Proposals
Proposals in dronelist.io let you build detailed quotes for your drone services, share them with clients via a secure link, and track the outcome. When a client accepts, you can convert the proposal into a project with a single click.Creating a proposal
Navigate to Proposals and click New Proposal. The proposal editor is organized into sections you can fill out in any order:
Proposals auto-save as you work, so you won’t lose progress.
Quote builder
The quote builder is the pricing engine at the heart of every proposal. It pulls services from your service catalog, calculates costs, applies modifiers, and presents tiered pricing options.Line items
Add services from your catalog to the proposal. Each line item includes the service name, description, quantity, and calculated price. If a service has multiple tiers (e.g., Basic, Standard, Premium), select the tier that fits the scope. The engine also calculates travel time and mileage line items automatically when you set a work location. You can override any line item’s calculated price with a custom amount. The original calculated value is preserved so you can always revert.Modifiers
Modifiers are automatic adjustments applied on top of the subtotal. They account for conditions that affect the cost of a job:
Modifiers are detected automatically based on site data, but you can toggle any modifier on or off for a specific proposal. Configure default modifier rules and thresholds in Services & Pricing.
Price tiers
Every quote generates three price tiers by applying margin multipliers to the base total (subtotal + modifiers):
Select the tier that matches the deal, or switch to Custom and enter an exact amount. You can adjust the default multipliers in Services & Pricing.
Proposal lifecycle
Proposals move through a defined set of statuses:1
Draft
You’re building the proposal. All sections are editable. The proposal is not visible to the client yet.
2
Sent
You’ve shared the proposal with the client. A unique link is generated and the proposal is locked for editing. To make changes, revert to Draft first.
3
Accepted
The client accepted your proposal. The linked CRM deal automatically moves to Won. You can now create a project from this proposal.
4
Declined
The client declined the proposal. The linked CRM deal automatically moves to Lost. You can still view the proposal and its details.
5
Withdrawn
You withdrew the proposal before the client responded. The link is deactivated.
Sharing with clients
When you send a proposal, dronelist generates a unique, secure link you can share with your client. Two sharing modes are available:
The link uses an unguessable hash, so it can’t be discovered by guessing URLs. You can regenerate the link at any time to invalidate the previous one.
Client acceptance flow
When a client opens a proposal link, they see a professional, branded view of your proposal with all the details you included — services, pricing, equipment, credentials, and deliverables. From there, the client can:- Accept the proposal with an optional message
- Decline the proposal with an optional message
- Ask a question to start a conversation before deciding
CRM integration
Proposals connect to your CRM pipeline in two ways:- Link to a deal — When creating a proposal, you can associate it with an existing CRM deal. The deal’s detail page will show all linked proposals.
- Automatic stage updates — When a client accepts a proposal, the linked deal moves to Won. When they decline, it moves to Lost. This keeps your pipeline accurate without manual updates.
Creating a project from a proposal
When a proposal is accepted, a Create Project button appears on the proposal detail page. This lets you convert the proposal into a project with control over what data carries over:
This is a one-time copy, not a live sync. Changes to the project after creation won’t affect the original proposal.
Tips
Set up your service catalog first
Set up your service catalog first
The quote builder pulls from your service catalog. Having your services, rates, and tiers configured before creating proposals makes the process much faster.
Use the Recommended tier as your starting point
Use the Recommended tier as your starting point
The Recommended tier (1.25x your costs) gives you a healthy margin without overpricing. Adjust up for specialized work, down for competitive bids.
Include equipment and credentials to build trust
Include equipment and credentials to build trust
Clients want to know you have the right gear and qualifications. Adding your equipment and certifications to the proposal gives them confidence before they accept.
Link proposals to CRM deals for pipeline accuracy
Link proposals to CRM deals for pipeline accuracy
When you link a proposal to a deal, acceptance and decline actions automatically update your pipeline. This eliminates manual deal stage management.
Use Protected mode for sensitive quotes
Use Protected mode for sensitive quotes
If the proposal contains pricing you don’t want forwarded freely, use Protected sharing. The recipient must verify their email before they can see the proposal.
Review the breakdown before sending
Review the breakdown before sending
Check each line item, modifier, and the selected tier before sending. The client sees the total, but you’ll want to confirm your margins look right in the breakdown view.