To create a quote/budget you can use Virtual Bookings or the Budgeting module within farmerswife. Below you'll find the main differences and advantages of both options.
Virtual Bookings are a way to quote/bid in farmerswife. You are able to produce multiple Virtual Bookings from the Project window, which offers an easy, flexible approach for the user. To create a new quote/ bid click on the Virtual Booking icon in the Edit Project Window. You are then presented with items from your Object Manager in order to start building your quote.
The Budgeting Module is an add on to Farmerswife's base software. With the Farmerswife Budgeting add-on, you can create customised budgets and quotes, keep a real-time check on quoted vs actuals and generate reports to analyse your project forecast and result.
Pricing: Virtual Bookings are an inbuilt option within farmerswife and are included in the base cost. Whereas, the Budgeting module is a separately licensed option.
Structure: With Virtual Bookings, each Quote can have one or multiple "Virtual Bookings". This will allow the users to work change quotes with ease and compare the different subtotals. The Budget Module uses a FIX Structure that you are able to setup on server setup level. It allows better comparisons and improved versatility by renaming accounts and adding Custom Fields. There are best practices on setting up shot based structure or adding text elements.
Multiple Versions: Virtual Bookings allow the user to "save" quotes, as well as, load them into other projects and forward them too Bookings. However, it is not designed for work in such a way. In the Budget window you can have as many not active quote or active quotes as you like. By saving Templates with the Budgeting Module you can quickly build quotes for similar jobs, and quickly make changes if need be.
Adding Objects and Services: You can add Objects to Virtual Bookings that are either hour/day based. You can also add Extras. However, if you want to Forward to your Virtual Booking the Extras and Services cannot be migrated across, only the bookable objects. In a Budget you can quote by using Object Classes, as well as, services and extras. You are also able to schedule directly from the Budgeting window, this means that you can quote to the client, wait for approval, amend the quote and then schedule directly from the quoted items.
Price Agreements: In order to use Price Agreements with Virtual Bookings, you will need to copy Virtual Booking to Final Invoice view. Within the Budget Module you can set to default to copy to final/invoice view
- Forward to "To Invoice / Invoiced" View: Using this option will cause the Price Agreements to be copied to your invoice view (typically called "To Invoice/Invoiced" in the original database, or whatever name you gave it in your own) in the Project window - only if this view is pointing to Actuals (e.g. Bookings), instead of Active Budget. When later Actuals are attached to a Budget Detail, they also get added to the corresponding Price Agreement (a message pops up notifying about this). The Forecast and To Date Sell columns will not reflect the change. You would want to use this option so the same prices are applied when generating invoices for this Project.
- Forward to "Actuals" View: This option will copy the Price Agreements to the 'Actuals' view (typical name on the original database, or whatever name you gave it in your own). Use this option if you want to apply the Price Agreements not only to the final invoice view but also to the actuals view, so you get the good reporting across all states.
If you've already attached Actuals and later use the options to forward the Price Agreements, you can multi-select the attached actuals and drag&drop onto the Budget Detail again to apply the Price Agreement to the Actuals.
There's also an option to control this in the Budget window. The "Tools" menu contains a setting: "Forward Price Agreements To Project Views" with the options "No" or "Ask" (The default is set to No).
If changed to "Ask", whenever you create or update a Price Agreement on an Active Budget, you will be asked if it should get forwarded to the "To Invoice / Invoiced" and "Actuals" views.
The same will happen when you toggle the "Active" flag on a Budget.
Custom Fields: Virtual Bookings use the "project custom fields". This means there are no custom fields specifically set for Virtual Bookings. However, Custom Fields can easily be added on Budget level and information stored per budget. These fields can then be imported across to Financial Reports through the Print Designer.
Comparison / Reporting: With the Virtual Bookings you can do similar Reports but on Report level and only e.g. compared by Object Class. The Budgeting window at a glance can give a better overview on what you've quoted/ budgeted vs how much was actualised (If you attach the actuals).