This article is part of the Estimates section.

You can turn on a System Setting called "Estimate Doesnt Expire" which will set the Estimate Doesn't Expire box to be automatically ticked. An additional System Setting called "Default Expiry Window" allows you to pre-set the number of days that a request will expire after it has been sent. Please contact CPL Support to configure these settings.

1. Click Next to move to the Contractors screen to select which contractors you want to send requests to.
   
   
2. Use the Existing dropdown to select from contractors you have already used.
   
   
3. Click the binoculars to search the system for a contractor.
   
   
4. Click New Contact to add details for a new contractor.
   
   
   

New contacts will only be used for the estimate request, and no PL account will be created at this stage.

1. Click the + button to add them to the list of contractors to send the estimate to. They will appear in the top part of the screen.
   
   
   
   
2. You can remove contractors from the list by right-clicking and selecting Delete, or clicking the  icon in the Remove column.
   
   
3. You can export the grid by right clicking and selecting Export.
   
   
4. When you have selected all your contractors, click Finish.
   

Sending an Estimate Request

1. You can still edit the details at this stage and the PM will be notified of changes if you have pop-up notifications enabled.
   
   
   
   
2. You can add/remove contractors on the Quotes tab.
   
   
3. When you are ready, click the Send Estimate Requests button. 
   
   
   
   
4. A pop-up window will ask you to confirm you want to send emails to contractors. Click Yes to proceed.
   
   
5. You can attach files to your request emails – e.g. photos of damage to be repaired
   
   
6. Click OK to dismiss the success pop-up.
   
   
7. The report preview will appear and you can print or export from this screen.
   
   
8. Click Accept. This tells the system that the request has been sent.
   
   
   

You can choose which email address your Estimate Requests are sent from with the System Setting called "Estimate Email From". Please contact CPL Support to configure this.

Resending Estimate Requests

1. Once your requests have been sent, the options on the left panel will change.
   
   
2. You can click the Resend Estimate Request button to re-send the request to the same contractors.
   
   
   
   
3. You also have the option to resend only to contractors who have not replied with the Resend Unanswered Estimate Requests button.
   
   
   
   
4. The estimate state in the top panel will change to Requested once you have sent your requests.
   
   

Sending Estimate Requests to additional contractors

You might want to send an estimate request to additional contractors without re-sending the request to the initial contractors you selected.

To do this:

1. Open up your Estimate Request and click the Quotes tab.
   
   
2. Search for your contractor following the same steps as before, and click the + button to add them to the list.
   
   
3. Click Send New Quotes Out to send a request to the new contractors only.
   
   
   
   
4. Follow the same process as before to send your request(s).
   
   

Blockworx

If your company uses the Blockworx platform to communicate with your contractors, the quote requests will now be listed in the contractors’ Blockworx portal. They can use the portal to send comments/questions about the quote request and to submit their quotation.

For more information on Blockworx see: Working with Blockworx Contractors - Estimates