From Enquiry to Quote
Learn the complete workflow of receiving an enquiry and converting it into a professional quote that wins bookings.
The enquiry-to-quote workflow is the heart of Bridal File. This is how you turn interest into confirmed bookings. In this tutorial, you'll learn to receive enquiries, review client details, create professional quotes, and track their status until you land the booking.
Step 1: Receiving Enquiries
New enquiries appear automatically when submitted through your embedded form. You can also manually add enquiries for phone or social media leads.
Each enquiry shows the client's name, email, event date, services they're interested in, and their message. Status indicators help you track progress: New (unread), Quoted, Booked, or Lost.
Pro Tip: Enable email notifications in Settings to get alerted the moment new enquiries arrive.
Step 2: Reviewing an Enquiry
Click any enquiry to see the full details. Review the client's requirements and event date, then check your calendar availability for their date. Note any special requests mentioned in their message.
Taking a moment to review thoroughly helps you create a more personalised quote that addresses exactly what the client needs.
Step 3: Creating a Quote
From the enquiry detail page, click the Create Quote button. The client details are pre-filled from the enquiry, and the event date is automatically set. A quote number is generated for you.
This saves you from re-entering information and ensures accuracy.
Step 4: Adding Services to Your Quote
Click service buttons to add them to your quote. Services come from your Settings, so set those up first for faster quote creation.
Each service shows your default price. Adjust quantities if needed, for example 3 bridesmaids. You can also add custom line items for one-off services and edit descriptions to personalise.
Pro Tip: Set up your services in Settings first to make quote creation lightning-fast.
Step 5: Setting Deposit and Validity
Choose your deposit percentage (25%, 50%, or a custom amount) and set the quote validity period, which defaults to 14 days.
Review the total and deposit amount in the summary panel. You can also add internal notes that only you can see, perfect for reminders about this particular client.
Step 6: Previewing and Sending
Save as a draft first to review, then click Preview to see exactly what your client will receive. When you're happy with everything, click Send to Client.
The client receives an email with a link to view and accept the quote in their personal portal. Professional, simple, and impressive.
Step 7: Tracking Quote Status
Track your quote's journey through the Quotes page. Status flows from Draft to Sent to Viewed to Accepted (or Declined).
You can see when the client last viewed the quote, which helps you know when to follow up. Quotes that haven't been viewed might need a gentle reminder email.
Once accepted, you can convert the quote to a booking with one click, and any payments already made transfer automatically.
What's next? Learn how to convert accepted quotes into bookings in our How to Add a Booking tutorial.