Not every customer is ready to buy on the spot. A contractor pricing a building job, a school bursar comparing suppliers or a hotel planning a bulk order will often ask for a quote first. For many shops, that quote is written on a piece of paper or typed in a message and then forgotten.
We built a Quotes area into the Sales section of the Xduka POS dashboard, alongside Register, Orders and Invoices, so quotes become part of your records rather than a scrap of paper.
What is available
In the Quotes area you can:
- Create a new quote and select the customer it is for.
- Add lines with a description, quantity and unit price.
- Include notes, for example delivery terms or how long the quote is valid.
- Save a quote as a draft or mark it as sent.
- Accept a quote to turn it into an invoice, or void it if the deal falls through.
- Search quotes by quote number.
Access is role-aware. Owners and managers can view, create and edit quotes; cashiers can view and create them; viewers can see them without making changes.
Why use quotes in your POS?
Quote to invoice in one step
When the customer agrees, accepting the quote turns it into an invoice, so you do not have to retype the lines and prices.
Nothing gets lost
Every quote has a number and lives in the system. When the customer comes back two weeks later, you can find it.
A clear paper trail
From draft to sent to accepted (or void), the status of every quote is visible. That helps with business customers who need documentation for their own approvals.
Who benefits most
Quotes are especially useful for:
- Hardware stores pricing materials for contractors and builders.
- Wholesalers handling bulk orders from smaller retailers.
- Suppliers to institutions such as schools, offices and churches.
- Event and catering suppliers preparing orders for functions.
Tips for better quotes
- Use the customer profile. Add the customer properly so you can follow up.
- Be specific. Describe each item clearly, with exact quantities and unit prices.
- State validity in the notes. Prices from suppliers change; say how long the quote stands.
- Follow up. A short call a few days later often turns a quote into a sale.
- Accept promptly. When a customer agrees, accept the quote so it becomes an invoice they can pay through a PIN link.
How quotes connect to invoices and payments
Once a customer accepts, the quote becomes an invoice. Our invoices in Xduka POS include line items, tax, notes and due dates, can be sent by SMS or email with a PIN link, and can be paid online with STK or hosted checkout from our sister platform Paysasa.
Quick checklist
- Set your quote prefix in Settings → Invoicing.
- Create customer profiles for business customers before quoting.
- Describe every line clearly, with quantity and unit price.
- State how long the quote is valid in the notes.
- Mark the quote as sent once shared.
- Follow up, then accept or void the quote.
Setting your quote numbering
In Settings → Invoicing, you can set a quote prefix alongside your invoice and credit note prefixes. A clear prefix makes quotes easy to recognise and search for, and helps business customers reference them in their own approvals.
A quick example
For example, take a hardware store in Kitengela. Say a contractor asks for a price on cement, iron sheets and nails for a small house. The cashier creates a new quote, selects the contractor's customer profile, adds a line for each item with quantity and unit price, notes that prices are valid for seven days and marks the quote as sent. A week later the contractor agrees; the manager opens the quote and accepts it, and it becomes an invoice the contractor can pay through a PIN link.
Frequently asked questions
Can cashiers create quotes?
Yes. Cashiers can view and create quotes. Owners and managers can also edit them.
What happens to a quote that is not accepted?
It can be left as sent, or voided if the deal falls through.
From enquiry to invoice
Quotes turn enquiries into a proper sales process. With Quotes in Xduka POS, accepted quotes become invoices, nothing gets lost and business customers get the documentation they expect.
Explore Quotes, Invoices and the rest of Xduka POS at www.xduka.com.
