How Accepted Quotes Become Work in Progress
Learn how accepted quotes become Work in Progress, how schedules are carried into forecasting, and why reviewing linked work records is essential for accurate future planning.
Quotes represent potential future work. Once a quote has been accepted, BCB connects that agreed work to Work in Progress (WIP), allowing it to contribute to operational planning and forecasting.
This helps bridge the gap between winning work and understanding its future impact on your business.
Starting With a Quote
Quotes help you track potential opportunities and future work. At this stage, the quote represents work that may occur but has not yet become part of your operational schedule.
Reviewing quotes helps answer questions such as:
- What opportunities are currently being considered?
- What future work may be secured?
- What value could be added to the business if accepted?
What Happens When a Quote Is Accepted?
Accepting a quote connects the agreed work to Work in Progress. The accepted quote creates a work record, allowing the work to become part of your operational planning process.
If a schedule already exists, the associated timing information is carried across into Work in Progress.
Work Records Drive The Forecast
Once a quote has been accepted, the linked work record becomes the primary source for future scheduling information.
When reviewing forecast contributions, focus on:
- Scheduled income
- Scheduled costs
- Milestone dates
- Work timing
Rather than relying on the quote total alone.
Why Timing Matters
A quote value tells you how much work has been secured.
The work schedule and milestones tell you when that value is expected to contribute to future activity and forecasting.
For example:
Quote A:
$50,000 of work beginning next month.
Quote B:
$50,000 of work beginning six months from now.
Although both quotes have the same value, the impact on forecasting is very different.
Review The Linked Work Record
After accepting a quote, review the linked work record to ensure it matches the work agreed with the customer.
Check:
- Scheduled income
- Scheduled costs
- Milestone dates
- Work timing
- Forecast contribution
Review the resulting schedule before relying on the forecast for business decisions.
If Something Doesn't Look Right
If the forecast does not match your expectations:
- Review the linked work record
- Check scheduled milestones
- Confirm forecast amounts
- Verify dates and timing
- Compare against the accepted quote
The work schedule, not the quote total, drives future forecast contributions.
Connecting Sales, Operations and Forecasting
Accepted quotes are more than just sales opportunities.
By connecting Quotes, Work in Progress and Forecasting, BCB helps provide visibility into:
- Future workload
- Operational commitments
- Expected timing
- Planned revenue
- Future cashflow impact
Understanding this flow helps turn successful sales activity into more accurate forecasting and planning