Jobs, estimates, and invoices explained
An estimate is the quote your client approves, a job is the work itself with its visits and files, and an invoice is the bill that collects payment. They link together: an approved estimate converts to an invoice in one click, and a job holds one estimate, one invoice, and any number of visits and files, so money and work always stay connected.
Three records carry a piece of work from "how much would it cost?" to "paid in full". Each has one role:
| Record | Its job | The client sees it? |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate | The quote: proposed line items and price, sent for approval | Yes, they approve or decline it online |
| Job | The work: schedule, visits, crew, files, checklists, completion reports | Only what you share (reports, portal) |
| Invoice | The bill: what is owed, sent for payment | Yes, they view and pay it online |
How they link together
The typical path: a lead asks for a price, you send an estimate, the client approves it online, you convert it to an invoice in one click, and a job carries the actual work with its visits and crew.
None of the links are mandatory: you can invoice without an estimate, run a job without either, or quote without ever creating a job. But the job is the container: it holds one estimate, one invoice, and any number of visits, files, and checklists, and its Finance tab shows exactly where the money stands, so nobody hunts through lists to answer "did we bill this?".
A job's PO Number, when the client issued one, is copied onto estimates and invoices created from that job automatically.
Estimate statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unsent | Drafted, the client has not received it |
| Sent | Emailed to the client, awaiting their decision |
| Approved | The client accepted (optionally with a signature) |
| Declined | The client said no, with optional feedback |
| Converted | Turned into an invoice; this estimate's billing lives there now |
Invoice statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unsent | Drafted, the client has not received it |
| Sent | Emailed, awaiting payment |
| Partially paid | Some money in, balance still owing |
| Paid | Balance is zero, everyone is happy |
| Overdue | Past the due date with a balance owing (automatic) |
| Cancelled | Void; it no longer counts toward what is owed |
Job statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Created, work not started |
| In progress | Work underway |
| Completed | Done, with an optional completion report |
| Cancelled | Called off |
Visits carry their own schedule statuses on the calendar; the job's status is the summary of the whole engagement.
Where the money math lives
Line items, taxes, discounts, and deposits are calculated identically on estimates and invoices, so a converted estimate never changes price on the way to becoming a bill. A deposit collected against an estimate carries to the invoice and reduces its balance due.
Frequently Asked Questions
This article answers:
- What is the difference between a job, an estimate, and an invoice?
- Do I need a job to create an invoice?
- What do the estimate statuses mean?
- What do the invoice statuses mean?
- How do estimates, jobs, and invoices connect to each other?