Summary:
Once you have created your Proposal Template you will be able to test how it looks before putting it into production. This will ensure that the proposal looks exactly how you want it to before it is delivered to customers.
As you’re creating your template, you’ll notice the preview pane shows example data so you have a sense of how the sections will be laid out.
Once you are finished editing and formatting the proposal you can use the Preview PDF button to generate a more realistic version of your proposal output. The generated PDF will show your selected page size, margins, and any headers or footers you added. This is a quick way to preview your work-in-progress template and spot check formatting and layout. Please note, the preview will show generic information. You will not see your company information or logo you added in Pt. 1 with this preview.
How to test your Proposal with real data:
The next step is to preview your template using real data. You’ll notice that up to this point your proposal template has been in Draft mode. This means it is only available for use within the User Site — not yet in the app.
Draft templates can be used to generate real proposals so you can accurately assess that your template is set up correctly. Just as importantly, it allows you to go back and make edits. Let’s try it out.
Navigate back to Home and open a project with an existing drawing. We recommend you test your template with a variety of drawings, but for now just pick one with takeoff and estimate data (one with some of your products in the drawing).
Open the Takeoff & Estimate tab, then click Export.
You’ll see your draft proposal listed in blue. Click it to generate a PDF with data from this drawing.
Open the downloaded file and check out your new proposal!
Remember: your proposal template is still in Draft mode. This means it’s still fully editable, but not yet available to use in the app.
If you have any changes to make, navigate back to Advanced Settings > Proposal Templates and open your draft template. Repeat as needed.
Additionally, ArcSite allows you to create one or more output templates to provide the right information to different types of audiences. While one need is to provide your potential client with a proposal, you can take that same initially gathered Information and present it in a different way for an internal audience.
Watch this short video to find out how.
If your template is ready for prime time, the next step is to Publish to App.
See a demonstration in the video below.