Track quotation versions and accepted scope

Separate a sales case from its quotation versions

One case can have several quotations. Keep one case record and one record per version rather than replacing a single attachment repeatedly. Each version needs the case ID, version number, creation time, amount, tax and shipping treatment, delivery assumptions and validity date. Record the version in the register as well as the filename. The aim is to reconstruct what was offered, not simply to find whichever PDF was saved most recently.

Record sent and accepted versions independently

In example QT-208, version 1 uses the normal delivery schedule, version 2 adds an option and version 3 changes the date. Creating version 3 does not mean the customer received it. Maintain separate fields for latest draft, last sent version and accepted version. Link acceptance to a dated email or other agreed record. If the conversation was verbal, leave a task to confirm the exact conditions rather than treating a vague note as acceptance.

Make the differences reviewable

A change summary should identify quantities, deliverables, timing and payment assumptions, not merely say that a price changed. The total can stay the same while the scope becomes smaller. Add a reason and reviewer for each version. In an Airtable implementation, linked records can connect the case and its versions. Keep the actual offered document as evidence; a summary helps review it but should not become a substitute for the quotation itself.

Check validity and conditions at acceptance

On acceptance, match the case ID, referenced version, quantities, validity date and any new conditions. Hold messages such as “please proceed as discussed” when more than one version could fit. An expired quotation or acceptance of only part of the scope requires review even when the total looks familiar. Only transfer the confirmed terms into the order register after this check. Do not make a newer unaccepted draft the effective agreement by accident.

Recover from sending the wrong document

Keep the mistaken delivery in the history. Record the replacement version, explanation, customer acknowledgement and any affected downstream work. Replacing an attachment in your own folder does not remove the earlier document from a customer’s inbox. State which conditions changed and track confirmation. If production or fulfilment has already started, notify the responsible team about the effective version. Close the correction only when both the customer-facing and internal records agree.

Reconcile three version references before handover

Use examples with a newer unsent draft, an accepted older version and an expired version. A system that always promotes the newest document can erase the agreed terms. Put latest, last sent and accepted references side by side, then ask someone other than the author to locate the effective scope. Also check a changed quotation that needs renewed acceptance. This exercise reveals whether the register supports a real handover rather than simply storing a collection of PDFs.

QT-208: the newest version is not automatically effective

For a fictional QT-208, version 2 is sent Monday and accepted Tuesday. On Wednesday the salesperson creates version 3 for internal discussion. Version 2 remains effective. A later file date must not change the order terms. Show the production team the accepted version and its evidence, while keeping version 3 visibly unaccepted. If the customer later accepts version 3, confirm when it applies and separately review work already completed. The useful outcome is not simply retaining three PDFs; it is enabling another person to identify one coherent, effective set of conditions.

Choose a tool and budget around the actual workload

A case folder and a version register can be sufficient at low volume. Upgrade because of actual problems—multiple editors, frequent revisions or repeated confusion over accepted terms—not because there are many PDFs. Budget for storage, editors and time spent reviewing customer messages. If AI helps summarise an acceptance email, a person should still confirm the effective quotation. File storage and interpretation of a commercial commitment are different responsibilities.

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