THE LITTLE PAPERWORK SHOP
Free estimate generator: quote a job, set a validity date, get a PDF
Start with your client and the first line item — the document fills in as you type.
01Document details
Invoice details
From (your business)
Bill to (your client)
Line items
Tax, discount, payments
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Balance due
- $0.00
Notes
02PreviewEstimate
Estimate
Invoice number
Issued
Bill to
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Total
- $0.00
Draft saved in this browser
A little help from the shop
- 1Fill in the details
Your business, the client, dates and one row per thing you delivered. Tax and discount if they apply.
- 2Check the preview
The document on the right updates as you type. Turn on the Korean form for 견적서·청구서·거래명세서 layouts.
- 3Save the PDF
Download or print. Nothing is uploaded; the draft stays in this browser until you start a new one.
What belongs on an estimate
- Answers what, cost, and how long the price holds
- Adds a validity date and scope note, unlike an invoice
- Uses its own estimate number, separate from invoices
An estimate is read by someone deciding whether to hire you, so it has to answer three questions at a glance: what exactly is being quoted, what it costs, and until when the price is good. Beyond the line items and totals every invoice needs, an estimate carries two things a finished invoice does not: a validity date and, often, a short scope note describing what is and is not included.
- A unique estimate number, separate from your invoice numbering
- Issue date and a validity date ("valid until")
- Your business and the client's, with contact details for both
- One line per item with quantity, rate and amount
- Subtotal, tax if it applies, and the total estimated cost
- A short scope note: materials included, revisions covered, what triggers a change order
How long should the price hold
- Freelancers and small shops usually set 14–30 days
- Volatile material costs often mean 7–14 days instead
- Put a specific date, not a vague "subject to change" line
- Reuse the same numbers for the invoice if accepted in time
Material and labor costs move, so an open-ended estimate is a risk you carry alone. Most freelancers and small shops set validity at 14 to 30 days; contractors quoting materials that swing with the market often go shorter, 7 to 14 days. Put the date on the document itself rather than a vague "prices subject to change" line — a specific date is something both sides can act on.
When the client accepts within that window, reuse the same numbers to write the invoice rather than re-pricing from scratch — that consistency is itself a trust signal.
Estimate, quote, invoice, tax invoice: not the same document
- Estimate and quote are used almost interchangeably in English
- Quote implies a firmer, less-likely-to-change price
- An invoice is a payment request with a due date
- A Korean tax invoice is issued electronically through Hometax
In everyday English, "estimate" and "quote" are used almost interchangeably, though a quote usually implies a firmer, less-likely-to-change price than a rough estimate. Neither is a request for payment, and neither is proof that payment happened. The table below keeps the four documents this tool can produce straight.
- Estimate (견적서) — a price offered before work starts, valid until a set date, not a request for payment
- Invoice (청구서) — a request for payment for work already agreed or delivered, with a due date
- Statement (거래명세서) — a record of what was delivered on a specific date, often alongside an invoice
- Korean tax invoice (세금계산서) — the statutory VAT document issued electronically through the National Tax Service's Hometax system; none of the three above can substitute for it
Turning an accepted estimate into a real job
- Reference the estimate number in the invoice's notes field
- If scope changed, issue a revised estimate, not a silent edit
- An unexplained gap is the top reason clients question a bill
Keep the estimate number visible on the invoice that follows it — a note like "Ref. Estimate #E-2026-0007" in the notes field lets the client's accounts team match the two documents without asking. If the scope changed after acceptance, issue a short revised estimate rather than silently adjusting the invoice total; an unexplained gap between the two is the single most common reason a client questions a bill.
Korean 견적서: supplier block, 도장, and what it isn't
- Includes a 공급자 block with registration number and address
- Splits each line item into supply value and 10% VAT
- A stamp image can sit beside the representative's name
- A 견적서 is never a 세금계산서 and carries no VAT filing weight
Turn on Korean business form and the estimate switches to the layout Korean clients expect: a 공급자 (supplier) block with business registration number, representative name, address, business type and item, a 공급받는자 (recipient) block, and line items split into supply value and VAT at 10%. A stamp image can sit beside the representative's name — many Korean estimates are still signed off with a company or personal 도장 even when the rest of the document is digital.
One thing a Korean 견적서 never is: a 세금계산서. It carries no VAT filing weight on its own. If your client needs a 세금계산서 once the deal is confirmed, that has to be issued separately through Hometax or your accounting software — this generator produces the estimate, not the statutory tax document.
Frequently asked questions
Is an estimate legally binding?
Generally no, unless both sides sign it as part of a contract. It's an offer, not an agreement — that's exactly why it needs a validity date.
What's the real difference between an estimate and a quote?
In practice they're used for the same document. "Quote" leans toward a firmer number for a well-defined job; "estimate" leans toward a rough figure that may move once the work is scoped in detail.
How long should my estimate stay valid?
14 to 30 days for most services; 7 to 14 days if a material or exchange-rate cost you don't control makes up a large part of the price.
Can I turn this estimate into an invoice later?
Switch the document type to invoice with the same client and line items, keep the amounts unless the scope changed, and reference the estimate number in the notes.
Does an estimate replace a Korean tax invoice (세금계산서)?
No. A 세금계산서 is issued electronically through Hometax once a transaction is confirmed, and an estimate carries no VAT filing weight. Check with a tax professional (세무 전문가 확인) if you're unsure which document your deal requires.
Do I need a stamp on a Korean-form estimate?
Not legally for most private-sector deals, but it's still common practice. You can upload a transparent PNG of your stamp and it will sit next to the representative's name.
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