Overview
ArcSite's Modern proposal layout is the default for all companies. This article covers how to send and preview a proposal, switch back to the Classic layout, enable Sign in Person, add Social Proof and Reviews, and let your client view product photos.
Note: ArcSite switched all companies to the Modern layout as the default on September 22, 2026.
Availability
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Windows
Subscription Requirement: Estimate
What the Modern Layout Does
The Modern layout is a single, scrolling proposal page that adjusts to the device your client opens it on, replacing ArcSite's original page-by-page PDF format. It places your drawing, pricing, and the approval action near the top of the page, so your client sees what matters most without paging through a document formatted for print. Contract details such as disclosures, warranties, and the signature field appear when your client is ready to approve, instead of spread across separate pages up front.
The Modern layout applies your company's logo and brand colors automatically, wherever you've already set those up.
Switching a proposal between the Modern layout and the Classic layout changes only how your client sees the proposal. Your drawing, products, and pricing stay exactly as you built them either way.
Modern is the default for every new proposal. You don't need a separate step to choose it. The Classic layout, ArcSite's original page-based proposal format, remains fully supported whenever you choose it instead.
Where Proposal Layout Lives
Before sending, you'll find a Proposal Layout row in the settings box at the bottom of the Send dialog, next to Expiration Date and First Payment Due Date. Select Classic instead if you'd rather send that layout.
After you've sent a proposal, open it and select More, then Switch Layout, to change its layout. Switch Layout is available on sent proposals only, not on proposals still in Draft, or ones marked Lost or Void.
You can preview the Modern layout with View as Client, from inside the Send dialog before you send, or as its own button on the proposal page afterward. View as Client previews the Modern layout only.
Sending a Proposal in the Modern or Classic Layout
Follow these steps whenever you're ready to send a new proposal.
Finish setting up your proposal, then select Send.
Choose Send with Email or Send via Text.
Modern is already selected in the Proposal Layout row. Select Classic if you'd rather send that layout.
If you're sending the Modern layout, select View as Client to preview exactly what your client will see before you send it.
Complete the remaining fields.
Select Send. Your client receives the proposal in the layout you selected.
Note: Selecting Send Again on a proposal you already sent doesn't show the Proposal Layout option and doesn't change that proposal's layout. To change the layout after sending, use Switch Layout instead.
Switching the Layout of a Sent Proposal
Use this when a proposal has already gone out and you want your client to see it in the other layout.
Open the proposal. This only works on a sent proposal, not one still in Draft, or one marked Lost or Void.
Select More, then Switch Layout.
Choose Modern or Classic.
Your client's proposal link stays the same. Switching the layout doesn't send a new link, and your client isn't notified that the layout changed.
Enabling Sign in Person
Sign in Person lets you hand your device to a homeowner and collect their signature on the spot, instead of routing the signature through email or text. Sign in Person requires eSignatures to be turned on at Settings > Takeoff & Estimate > Proposal, and is on by default for every company.
Important: Turning off Identity verification allows your client to sign without confirming their email first. Without that confirmation, there is no record of who actually signed, which can make the signature harder to defend. Review your local laws and regulations before turning verification off.
Using Sign in Person
Open a proposal in Draft or Pending status and select Review and Sign Now.
A dialog explains that you'll open the proposal in your device's browser and review it with your client in person. Select Review with Client to open it, or select Copy Link and open that link manually if the browser doesn't open on its own.
When your client is ready to sign, a Verify it's you screen asks them to confirm their email address, prefilled from their contact info, and select Send code.
ArcSite emails a 6-digit code to that address. The email comes from ArcSite with the code shown in the message. If your client doesn't see it right away, have them check their spam or junk folder before selecting Resend code.
Your client enters the code in the six boxes provided and selects Verify & continue. If the code doesn't arrive, they can select Resend code, or change email if they need to correct it.
Once verified, hand your device to your client. They review the proposal and sign directly from the contract page.
If Sign in Person has been turned off for your company, a company admin can turn it back on at Settings > Takeoff & Estimate > Proposal in the ArcSite User Site.
Adding Social Proof and Review to Your Proposals
Social Proof and Review displays your company's star rating and testimonials inside the Modern layout, so homeowners see your reputation before they reach pricing. Set it up once, at the company level, and it applies automatically to every proposal you send afterward. It appears on Modern proposals once you've added a rating or at least one testimonial and turned the setting on.
Setting Up Social Proof and Review
Go to Settings > Takeoff & Estimate > Proposal in the ArcSite User Site.
Confirm your company name, logo, and website. These pull in automatically from your Company Profile. Select Edit in Company Profile to change any of them.
Add a rating from 0 to 5 stars.
Add up to five testimonials using Add Testimonial.
Select Preview to see how it will appear to a client.
Turn on Social Proof and Review.
Tip: If Social Proof and Review isn't showing up on your proposals, confirm you've added a rating or testimonial and that the setting is turned on.
Letting Your Client View Product Photos
On a desktop or other larger screen, your client can select Swap Layout in the Included Products card to see a photo, video, or PDF preview beside each product, instead of a plain text list. Swap Layout is available to your client when at least one product has a photo, video, or PDF added. This is something your client chooses while reading the proposal, not a setting you configure beforehand, and their choice resets if they reload the page.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
Why did a client's proposal look different than before?
Modern became ArcSite's default proposal layout on September 22, 2026. If Classic wasn't selected when the proposal was sent, your client saw the Modern layout.
Can I still send proposals in the Classic layout?
Yes. Select Classic in the Proposal Layout row when sending, or use Switch Layout to change an already-sent proposal back to Classic.
Does switching layouts change my proposal's pricing or drawing?
No. Switching between Modern and Classic changes only how the proposal is presented to your client. Your drawing, products, and pricing stay the same.
What is the one-time announcement I saw on a draft proposal?
The first time you open a draft proposal after September 22, 2026, you'll see a one-time announcement covering three points: proposals get signed faster, Sign in Person, and the Modern layout works well on mobile. It includes a See Example link to a live Modern proposal. It appears once per user and stops appearing entirely after October 2, 2026.
Do I need to set up Social Proof and Review for each proposal?
No. Set it up once at the company level and it applies automatically to every proposal, as soon as you've added a rating or testimonial and turned it on.
Do I need to turn on product photos for my client?
No. Your client switches to the photo view themselves while reading the proposal, as long as at least one product has a photo, video, or PDF added.