Invoice vs Quotation: What's the Difference?

Invoices and quotations look similar — both list items, prices and totals — but they serve very different purposes in the sales process.

Quotation: before the work

A quotation is sent before work begins. It proposes pricing for goods or services so a prospective customer can decide whether to go ahead. Quotations are usually valid for a limited period (e.g. 15 or 30 days) since prices can change.

Invoice: after the work

An invoice is sent after goods have been delivered or services completed. It's a formal request for payment, not just a proposal.

A simple workflow

1. Send a quotation to the prospect
2. They review and accept it
3. You complete the work
4. You convert the quotation into an invoice and send it for payment

With our quotation generator, once your quote is accepted you can click "Convert to Invoice" to transfer every detail automatically — no retyping needed.