Quotation Generator

What is a quotation and who uses it in India

A quotation, sometimes called a price quotation or quote, is a written document a seller gives to a potential buyer that lists the goods or services on offer along with their prices, quantities and applicable taxes. Unlike an invoice, a quotation is issued before the sale is confirmed. It tells the buyer exactly what they will pay if they go ahead, and it usually stays valid for a stated period.

In India, quotations are used by almost every kind of business. Freelancers and consultants send them to win projects, shopkeepers and traders share them for bulk orders, contractors and interior designers quote for site work, and manufacturers issue them for wholesale supply. A good business quotation builds trust because the pricing is transparent and there are no surprises when the final bill arrives.

What a professional quotation format includes

• Your business name, address, phone number, email and logo at the top.
• Your GSTIN if you are registered, so tax handling is clear to the buyer.
• A unique quotation number and the date the quote is issued.
• The client or buyer name and address in a clear Bill To or Quote To block.
• A validity period, for example valid for 15 or 30 days from the date above.
• A line item table with description, quantity, rate and amount for each product or service.
• Subtotal, any discount, tax lines such as CGST and SGST or IGST, and the grand total.
• Terms and conditions covering payment, delivery timelines and any exclusions.
• A closing note or signature block to make the quotation look complete and authorised.

How to create a quotation online

• Open the quotation generator and enter your business details, including logo and GSTIN if you have one.
• Add the client name and address in the Quote To section.
• Set a quotation number, the issue date and a validity period.
• Add each line item with a description, quantity and rate. The amount calculates automatically.
• Apply any discount and choose the correct tax treatment for your goods or services.
• Review the live preview on screen to confirm the layout, totals and spelling.
• Download the finished quotation format PDF, ready to email or print.

Beyond a Quotation Format in Word or Excel

Most people who search for a "quotation format in word" or "quotation format in excel" end up manually setting up columns for item description, quantity, unit rate, and amount, then writing formulas for the subtotal, discount, CGST and SGST or IGST, and the grand total. Each new quote means re-checking those formulas and reformatting the table.

This tool handles all of that for you. Add your line items and it calculates the per-item amounts, applies your discount, splits the GST at the rate you choose, and shows the final quoted value plus validity period and terms. You get a clean, numbered quotation with your business logo, client details, and a professional layout, without touching a single cell or formula.

GST and tax treatment on quotations

If you are GST registered, your quotation should show tax the same way your final invoice will. For a sale within the same state you apply CGST plus SGST, and for an inter state sale you apply a single IGST at the combined rate. Showing this split on the quote means the buyer sees the true landed price and there is no dispute later.

Rates depend on what you supply. A restaurant service is typically 5 percent, hotel rooms are 12 percent up to a tariff of 7500 rupees per night and 18 percent above that, and residential rent to a private tenant carries no GST. Remember that petrol and diesel are outside GST entirely, so a fuel or petrol quotation shows no GST line at all. If you are not registered for GST, simply leave the tax fields empty and quote the plain price.

Using a quotation for records and reimbursement

Beyond winning new work, a quotation is a useful record keeping document. Businesses store quotes to track the prices they have offered over time, to compare vendor pricing, and to support their expense and reimbursement claims. If your employer or client asks for supporting documents against a genuine expense, a properly detailed quotation or bill helps you complete the claim cleanly.

If you have lost a genuine bill or quote for an expense you actually incurred, you can use this tool to recreate an accurate record for your own files and legitimate reimbursement. Only enter true details that reflect the real transaction. This tool is meant for honest record keeping, never for inventing expenses or misleading anyone.

Quotation vs invoice vs proforma invoice

A quotation is a pre-sale document that offers a price before the buyer agrees, so it carries no payment obligation and is not a GST tax document. A proforma invoice is a more committed estimate sent once the buyer shows intent, often used to arrange advance payment or approvals. A tax invoice is the final document raised after supply of goods or services, and it is the one that records GST and creates a payment due. In short, the quotation proposes the price, the proforma confirms the intended deal, and the tax invoice completes it for accounting and GST returns.

What to do after a quotation is accepted

• Confirm the buyer accepts the quoted price, quantity and validity in writing (email or signed copy).
• Collect any agreed advance and raise a proforma invoice if payment is needed before delivery.
• Supply the goods or complete the service as per the quoted scope.
• Convert the same line items into a GST tax invoice, keeping the quotation number as a reference.
• Report the tax invoice in your GSTR-1, not the quotation, since only the tax invoice carries GST liability.
• File the accepted quotation with the matching invoice so your records stay linked for audit or reimbursement.

Terms and conditions to add to a quotation

• Validity period, for example the price holds for 15 or 30 days from the quote date.
• Payment terms, such as advance percentage, credit days or milestone payments.
• Delivery or completion timeline after the order is confirmed.
• Taxes clause stating whether the quoted price is inclusive or exclusive of GST.
• Warranty, return or after-sales support offered, if any.
• Note that prices may change for orders placed after the validity date.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving out the validity period, which lets a buyer expect old prices weeks later.
• Forgetting to add your GSTIN when you are registered, which confuses tax handling.
• Mixing up CGST plus SGST with IGST, or applying GST to items that are outside it like fuel.
• Vague line items, so quantity, rate and description should always be specific.
• Missing terms and conditions, which leaves payment and delivery expectations unclear.
• Reusing the same quotation number, which makes your records impossible to track.
• Sending a quote with spelling errors or wrong totals, which looks careless to clients.

Frequently asked questions