Templates
Quotation Format: What a Professional Quote Should Look Like
·6 min read
Two businesses can quote the same price and lose or win the job on format alone. A clean, well-structured quotation says "I'm organised and professional"; a messy one plants doubt. Here's the standard quotation format, section by section, and how to get it right every time.
The standard quotation format
A professional quotation follows a predictable structure — clients expect to see these sections, in roughly this order:
- Header — your business name, logo, address, phone, email and tax/registration number.
- The word "Quotation" — clearly labelled, plus a unique quote number.
- Dates — the issue date and a "valid until" date.
- Client details — the recipient's name, business and address.
- Line items — a table: description, quantity, unit price, line total.
- Totals — subtotal, tax (VAT/GST/sales tax), and the grand total.
- Terms — payment terms, deposit, validity and exclusions.
- Acceptance — a signature line or an online accept option.
A sample quotation layout
Picture the page top to bottom: your branded header on the left with the quote number and dates on the right; the client's details below; then the itemised table; the totals aligned to the bottom-right; your terms underneath; and a clear acceptance line at the foot. That predictable flow is what makes a quotation easy to read and easy to approve.
Formatting that builds trust
Align your numbers, keep one consistent font, show tax as its own line, and never let columns collide. Small formatting details are exactly what separate a quote that gets accepted from one that gets ignored.
Quotation format tips
- Use a consistent template so every quote looks the same — see the free quote templates.
- Itemise clearly. One service or material per line, with quantities.
- Right-align figures and use a monospaced or tabular number style so totals line up.
- Brand it with your logo and colours.
- Export to PDF or send a trackable link so the layout holds on any device.
Get a perfect quotation format automatically
You shouldn't have to fight with table columns and tax maths on every job. Jotquote produces a perfectly formatted, branded quotation from a plain-language description — itemised, totalled and tax-correct — that you can download as a PDF or send as a link. Try the quote generator or browse the template gallery.
A flawless quote format, every time
Describe the job and get a perfectly formatted, branded quotation in seconds. Free to start.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What is the correct format for a quotation?
A standard quotation has a branded header, the label 'Quotation' with a unique number, issue and expiry dates, the client's details, an itemised table of line items with quantities and prices, a subtotal, tax and total, your terms, and a way to accept.
What's the difference between a quotation and an invoice?
A quotation is sent before the work to propose a price the client can accept. An invoice is sent after the work (or at agreed stages) to request payment. They share a similar layout but serve opposite ends of the job.
Should a quotation be in Word, Excel or PDF?
Create it however suits you, but send it as a PDF or a web link so the formatting stays consistent on any device and can't be accidentally altered.
