AI Quote Drafting from Job Notes
Quoting is one of the most time-consuming parts of running a trade business. AI quote drafting in Trade2Base reads your site notes and job description, then generates a structured quote with line items — labour, materials, call-out fee, and VAT — ready for you to review and edit. What used to take 20 minutes can take 2.
Before you start
AI quote drafting requires your OpenAI API key to be connected. If you haven't done this yet, see Connecting OpenAI — API key setup. Setup takes about 5 minutes.
The AI can only work with what you give it. Vague notes like “fix boiler” will produce a basic draft. Detailed notes like “replace faulty Baxi 800 heat exchanger, 4 hours labour, supply heat exchanger and seals” will produce an accurate, detailed quote.
Using AI quote drafting — step by step
Navigate to Jobs and open the job you want to quote for. The job should already have a customer and job description.
On the job screen, click the "AI Draft Quote" button. You'll find it in the Quotes tab of the job, or in the top-right action area.
A dialog opens with a text area. Enter detailed notes about the work required — what you found on site, what needs replacing or fixing, and any special requirements. You can also paste in notes you've already typed on the job.
Click "Generate quote". The AI typically responds in 5-15 seconds. A progress indicator shows while it's working.
The AI generates a list of line items — typically: call-out / visit fee, labour (with hours and rate), individual material items, and VAT. Each item shows a description, quantity, unit price, and total.
Check every line item carefully. Adjust quantities, prices, and descriptions to match your actual costs and rates. The AI estimates — you know the real numbers.
When you're happy with the line items, click "Add to quote". Trade2Base creates a new quote draft with these items pre-populated. You can then add your terms, payment details, and send to the customer.
What line items does the AI generate?
The AI tries to break down the job into standard trade quote line items:
A fixed fee for attending site. The AI uses your default rate if set in Settings → Pricing, or estimates based on context.
Hours of work with your hourly or day rate applied. The AI estimates hours based on the job description — always verify this.
Individual material line items with estimated supply costs. The AI draws on general trade pricing — check these against your actual supplier prices.
Added at the rate configured in your Trade2Base Settings (20% standard, 5% reduced, or 0%). You can override per line item.
When AI drafting works best
Boiler services, heating repairs, electrical fault-finding, bathroom fitting, roofing repairs — jobs with well-defined scope and standard materials. The AI handles these confidently.
The more specific your notes, the better the output. Include: what you found on site, exact parts needed (model numbers help), estimated hours, and any access considerations.
Large refurbishments, bespoke fabrication, or jobs with highly variable scope are harder for the AI to price accurately. Use it as a starting structure rather than a finished draft for these jobs.
The AI uses general market pricing for materials. Your actual supplier prices may be higher or lower. Always check material line items against your current supplier quotes before sending to the customer.
Regenerating and adjusting
If the first draft isn't quite right, you have two options:
Click Edit notes to go back to your site notes, add more detail, and click Generate again. Giving more specific information usually improves the output significantly.
Click any line item to edit its description, quantity, or price. Add new line items with the + Add line item button. Delete items that don't apply.
Next steps
Once your quote is drafted, you can apply a quote template for consistent formatting, then send it to the customer for approval via the portal. They receive a professional PDF and can accept online.
Still need help? Contact support