When creating a proposal in Ignition you'll work through the 6 tabs during the creation process. Don't worry - the vast majority of the work is done in the first 2 tabs and this is a very simple process!
Interactive demonstration
General Settings
The first step is to set the general settings of the proposal.
Here you can:
Give your proposal a name.
(Note: This is an internal field that your clients won't see)
Assign the correct client. If you created the proposal directly from the client, this will be pre-filled for you.
(Note: If you do not have the client saved already, you can also create a new one)
Next, we can determine when this contract will start as well as the minimum term of the contract.
Effective Start Date
Firstly, set an Effective Start Date for the proposal. This date should be set as when you will commence providing services (or earlier).
Whilst this date does not directly impact when you will start billing (this is set by the billing rules in a later step) you should also ensure this date is before (or on the same date) as billing will start too.
What you choose here should set proper expectations for clients! Learn more about setting this date here.
Minimum Contract Length
Next, decide on your Minimum Contract Length which sets a minimum term for a proposal.
This term does not impact when billing will end (this is set by the billing rules in a later step), and billing can continue after this term.
To set the correct expectations for your client, you should expect that all services included within the proposal will be started within this term (but can continue after).
If you're not sure what you should choose here, you can ask yourself a few questions:
How long will you be performing these services for?
If there is no definitive timeframe, when would you want to review the scope and pricing for this client?
Once you answer these, you'll know how to set your Minimum Contract Length for. Learn more about setting this term here.
Note: A good analogy is to think of your proposal as a contract similar to a rental agreement or a mobile phone contract. These types of contracts typically have a minimum contract obligation (e.g. 12 months), which then moves to month-to-month once the contract reaches the minimum length.