Create a New Proposal

While using the Custom Proposals application, you can create a new proposal or use a pre-formatted template to define the proposal's layout and pertinent information.

This option displays if your enterprise uses CRM Plus.

To create a new proposal:

1. In the Navigation pane, go to the Proposals section and complete one of the following:
   • Open the Custom Proposals application and click +New Proposal.
   • To use a template as the basis of the proposal:
     • Open the Custom Proposals application and click +New Proposal. On the New Proposal dialog, select the name of a template from the Template drop-down.
     • Open the Templates application, select a template, and click Options > Create New Proposal from Template. Note that the name of the selected template will default in the Template field on the Proposal Properties dialog box.
2. On the New Proposal dialog, enter the general proposal properties: Name (required), Number, Project, and Due Date. If you used +New Proposal and are using a template as the basis for the proposal, select a Template.
3. Click Show Additional Properties to specify any additional proposal properties (Client, Organization, Source, and so on).
4. Click Continue to save the proposal and launch the Proposal Builder. The Proposal Builder opens with two pages, a cover page and a blank second page. The cover page displays listing the Name of the proposal and Prepared for [client name] below it. The second page is blank.
5. Begin building the proposal:

   Procedure	Related Information
   Define properties for the proposal. These apply as the proposal's default settings including the title of the proposal.	Define the Proposal Properties
   Define document properties for the proposal. These are the default properties for page orientation and margins.	Define Document Properties
   Add hub records to the proposal. Drag the Record Vantagepoint element onto the proposal to display the Add Record dialog box: Select the hub from which you want to add the records. Choose a record from the selected hub to add to the proposal. You can do this by typing part of the name and selecting from the drop-down. Some common fields are available to add to the record Specify the number of images you want to add to each record within the proposal. You can add more images later if desired. Click Add to add the records to the proposal. Vantagepoint inserts each record into the proposal.	Insert a Hub Record
   Select the specific field information that you want to include for the record: Select the Text Box and drag it to the desired location on the record. Double-click on the text box to open the Edit Text dialog box. Click Insert Fields to open the Insert Fields dialog box. Use the search in the Select Fields to Add column to enter the name, or part of the name, of the field that you want to add. Vantagepoint displays fields that match the search criteria. Click the checkbox by each field that you want to add. Click the right arrow to add them to the Selected fields for this proposal. Vantagepoint inserts placeholders for each field in the proposal. These fields are populated with data when you merge and finalize the proposal.	Insert Field Information into a Proposal Insert Fields Dialog Box Edit Text Dialog Box
   When you specify field information for the proposal, there are some hub fields that allow you to further specify the data that is selected for the proposal. For example, the Team grid in a project record displays a drop-down that allows you to specify All, Owner, Clients, or Vendor Firms. If you select a column that is a number, currency, or date, you can specify the format for that column. Click the link to open the Format Number, Format Date/Time, and Format Currency dialog boxes.	Format Currency Dialog Box Format Date/Time Dialog Box Format Number Dialog Box
   Use the Manage Records dialog box to add or remove records on the proposal.	Add or Remove Records on a Proposal
   Use the Proposal Builder to insert additional elements on the proposal.	Work with Proposal Elements
   Add section breaks to the proposal.	Insert Section Breaks Define Section Properties
   Add pages to the proposal and format as needed.	Add Pages to a Proposal Define Page Properties
   Save the record layout as a draft for editing later. This allows you to continue editing the proposal and make quick updates at one time instead of having to make changes to each individual record. It is helpful to keep the proposal in draft mode until you need to edit each record individually or until you are ready to merge and publish. When saving a proposal as a template, you should leave the records as drafts if you would like to change the selected records for individual proposals.	Save Record Layout as Draft
   Merge and finalize the layout of the records. This separates the records from being a group and disconnects the proposal information from the hub so that it is no longer updated with changes from the hub record. It allows you to edit each record individually for this proposal without affecting the record in the hub.	Merge and Finalize Records

6. To use this proposal as the basis for a template that will be used to create new proposals, click Other Actions > Save Proposal as Template. This saves the existing proposal as a template for reuse with new data. Templates can be reused to create multiple proposals. Note that records are saved as draft or final records depending on their state in the proposal. See Edit Record Layout Options for more information.
7. Export to PDF and send to the client.