DESKTOP EDITION CLOUD EDITION SERVER EDITION GUIDES FORUM

Batch updating prices in quotes

#1

I use “quotes” as templates for invoices of multiple inventory items by using the “copy to” button to create a new invoice. From time to time prices of the wholesale items sold in rise . This must be adjusted by adjusting the sales price. However on adjusting the sales price in the inventory the price in the quote does not change. I can see sound reasons for this. However I sell hundreds of different items that are combined in various ways on an invoice according to the need of the customer. Really I am using “quotes” as a the basis for a repeated customer invoice or as a form of “Invoice Kit”. It works well for this except for when the prices need to be changed.

Is there a way of updating prices in quotes that does not involve going through each quote to change the price of the same item on each quote?

I have looked at “Invoice Kits” but because this feature combines all line items into one item on the customer invoice it I cannot use it because it is a legal requirement that I display all items involved in the sale on the invoice and the amounts involved. Does anyone have any suggestions? Being able to update all prices in “quotes” automatically when sale prices in inventory are changed would work well in my business if it is possible in some way.

#2

Manager doesn’t have a mechanism for this mostly because quotes shouldn’t be used that way. Maybe there will a module one day made for this scenario but no immediate plans.

#3

What you describe could cause many problems, @chm . For example, you issue a quote that is still valid when a price changes. If the quote within Manager were automatically updated, you would now have a quote on file different from what you provided to your customer. Many disagreements and misunderstandings could result.

A quote is an offer to sell with specific legal ramifications including, usually, a validity period. If the customer accepts the quote, you have a binding contract, regardless of how your underlying costs may have changed. That is just one of the risks of business. It is also why some companies in volatile markets do not quote prices for future delivery.

As to your concern about an invoice kit, listing that kit and its price should satisfy any legal requirements. Conceptually, that is no different from a manufactured product with many individual parts. The final assembly price is listed, not every nut and bolt. Likewise, with an inventory kit, only the price of the full kit should need to be listed.

#4

Yes I understand that it is not the correct use for quote and see the sense of not being able to change the prices as I would wish. I was just wondering if there was a work around. @Tut in my profession (herbal medicine) the invoice kit does not meet the legal requirement because each individual component of a herbal prescription must be listed and issued to the customer (in Australia). The very function of the invoice kit is set up to avoid doing this. I think there may be a call for a module has the function I am talking about if you sell groups of inventory items that are sold in a given combination on a regular basis. It might even be an addition to “recurring sales invoices” an option that allow the choice of invoices that reoccur on an irregular basis rather than a regular basis only.