Templates
Quotation format with tax: free Excel, Word and PDF download
A quotation that shows the price, the tax and the terms the way the invoice will, so the customer agrees once and nothing changes when you bill.
Free download, no sign-up
Filled with the sample shown. The Excel file has formulas for tax and totals.
In short
A quotation is the price offer you send before a sale: items, prices, tax, total, validity and terms. No tax rule prescribes it. This format is a free download, and SimpleERP turns an accepted quotation into an invoice.
Harbor Supply Co.
Tax number 100 234 567
Quotation
QTN-2026-0031
Quotation for: Summit Interiors
- Office chair mesh40 pcs
- LED panel 2×212 pcs
What this document is for
A quotation tells a customer what you will supply, at what price and on what terms, before they commit. It is not a tax document: VAT, GST or sales tax is charged on the invoice that follows, not on the quote.
- Price an enquiry in writing, with tax shown so the total is not a surprise
- Fix the terms before the order: validity, delivery, freight and payment
- Carry the same lines into the invoice, so what was agreed is what is billed
Contents
What a quotation should contain
No rule lists what a quotation must say, so these are the fields a buyer's purchasing team and your own accountant expect. The full table is further down.
- Your business name, address and tax number
- A quotation number and date, and the date it is valid until
- The customer's name and address
- Each item with quantity, unit and price
- Tax shown separately, with the total
- Delivery, freight and payment terms
How to fill it
How to fill the template
The download comes filled with quotation QTN-2026-0031 from Harbor Supply Co. to Summit Interiors. Replace the sample with your own; the Excel totals recalculate.
Put your details in the header
Business name, address and tax number, once, then save it as your own file.
Number, date and validity
Use a series such as QTN-2026-0001 and give a valid-until date, usually 15 to 30 days.
Add the lines with the tax rate
Quote the price before tax and let the template add the tax, so the buyer sees both.
Write the terms
Delivery time, who pays freight, advance and balance payment, and warranty if any.
| Description | Quantity | Rate | Amount | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office chair mesh | 40 pcs | $74.00 | $2,960.00 | 20% |
| LED panel 2×2 | 12 pcs | $21.00 | $252.00 | 20% |
| Total | How it is worked out | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Subtotal | Sum of the lines | $3,212.00 |
| Tax at 20% | 20% of the subtotal | $642.40 |
| Total | Subtotal plus tax | $3,854.40 |
SimpleERP
Make it in SimpleERP instead
In SimpleERP a quotation uses the same customers, products and tax rates as your invoices. When the customer says yes, mark it accepted and convert it to a sales order or straight to an invoice without retyping a line.
- Quotation numbers by financial year, assigned for you
- An expiry date, after which the quotation shows as expired
- Convert to a sales order or invoice in one step
- Print or save as PDF on clean A4
Illustration of the keyboard-first invoice editor with a focused line, live tax totals and shortcut hints.
Fields
Every field on a quotation, and why
No rule prescribes a quotation. The fields mirror a full tax invoice (in the EU, article 226 of the VAT Directive), so the invoice that follows matches what was quoted.
| Field | Required | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your business name, address and tax number | Good practice | The other side needs it to raise or match a tax invoice later. |
| Document number and date | Good practice | A numbered series lets both sides refer to one document without confusion. |
| Party name, address and tax number | Good practice | The customer or supplier the document is addressed to. |
| Item description, quantity, unit and rate | Good practice | The same detail the tax invoice will carry, so nothing changes in between. |
| Tax shown separately | Good practice | Shows the rate and amount of tax so the price is not mistaken for tax inclusive. |
| Total and currency | Good practice | One figure both sides agree to, with no doubt about the currency. |
| Terms: validity, delivery and payment | Good practice | Avoids a dispute when prices or dates move. |
| Signature or name of the person approving it | Good practice | Of the person who can commit the business. |
Source: No format is prescribed; good practice, verified 5 November 2026.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid on a quotation
- No valid-until date, so a customer holds you to an old price months later
- Quoting a single figure without saying whether tax is included
- Leaving freight and loading out, then adding them on the invoice
- Using a different tax rate on the quotation and the invoice
- Calling the quotation a tax invoice, which the buyer cannot reclaim tax on
Honest limits
What this format does not cover
- A proforma invoice: SimpleERP does not make one, and a quotation with tax shown serves the same purpose for most buyers
- Price lists per customer: prices are typed or taken from the product
- Quotations in foreign currencies
Getting started
Start with your first invoice
Sign up with your email
Name, email and a password. No card for the seven-day trial.
Tell us about the business
Pick your country and type your tax number. Currency, tax rates, accounts, units, roles and numbering are set up for that country.
Add what you sell
Add products with unit, price and tax rate, one at a time or from a spreadsheet with opening stock.
Post your first invoice
Pick the customer, add lines and save. Your first tax invoice can be out within 10 minutes of signing up.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is a quotation a tax document?
No. Tax rules prescribe the invoice, not the quotation. A quotation is a commercial offer, so you can use any layout, though showing tax separately avoids arguments later.
Can I use this format in Excel with formulas?
Yes. Each line's amount, tax and total are formulas, and so is the quotation total. Change a quantity or price and the total follows.
Should a quotation include tax?
Show it separately. Quote the price before tax and add the VAT, GST or sales tax below, so the buyer knows the full cost and, if registered, how much tax they can reclaim. Selling to consumers, many countries expect prices shown including tax, so say which you are doing.
What is the difference between a quotation and a proforma invoice?
A quotation offers a price before the order. A proforma invoice is usually sent after the order, often to collect an advance. Neither is a tax invoice, and neither lets the buyer reclaim tax.
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