have been viewed.

Sending via email

From the proposal detail view, click Send. A preview modal appears showing you:

• Recipient -- the default recipient is automatically selected based on the client's primary contact email. If the client has multiple contacts with email addresses, you can choose a different recipient from the dropdown. ServiceCortex remembers the last contact you emailed and selects them by default on subsequent sends.
• Subject line -- pre-filled from your email template for proposals. You can customize it before sending.
• Message body -- rendered from your proposal email template with variables like the client name, proposal number, proposal total, and validity date already filled in. You can edit the message or replace it entirely.
• CC recipients -- add additional email addresses to copy on the email.
• Send copy to self -- check this option to receive a copy of the email at your own address.
• Attach PDF -- include the proposal as a PDF attachment. If the proposal has been signed, the PDF is attached automatically.
• Attachments -- select additional files from the project communications to include with the email.

Click Send to queue the email. The proposal status automatically transitions from Draft to Awaiting Response.

Email templates

Proposal emails use the enterprise template system. You can customize the default templates for both initial sends and follow-ups in Settings > Email Templates. Two template types are available:

• proposal_sent -- used when you send a proposal for the first time.
• proposal_followup -- used when you send a follow-up reminder.

Templates support variables such as clientFirstName, documentNumber, documentType (Quote or Estimate), proposalTotal, validUntil, and viewUrl. The portal link is automatically included so clients can view and interact with the proposal online.

Sharing the portal link

Every proposal has a unique portal link that gives the client access to an interactive view of the proposal. To get the link, click Portal Link on the proposal detail view. You can copy this URL and share it through any channel -- text message, chat, or your own email client.

The portal view allows clients to:

• Review all line items, quantities, and pricing
• Select or deselect optional items and see the total update in real time
• Approve or request changes to the proposal

Sending follow-ups

If a client has not responded, you can send a follow-up email. Click Follow Up on the proposal detail view. The follow-up uses a separate email template (proposal_followup) that you can customize with a different tone or additional urgency. Follow-ups include the same portal link and can have file attachments.

Sending a follow-up keeps the proposal in the Awaiting Response status, or transitions it there if the proposal was previously in another state.

Tracking proposal status

After sending, the proposal moves through these statuses:

You can archive a proposal from any non-terminal status if it is no longer needed. Archived proposals are kept for historical records but cannot be modified.

What to do next

• Learn how clients approve proposals and how approved proposals become jobs.
• Create an invoice once the job is complete.