Converting Job Quote Review Checklist
Most losses on converting jobs trace back to the quote: a missing operation, an optimistic run speed or an unclear overs clause. This checklist walks an estimator or reviewer through the points that matter before a quote is released.
0 of 35 items complete
12 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.
Specification capture
Material and yield
Process time and cost
Commercial terms
Approval and release
Every critical item should be a yes before the quote leaves the building. Open critical items are the reason most converting quotes lose money.
Compare quotes with actual job costs
Optional: a review of how quoted versus actual cost could be pulled from your ERP for estimator feedback.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use it
Run through the checklist for each new quote or any quote above your approval threshold. Tick items as they are confirmed and pay special attention to those marked critical. The list is grouped in the order an estimator works: specification, material and yield, process time and cost, commercial terms and approval. Export the completed checklist with the quote for a record of what was checked.
Why these checks
A converting quote carries three kinds of risk: technical, where the spec is not understood; cost, where yield, speed or setup are too optimistic; and commercial, where the terms leave the converter exposed. Each group addresses one. Material and yield checks catch the largest dollar errors, because material is usually the biggest cost, and routing checks catch the most common omission, which is a forgotten operation.
Using it for improvement
After the job closes, compare actual hours, material and waste to the quote. If a particular check keeps failing, such as run speed, change the estimating standard rather than the individual quote. Keep the checklist short enough that people will actually use it, and update it when a loss reveals a new risk.
- Compare quoted and actual cost monthly
- Update achieved speed tables from shop-floor data
- Review win and loss against margin by job type
Common mistakes
Quotes fail when the review happens after the customer has been told a number, when the second reviewer rubber-stamps, or when special requests in an email never reach the job ticket. Make the review part of the release step and attach the checklist to the quote record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which items are critical and why?
Critical items are the ones whose failure usually costs real money or creates a dispute: spec match, yield and waste, makeready, routing completeness, achieved speeds, overs and unders, margin and review. Treat any open critical item as a stop.
Who should run this checklist?
The estimator completes it before release, and a second person such as the sales manager or plant manager reviews quotes above a set value or margin risk. Small shops can have one person do both with a pause between.
How is this different from a quote template?
The quote template is the customer-facing document. This checklist is internal and verifies that the numbers and terms behind the document are complete and realistic before it is sent.
How often should we update the checklist?
Review it at least yearly and after any job that loses significant money. Add the missed check, and remove checks nobody uses. A short, current list beats a long list people ignore.
If quote history, actual job costs and material prices sit in different systems, we can help build a private assistant that compares a draft quote with past jobs and flags risks for the estimator.
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