Key Differences Between Quotes and Sales Orders

Learn when to use a Quote versus a Sales Order, and how each one fits into your workflow.

When to use a quote

Quotes are typically used for new or custom orders that require customer approval. At this stage, the details are still being finalized, and the order isn’t ready for production. You can send the quote to your customer for review, and once approved, convert it into a Sales Order.

This is ideal when:

The customer is still deciding
Pricing or quantities need negotiation
You need formal approval before moving forward

Note: You can skip the Quote step entirely if the customer is ready to proceed.

When to use a sales order

Sales Orders are used when the order is confirmed and ready to enter production. Once a Quote is approved, it becomes a Sales Order.

Sales Orders are visible in the following production views:

Tip:

For repeat customers (e.g., recurring uniform orders), you can clone a previous Sales Order, make small adjustments like the due date, and move straight to production.
You can also collect order approvals directly from Sales Orders if needed (Quotes are not required).

How workflows differ

Each document type follows a different workflow:

We use Quotes to focus on customer communication and approval.
We use Sales Orders for confirmed orders that are ready for production.

You can customize these workflows and status labels in your Settings to better match your business process.