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A quotation is a document you send to a potential client before work begins. It sets out the exact scope of services or goods, the price for each item, and the terms under which that price is valid. Once the client formally accepts, the quotation typically becomes a binding commitment to deliver at the stated price.
An estimate is different. An estimate is an approximation — your best calculation given what you know at the time, with the understanding that the final figure may change as the work develops. Both documents can be created with this generator by toggling the Document Type between Quotation and Estimate.
In Singapore, the distinction between the two matters for contracts. If a client accepts your quotation in writing, that is generally treated as a binding contract. An estimate does not carry the same weight. Use a quotation when you are confident in your scope and pricing. Use an estimate when you know the work will vary and you need flexibility.
The standard billing flow runs: Quotation → Acceptance → Delivery → Invoice → Payment → Receipt. You send the quotation first. The client approves it — ideally in writing by email or signed copy. You do the work. Then you raise an invoice based on the approved quote.
This generator connects all three steps. Build your quotation here, click "Convert to Invoice" when the work is done, and all the line items, rates, client details, and tax settings carry over automatically. You can then download the invoice directly from the Invoice Generator page. If you need a receipt once the client pays, head to the Receipt Generator.
A professional Singapore quotation needs these fields to be taken seriously and to stand up if a dispute arises:
The scope notes section is the one most freelancers skip and regret. Writing "scope excludes content writing, stock images, and more than two rounds of revisions" is what prevents a client from adding deliverables after you have already quoted a fixed price.
Most Singapore quotations are valid for 14 to 30 days. Shorter periods are sensible if your input costs are volatile — renovation contractors, for instance, often quote for just 7 days because material prices change quickly. Longer periods of 60 or 90 days may be appropriate for professional services where your costs are stable.
The generator sets a default 30-day validity period automatically. The "Valid Until" date appears on the PDF so the client knows exactly when the quote expires. Including a validity clause is not just good practice; it also creates gentle urgency that can prompt faster decisions from slow clients.
Under Singapore contract law, a quotation that the client accepts — whether by signing, by email confirmation, or by paying a deposit — forms a binding agreement. The three elements needed are offer (your quotation), acceptance (the client's confirmation), and consideration (the agreed payment). If all three exist, you have a contract.
Practical implications: if you quoted S$5,000 for a project and the client accepted in writing, you cannot later increase the price unilaterally unless the agreed scope changes. Conversely, the client cannot demand more deliverables than what your scope notes describe. This is why clear scope definition in the quotation matters as much as the price itself.
For large projects, consider having the client sign a copy of the quotation rather than relying on email confirmation alone. Signed acceptance leaves no ambiguity about what was agreed.
Scope creep is the quiet enemy of a profitable project. It starts with a small addition — "can you just add one more page?" — and compounds until you have done 30% more work than you quoted for, at no extra charge. The best protection is a detailed quotation with explicit exclusions.
In the Notes field of this generator, write out your scope boundary clearly. For a web design project: "This quotation covers design for 5 pages. Additional pages are quoted at SGD X per page. Copy writing, photography, and ongoing maintenance are excluded." When the client asks for extras, you can reply with a reference to the original quotation and a new quote for the additional work.
A formal quotation number also helps: "As noted in QUO-042, the scope covers..." keeps the conversation professional and grounded in the agreed document.
If you are GST-registered, you must include GST in your quotation. Show the amount before GST, the GST at 9%, and the GST-inclusive total as three separate lines. Your client's finance team needs to see the breakdown to process the eventual invoice correctly.
If you are not yet GST-registered, quote your prices net of GST. Do not add a GST line or describe your price as "GST-inclusive" — both imply you are collecting GST when you have no authority to do so. If you are approaching the S$1 million registration threshold and expect to cross it, note on your quotation that prices are subject to GST if your status changes before the work begins.
Select "SG GST 9%" in the Tax Settings panel to add the GST calculation automatically. The generator separates the subtotal and GST amount clearly on the PDF.
A quotation is a fixed-price commitment. If the client accepts, you honour that price. An estimate is an approximation that may change as the project develops. Toggle between the two using the Document Type selector at the top of the form.
Click "Convert to Invoice" in the toolbar or at the bottom of the form. All line items, rates, client details, currency, and tax settings carry over automatically. You land on the Invoice Generator page with everything pre-filled.
Yes, once accepted. An accepted quotation is a contract under Singapore law. The client's written confirmation — email, signature, or deposit payment — constitutes acceptance. This is why clear scope notes matter: they define what the contract covers.
Only if you are GST-registered. If you are registered, show the GST separately on the quotation so your client knows the full cost including tax. If you are not registered, do not add a GST line. Use the SG GST 9% preset in Tax Settings and the calculation is automatic.
Typically 14 to 30 days for most services. Shorter for cost-sensitive work like construction where material prices fluctuate. Longer (60 to 90 days) for stable professional services. Set the Valid Until date in the Quote Details section; it prints on the PDF automatically.
Related tools: Invoice Generator · Receipt Generator · Singapore Quotation Guide