Variation option templates define the visual layout and content of the proposals created by your engineers when adding a variation on-site. Acting as a blueprint, they ensure that every customer-facing document automatically includes your correct branding, legal terms, pricing breakdowns, and signature fields.
Key benefits
Professional presentation: Ensure all variations raised on site match your company branding.
Legal protection: Automatically include disclaimers and authorisation terms.
Clarity: Provide customers with clear breakdowns of VAT, totals, and payment stages.
How to access variation option templates
➡️ Click your Profile icon → Select Settings → Select Proposals → Click View next to Variation option templates
The Variation option templates settings screen allows you to manage your templates using a folder structure. This helps keep your workflows organised and easy to navigate, for example, if you serve multiple industries you can create folders for HVAC and electrical workflows. Find out more about organising your folder structure.
Add a new template
To start building a new variation option template from scratch:
➡️ Click Add new variation option template to open the side panel
The first step is to create the container for the template we want to configure.
Select or create a Folder to organise your new template.
Enter a descriptive name in the Template name field (e.g., "Standard Variation").
This is an internal name that will be used by the office to identify the layout. Customers will not see it.
Click Save.
Once saved, click Configure next to your new template to open the visual document editor.
Designing your template
Variation option templates are built using the template builder. You can drag and drop content blocks (such as text, images, and tables) to create a layout that matches your company branding. For a deep dive on how to use every feature of the editor, see our guide on Creating a proposal with the template builder.
While the building tools are the same, variation option templates have specific constraints. For example, the pricing section is mandatory in a variation option template and behaves differently than in standard proposals. These specific settings are detailed in the sections below.
Change the customer-facing name
By default, the variation name shown on the customer's document is the same as your internal template name (e.g., "Standard Variation"). You can change this to something more formal, like "Quotation" or "Estimate".
On the right-hand panel, next to the template name, click Edit.
In the Edit customer display name window, enter your preferred title in the Customer displaying name field.
Alternatively, click Copy from option name to revert to the internal name.
Click Save.
Configure the pricing summary
The Pricing section is the mandatory part of the layout. It automatically displays the items, photos, and descriptions your engineer adds via the mobile app. While you can’t delete this section, you can choose how costs are presented to the customer.
Hover over the Pricing summary block on the canvas and click the options
icon.Select Configure from the dropdown menu.
In the settings panel on the right, you can adjust the display rules:
Show subtotal and VAT: Select Yes to show the breakdown.
VAT type: Choose whether to Exclude VAT or Include VAT in the line items.
Click Save.
The Pricing section is the only mandatory block. It acts as the core of the proposal, automatically populating with the engineer's findings and photos. You can choose to configure the rest of the document with as much or as little additional content as you wish to present to the customer.
Setting up payment schedules
The payment schedule dictates how and when the customer pays for the variation. You can configure a split between an upfront deposit and the balance due on completion.
On the right-hand panel, next to Payment schedule, click Edit.
In the Simple payment schedule window:
Deposit: Enter the percentage required upfront (e.g., 50%).
On completion: This will automatically adjust to cover the remaining balance.
Under Deposit invoice details, configure the invoice that will be raised if a deposit is required:
Description: Enter the description text (e.g., "Standard variation deposit").
Nominal code: Select the accounting code for the invoice (e.g., Sales).
Click Save.
Tip
For standard repair variations, consider leaving the Deposit at 0% and On completion at 100% for quick on-site payment and work completion. For high-value variations, consider adding a 50% deposit to secure the commitment.
Common questions
In what way are templates used to present variations to customers?
In what way are templates used to present variations to customers?
The variation option template controls the final document generated for the customer. It can be viewed by:
Email: If emailed, the customer receives the proposal as a PDF attachment and via the proposal portal link where they can review and accept it online. This file uses your full template layout, including branding, legal text, and the signature captured on-site.
SMS: The customer receives a link to the proposal portal to view the entire document, but no PDF document is attached.
On mobile: The engineer presents a simplified summary screen where the customer reviews the description, total costs, and any required deposit (based on your payment schedule) before accepting and signing there and then. The full visual template is not shown on this screen but can be sent to the customer if they request it.
Example use cases
Authorisation disclaimers
Add a Text block above your pricing section to ensure legal sign-off. For example: "Following our assessment on-site, additional requirements have been identified. Once signed, this document acts as your authorization to proceed."
Branding different types of work
Create separate templates for different departments. For example, add a Text block to an "HVAC" template with specific warranty terms for air conditioning units, distinct from your "Plumbing" template.
High-value vs. Standard work
Use a "Standard" template with a simple layout for quick repairs, and a "Project" template with detailed Text blocks for scope descriptions and Payment schedule settings for deposit requirements.
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