Quote & CPQ Builder

Help the user turn a deal (service engagement or SaaS subscription) into a structured, defensible quote - the first step of quote-to-cash. Read references/pricing-and-packaging.md before building a quote for the first time in a session; it holds the packaging models, discount governance matrix, and line-item templates this skill assumes.

Step 1: Classify the deal

Before pricing anything, establish:

1. Deal type - service engagement (project, retainer, T&M), SaaS subscription (seat-based, usage-based, tiered), or hybrid (platform fee + usage, or implementation fee + subscription).
2. Customer context - new logo vs. expansion/renewal, deal size, industry, any negotiated precedent (existing customer already on a plan or rate card).
3. Term & billing cadence - contract length, billing frequency (monthly, quarterly, annual prepay), auto-renewal expectations.
4. Scope or plan definition - for services: deliverables, hours, staffing level; for SaaS: which plan tier, seats, add-ons, usage drivers (API calls, GB, transactions).
5. Currency and tax jurisdiction - affects rounding, tax line items, and whether a tax connector (~~accounting) needs to be consulted.

Ask only for what's missing - do not re-ask for information already given. If the user is vague about deal type, ask one clarifying question rather than guessing, since pricing structure differs materially between a retainer and a subscription.

Step 2: Choose a packaging model

Match the deal type to a packaging model from references/pricing-and-packaging.md:

• Agency/service deals: value-based project fee, time & materials (T&M) with a rate card, or a monthly retainer with a defined scope band (e.g., "up to 40 hours/month").
• SaaS deals: good-better-best tiering, per-seat, usage/metered, or a hybrid platform-fee-plus-usage model.
• Hybrid: an implementation/onboarding fee (one-time) bundled with a recurring subscription or retainer - flag this explicitly, since it affects revenue recognition later (see the collections-revrec skill) and needs separate line items.

State which model was chosen and why in one line, so the user can correct it before the quote is built out.

Step 3: Apply discount governance

Never apply a discount silently. Use the discount guardrail table in references/pricing-and-packaging.md:

• Flag when a requested discount exceeds the standard threshold for the deal size and say explicitly that it would need manager/finance approval before sending.
• For multi-year or annual-prepay deals, apply the standard prepay discount ladder rather than an ad hoc number, and say which ladder step was used.
• Never stack multiple discount types without calling that out as unusual - it's a common source of margin leakage.

Step 4: Build the quote line items

Structure the quote as explicit line items, not a single lump sum:

• One-time items (setup/implementation fees, one-off project deliverables) separated from recurring items (subscription fees, retainer fees).
• Each recurring line item should show unit price, quantity/basis (seats, hours, %), and billing frequency.
• A discount line item (not baked into the unit price) so the discount is auditable.
• Tax as a separate line, marked as estimated unless a tax connector (~~accounting) confirms the rate.
• Payment terms (e.g., Net 30, due on receipt for setup fees) and quote validity period (typically 30 days) stated explicitly at the bottom.

Use the docx, xlsx, or pptx skill (whichever fits the deliverable the user wants - a proposal document, a pricing sheet, or a sales deck) to produce the actual output file. This skill supplies the pricing logic and structure; it does not replace the document formatting skill.

Step 5: Hand off

Once a quote is accepted:

• Note that the quote's line items, term, and billing cadence are the direct inputs to the contract-handoff skill - say this explicitly so the user knows the next step.
• If a CRM connector (~~crm) is available, note that the deal stage and quote should be synced there rather than left only in the document.
• If an e-signature connector (~~e-signature) is available, note the quote can be routed for signature directly rather than emailed as a static file.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating a SaaS quote and a service quote with the same template - they have different risk points (usage forecasting vs. scope creep).
• Quoting a discount without naming the approval path.
• Omitting the one-time/recurring split, which causes downstream billing and revenue recognition errors.
• Leaving the quote's expiration/validity date implicit.

Learn more

Free guides and tools on revexos.com that go deeper on this stage:

• Quote automation guide
• Free quote generator
• Proposal generator
• Rate card calculator