A list price is a reference, not a description of every sale. Clients buy more units, request delivery or omit configuration. Combine quantities and services without turning the standard catalogue into one client's terms archive.
Separate the commercial base from the specific proposal, checking how software supports that distinction. Not every linked item allows free price editing in a quote, and not every catalogue is independent of originating offers.
What belongs in the price list
Standard items describe products or services, units and reference prices. Client details, location, job quantity and special terms belong to offers. Use distinct descriptions when services genuinely change.
Do not rename a generic item after a client for a promotion: it could be reused by mistake. Retain price dates and calculation methods internally without assuming app fields for all of them.
Quantities and services change the total
Five products at an illustrative €100 total €500. Delivery €40 and configuration €60 give €600 before taxes. Six products can give €700 only if services and terms stay unchanged.
Reassess configuration needing more hours or another visit. For collection, check removed tasks and costs. Tailored prices arise from these conditions rather than catalogue percentages alone.
Discounts: check base and margin
A 10% discount on €600 gives €540. Applying it to products only gives 450 + 40 + 60 = €550. Choose actual treatment and represent it accurately.
PreventivOk discounts apply at quote level, not through a promised category or line-discount system. Check full cost first: discount reduces revenue without automatically reducing purchasing, delivery or labour.
Keep options and bundles readable
State optional content, price and inclusion in the total. Describe package components, services and conditions. Make two combinations recognisable instead of mixing alternatives into one total.
Writing a complete item does not imply an automatic bundling engine. Grouped services still need checked calculation and scope. Explain selectable choices and dependencies.
Linked-item limits in PreventivOk
Catalogue-linked items may retain reference prices. Do not assume typing another price into the linked quote line freely changes it. Respect the workflow rather than implying a universal override.
Quote discount differs from changing catalogue price. Use it where it genuinely matches your offer. For a different service, enter it consistently through the available process and check the result.
Quote-derived items and personal catalogue synchronisation also exist. A change to a derived item is not guaranteed to leave the catalogue unaffected. Check origin and behaviour before treating it as stable pricing.
Do not retroactively change sent offers
Retain shared PDFs before revision. New list terms do not authorise silently changing confirmed proposals. Identify alternative versions and differences and manage confirmation under the actual relationship.
A catalogue speeds the starting point. Each quote remains an understandable client-specific proposal with checked prices, quantities and terms. Personalisation works when revisions preserve that distinction.
The client mixes alternatives
Reconstruct one final list before calculating. A product from one offer and service from another may need different accessories or time. Do not add PDF lines without checking conditions.
Keep reference prices internally and identify the new offer. Check any discount acts on the intended base and total covers full cost. The tailored proposal should stand alone without both alternatives. This prevents a commercial choice permanently altering the price list or creating contradictory inclusions.
Compose items and apply quote-level discounts in PreventivOk. Check linked-line prices and catalogue behaviour before personalising. Create your next quote with PreventivOk.
Further reading
- How to create a price list for quotes without relying on Excel
- Product catalogues and quotes: stop rewriting descriptions and prices
- Retail quotes: products, services and discounts
- How to calculate margin and markup in a quote
- How to quote products with installation
- B2B quotes: what to include for products and services