Creating proposals with Portal is fast, intuitive, and—dare we say—actually enjoyable. Start by selecting your client and setting the stage with a personalized intro and cover image. Then map out your project with rooms, drop in products from your catalog, add labor, and offer optional upgrades. Portal handles the pricing, sales tax, and payment schedule automatically. When you're ready, send it off, get notified when your customer is looking at it, capture a secure digital signature for acceptance and get paid—all in one streamlined flow. This quick guide walks you through the process so you can create stunning, interactive proposals in just a few clicks.
Start a New Proposal
Begin by creating a new proposal. Select a customer from your address book, or add a new one. You can load a cover image (choose your own or use a stock photo), and set up the About Us section, which is where you explain what makes your business unique. You can upload images, add documents, or embed a personalized video. You can even save your intro as the default for future proposals.
Add a Project Overview and Rooms
Next, define the scope of the project with a Project Overview. Summarize the work clearly so the client knows what to expect. Then, create areas or rooms to organize the proposal by space.
Inside each room, you can:
Add products directly from your managed catalog
Drag and drop to reorder items
Nest items to show dependencies or groupings
Add Custom Items and Labor
Need to charge for things like wiring or install materials? Use Custom Items to add anything not in the catalog. You can even calculate pricing dynamically based on the room total.
Then, add labor. You can attach labor items manually, or use Auto Attachments so labor and accessories automatically pair with the product as soon as it’s added.
Offer Optional Upgrades
If your client is deciding between product options, you can give them clear upgrade paths. Use Optional Items to offer choices like a 65-inch TV or a 75-inch upgrade.
Just copy the base room into a new option, swap the items, and let the client compare. Portal tracks selections and pricing so there’s no confusion later.
Review Pricing and Payment Schedule
Portal handles all the math for you:
Sales tax is automatically calculated based on the project address
Margins are calculated using your dealer cost settings
A payment schedule is easy to set up. For example, 100% of the parts upfront, and the remainder at substantial completion
When payments are enabled, the Portal creates Payment Requests in the background. These requests adjust automatically based on the client’s selections.
Send, Track, and Get Paid
When you send the proposal, you’ll get a notification when the client opens it. From their view, they must select their options before accepting and signing.
Once they accept, Portal generates the payment request automatically and prompts the client to pay immediately. You can even add a convenience fee to offset credit card processing costs.
You’ll get another notification when they accept and again when they make their deposit.
That’s It
You just created and sent a complete, branded, and fully interactive proposal, including pricing, upgrades, payment schedule, and built-in e-signature.
It’s everything you need to win the job. And it only takes minutes.