Professional Quote: Write Commercial Proposals That Convert
A well-written quote is the first step to winning a contract. It is your commercial business card: it must be professional, clear, complete and convincing. In Switzerland, even though a quote is not subject to the same legal obligations as an invoice, it legally commits the professional to the prices and services announced. To save time, start from our Swiss quote template: structure, mandatory information and validity terms are already in place.
Difference Between Quote, Offer and Invoice
| Criterion | Quote / Offer | Invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Before the service | After the service |
| Legal obligation | Not mandatory (except regulated sectors) | Mandatory for any transaction |
| Commitment | Commits the supplier on price | Payable upon receipt |
| Accounting value | None (no accounting entry) | Journal entry |
| VAT | Indicative (estimated amount) | Due (VAT declaration) |
| Numbering | Sequential recommended | Sequential mandatory |
Important: under Swiss law (Code of Obligations, art. 7), a quote sent with precise prices and conditions constitutes a binding offer. A client who accepts it creates a legally binding contract.
Mandatory Information on a Swiss Quote
Issuer Identification
- Full name or company name
- Postal address
- UID number (CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX) if registered with the Commercial Register
- VAT number (CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX MWST) if subject to VAT
- Contact email and phone number
Recipient Identification
- Client's name or company name
- Full address
- Contact person (recommended)
Quote Content
- Unique quote number (e.g.: QUO-2025-001)
- Issue date
- Validity date (period during which the offer is valid)
- Detailed description of each service or product
- Unit prices and quantities
- Amount excl. VAT (before tax)
- VAT amount with applicable rate (if subject to VAT)
- Amount incl. VAT (all taxes included)
- Payment terms: deposit, installment schedule, deadline
- Execution deadlines: planned timeline
- General terms: reference to your T&Cs
Structure of an Effective Quote
1. Professional Header
Your header should inspire confidence at first glance:
- Your company logo
- Complete contact details
- Clean design consistent with your visual identity
- Quote number and date clearly visible
2. Personalized Introduction
Do not skip this step. A personalized introduction shows that you have understood the client's needs:
Following our meeting on [date], we are pleased to submit our proposal for [project description]. This offer has been designed to meet your specific needs regarding [main objective].
3. Detailed Description of Services
Break down your offer into clear phases or deliverables. For each item:
- Precise description of what is included
- Expected result / deliverable
- What is explicitly excluded (to avoid misunderstandings)
4. Structured Price Table
| Description | Qty | Unit Price excl. VAT | Total excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Audit and needs analysis | 1 | CHF 2,500 | CHF 2,500 |
| Phase 2: Solution development | 40h | CHF 150 | CHF 6,000 |
| Phase 3: Testing and acceptance | 8h | CHF 150 | CHF 1,200 |
| Phase 4: Training (4 people) | 4h | CHF 180 | CHF 720 |
| Subtotal excl. VAT | CHF 10,420 | ||
| VAT 8.1% | CHF 844 | ||
| Total incl. VAT | CHF 11,264 |
5. Terms and Commitments
- Execution deadline: total duration and timeline per phase
- Payment terms: deposit (30-50% upon order), balance upon delivery
- Offer validity: 30 days (standard in Switzerland)
- Warranties: duration and scope of post-delivery warranty
- Modification clause: procedure in case of scope change
6. Acceptance Section
To formalize the client's agreement:
By signing this quote, the client accepts the conditions described above as well as our general terms and conditions available at [link].
Client signature: _________________ Date: _________________
Approved and agreed
Validity Period: Best Practices
Recommendation: 30 Days
- Protects against rising subcontracting or raw material costs
- Creates a sense of urgency for the client's decision
- Allows you to revise the offer if it is declined
Variations by Context
| Project Type | Recommended Validity |
|---|---|
| Simple service < CHF 5,000 | 15-30 days |
| Medium project CHF 5,000-50,000 | 30 days |
| Complex project > CHF 50,000 | 30-60 days |
| Public tender | As per specifications |
Legal Notice
Always add: "Offer valid until [specific date]. After this date, prices and conditions are subject to revision."
Follow-Up and Quote Tracking
Effective Follow-Up Process
| Timing | Action | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| D+2 | Courtesy follow-up | Email or call |
| D+7 | Value-added follow-up | Email + proposal for discussion |
| D+15 | Pre-expiry follow-up | Formal email |
| D+30 | Quote expired, renewal proposal |
To Bill automates these follow-ups and alerts you when a quote has not been viewed.
Conversion Statistics
Track your commercial performance in To Bill:
- Conversion rate: accepted quotes / quotes sent
- Average conversion time: number of days between sending and acceptance
- Average quote amount: to segment your offers
- Sales pipeline: total amount of quotes awaiting response
Quote to Invoice Conversion
1-Click Process with To Bill
- The client accepts the quote (by email, signature or verbally)
- Mark the quote as "Accepted" in To Bill
- Click "Convert to invoice"
- To Bill automatically carries over all line items, amounts and conditions
- Adjust if necessary (deposit, installment schedule)
- Generate and send the invoice with QR code
Time saved: 5 minutes saved per conversion, with zero risk of transcription error.
Deposit Management
For large projects, invoice in multiple stages:
- Deposit upon order: 30-50% of the total amount
- Interim invoice: at the end of each phase
- Balance upon delivery: remaining amount
To Bill automatically manages deposit tracking and balance calculation.
Types of Quotes by Activity
Fixed-Price Projects
- Break down into phases with clear deliverables
- Fixed price per phase + total
- Ideal for: web development, design, one-off consulting
Time and Materials Projects
- Hourly or daily rate
- Estimated number of hours (non-contractual)
- Billing based on actual time with guaranteed maximum (optional)
- Ideal for: maintenance, support, agile projects
Quotes with Options
Offer variants to increase your chances:
- Essential Option: the minimum viable
- Standard Option: the recommended choice (highlight it)
- Premium Option: all features
Tip: offering several options (typically three) rather than a single offer often helps the client picture the solution and makes the decision easier.
Legal Aspects of Quotes in Switzerland
The Quote Commits the Professional
Under Swiss law:
- The announced price is firm and final (unless an explicit contrary clause)
- You cannot increase the price after acceptance, except for a scope change agreed in writing
- Deadlines are indicative but may engage your liability in case of significant delay
Mid-Project Modifications
If the client requests modifications that exceed the initial scope:
- Stop additional work until it is validated
- Issue a supplementary quote detailing the modifications and their cost
- Have it signed before executing the additional work
- Convert to invoice once the work is completed
Quote Disputes
In case of disagreement:
- The signed quote serves as evidence (it is a contract)
- General terms apply if they were communicated and accepted
- In case of dispute, mediation is recommended before legal action
Quote Template with To Bill
Full Customization
- Logo and colors of your brand
- Professional layout with structured sections
- Pre-filled general terms
- High-quality PDF export
- Available in 4 languages: FR, DE, IT, EN
Templates by Sector
To Bill offers pre-configured templates for:
- Web development and IT
- Consulting and coaching
- Trades and construction
- Design and communication
- Fiduciaries and professional services