Overview
Use a Standalone Estimate when the vehicle is already in the workshop (mid-job) or already booked, and you need the customer to approve or decline extra work.
The goal is simple:
Agree on the price, then continue the repair work.
How it works:
You discover additional work (parts/labor) during an inspection.
You send an estimate via SMS/Email.
The customer approves the extra cost.
Your team continues the repair on the existing job.
Important: Approval Does Not Create a Booking
When a customer approves a standalone estimate, they are only agreeing to the extra cost. A new booking is not generated because:
The vehicle is already in the workshop (or already has a confirmed schedule).
The approval simply acts as a notification for your team to proceed with the work.
If a customer asks for a price before their first visit, you must use a Quote Estimate instead.
For workshop staff
When to send a standalone estimate
Use this flow when:
The car is already booked in or sitting in the workshop
You discovered extra work (parts, labour, fluids, etc.)
You need written customer approval before going ahead
You are not trying to create a new drop-off appointment
Do not use standalone when someone is only enquiring about price and has not booked yet — start from a quote request, then send a quote estimate.
How to send estimation
Open Inbox and the customer’s conversation.
Choose Send estimate from the composer or quick actions (no quote attached).
Enter the car rego, amount (and optional max), services, and a short note if needed.
Tap Send Estimation. The customer gets an email with a link to review the estimate.
After the customer responds
Customer action approved
What you see:
Inbox shows an Estimate Approved card
What to do next:
Continue the repair on the current job
Customer action No reply
What you see:
Card stays Sent or Viewed
What to do next:
Follow up, or Resend / Cancel from estimate details while it is still open
Open View Details on the Estimation Sent card to see the amount, services, public link, and timeline. From details (while status is Sent or Viewed) you can Resend or Cancel.
There is no Convert step for standalone estimates. Convert is only for quotes estimate.
What the customer sees & does
What they receive
They get an SMS and/or email from the workshop with a link to their estimate. The page shows the workshop name, total, services, and how long the estimate is valid.
They do not need to understand “standalone” vs “quote” — the page looks like a normal service estimate.
What they do on the estimate page
Open the link View estimate and review the price and services.
Tap Approve estimate
They will not be asked to pick a drop-off date for a new visit. This estimate is only about agreeing to the extra work.
After they approve
The workshop is notified in Inbox (and may get a push notification).
A confirmation message tells them the workshop has been notified.
No new booking or appointment is created.
The shop continues work on the job they already have.
Common questions
Why is there no booking after the customer approved?
Approve ≠ booked. For a standalone estimate, Approve only means “I agree to this extra cost.” The car is already in for a job (or the work is mid-job). You do not schedule a new visit from this flow.
Should staff Convert a standalone estimate?
No. Convert turns a quote into a booking. Standalone estimates are not quotes. After approval, simply continue the existing job.
The customer wants a price before coming in — is this the right flow?
No. Ask them for a quote request (or open an existing one), then send a Quote estimate. That path can lead to scheduling a drop-off.
Can we resend or cancel?
Yes, while the estimate is still Sent or Viewed: open View Details in Inbox and use Resend or Cancel. After the customer has approved, you generally continue the job rather than cancelling the approval.