In this article, you will find all the information you need on the offer item “Quote automation”. Please read the contents carefully.
Why use quote automation in HubSpot?
Unfortunately, the module included in HubSpot for creating quotations can only be operated manually. As we were repeatedly asked whether there was a way to map the creation of quotations automatically in order to save the sales team work, we developed a simple app that takes over precisely this use case and offers a lot of flexibility at the same time.
How does quote automation work with our app?
We provide you with a workflow action that does nothing more than create a quote based on the triggers you have defined. Around this action, you can freely design triggers, notifications, etc. yourself and thus have a lot of creative freedom.
Fig. Example process incl. workflow:
What exactly does the app do?
To create quotes in HubSpot, you need a deal, products, companies and contacts. Theoretically, multiple companies, contacts and products can be assigned to a deal and you manually choose what information you want to have displayed in your quote. With automation, we need rules, so we have defined the following metrics:
- Only one company may be assigned to the deal at the time the quote is automatically generated: you can of course add further companies manually afterwards.
- One of the contacts assigned to the deal must have the “Decision maker” label: However, contacts assigned to the deal will also be added to the quote. You can remove them later. You can find out more about association labels here: Create and use association labels
- A template ID must be stored: A quote template must be available so that a quote can be created. Since many of our customers have custom quote templates in use, we did not want to reference a standard HubSpot template, but rather leave it up to you to choose which template you use for which automation. You can find the template ID in the edit mode (row of numbers at the end of the URL) of your quote templates.
- The quotes are created with the “digital signature” option: HubSpot allows different options (digital signature, written signature or no signature). Within the app we have opted for the digital signature.
FAQs on automated quotation generation:
Perhaps a few questions will arise in this context. We can answer a few of the most common questions right here.
- How do I install the app?
We will take care of the installation in your account. As soon as we have done this, you will receive information from us and can use the app in the workflow engine. - How is the automation of the quote creation triggered in the first place?
We use the workflow engine in HubSpot for our app. This allows you to freely choose which triggers you use. This can be, for example, a deal phase or when certain deal properties have been filled in or much more. We would be happy to advise you on the possibilities as part of our Service & Support contingents. - Will my generated quotes be sent immediately?
No, not in the standard version. We have considered making this function available natively, but we assume that our customers prefer to take a look at the created quotes first before it goes to the potential customer. If you prefer to send the quote automatically, we can program this for you individually. - Can I use multiple quote templates?
Yes and no. Only one quote template can be stored within the “Automatic quote creation” workflow action. However, you are of course free to create your own workflows with further automations - e.g. depending on the product or other criteria - and thus also store other quote templates depending on the product, brand or, for example, the person responsible for the deal and much more. - What happens if I have associated several companies to one deal?
Then our app throws an error and the quote is not created. If you need more than one company in your quotes, just let us know and we will adapt the app for you (note: this will incur additional costs). - What happens if I have no contact associated with the label decision maker?
Then our app throws an error and the quote is not created. If you want a different logic for creating quotes in combination with a digital signature, just let us know and we will adapt the app for you (note: this will incur additional costs). - What if I don't want a digital signature on my quotes?
The app is currently configured so that it automatically stores the contact with the “Decision maker” label as the person in the quote who is also authorized to digitally sign the quote. If you do not want this, simply let us know and we will adapt the app for you (please note: this will incur additional costs). - Can I rename the label decision-makers?
If you would like a different label, we can adapt it for you. We check all requests individually and you will receive an estimate of the costs. - What happens if I haven’t added products to the deal?
In this case, no quote is created and the workflow action of the automatic quote generation will also log an error message.
You like the idea of automated quote generation, but you need a customized solution
That's no problem either. Just let your contact person at brandREACH know and we will design and develop a completely customized solution for you (within the framework specified by HubSpot).
Note on AWS Lambda:
We develop the solution in an AWS environment. If you already have an AWS account, please give us the authorizations and we will implement your script in your own environment.
If you do not yet have an AWS account, please set one up and provide us with the relevant users and authorizations.
Why AWS?
Amazon offers a secure and scalable infrastructure for small applications. Instead of charging for hosting including maintenance, we offer you a service that in most cases does not incur any costs, or costs are only incurred for larger data volumes.
You can find more information about AWS Lambda here: https://aws.amazon.com/lambda/pricing/?p=pm&c=la&z=4
How do I use the quote automation app in my account?
As soon as you have received the information from us that the app is now available in your account, you can actually get started immediately. The following steps are necessary:- Navigate to your Automation Workflows in your account and create a new workflow (HubSpot instructions for creating workflows)
- If you want to add a workflow action, our app is now also available to you. You will find it marked in orange in the graphic below.
- Click on the action to open it and enter the template ID of your quote template. You can find the template ID in the edit mode (row of numbers at the end of the URL) of your quote templates.
- As soon as you have entered the ID of the quote template, click on “Save” in the top right-hand corner (see image above) and the action will be available to you in the workflow.
- You can now define the triggers for recording deals and add further actions to your workflow. We recommend setting the trigger at the end and doing a few test runs with manual recording first.