Proposals
Proposals in dronelist.io let you build detailed quotes for your drone services, share them with clients via a secure link, and track the outcome. When a client accepts, you can convert the proposal into a project with a single click.Creating a proposal
Navigate to Proposals and click New Proposal. The proposal editor is organized into sections you can fill out in any order:| Section | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Overview | Proposal title, client name, client email, CRM links, validity date |
| Text | Introduction, project description, and terms & conditions |
| Services & Pricing | Line items from your service catalog with the quote builder |
| Equipment | Drones and gear you’ll use on the job (from your fleet) |
| Credentials | Certifications and licenses relevant to the project |
| Deliverables | What the client will receive (orthomosaic maps, inspection reports, video, etc.) |
Quote builder
The quote builder is the pricing engine at the heart of every proposal. It pulls services from your service catalog, calculates costs, applies modifiers, and presents tiered pricing options.Line items
Add services from your catalog to the proposal. Each line item includes the service name, description, quantity, and calculated price. If a service has multiple tiers (e.g., Basic, Standard, Premium), select the tier that fits the scope. The engine also calculates travel time and mileage line items automatically when you set a work location. You can override any line item’s calculated price with a custom amount. The original calculated value is preserved so you can always revert.Modifiers
Modifiers are automatic adjustments applied on top of the subtotal. They account for conditions that affect the cost of a job:| Modifier | Type | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Controlled Airspace Surcharge | Percentage | Work location is in Class A, B, C, or D airspace |
| Weather Buffer | Flat amount | Weather conditions are marginal (conditional go/no-go) |
| Rush Fee | Percentage | Job is scheduled within the rush threshold (default: 48 hours) |
| Extended Travel | Percentage | Distance to the site exceeds the travel threshold (default: 50 miles) |
Price tiers
Every quote generates three price tiers by applying margin multipliers to the base total (subtotal + modifiers):| Tier | Default multiplier | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Floor | 1.0x (cost) | Your break-even price — covers costs with no margin |
| Recommended | 1.25x | A balanced price with healthy margin — selected by default |
| Premium | 1.6x | Higher-end pricing for specialized or high-value work |
| Custom | Manual entry | Set any price you want, independent of the calculated tiers |
Proposal lifecycle
Proposals move through a defined set of statuses:Draft
You’re building the proposal. All sections are editable. The proposal is not visible to the client yet.
Sent
You’ve shared the proposal with the client. A unique link is generated and the proposal is locked for editing. To make changes, revert to Draft first.
Accepted
The client accepted your proposal. The linked CRM deal automatically moves to Won. You can now create a project from this proposal.
Declined
The client declined the proposal. The linked CRM deal automatically moves to Lost. You can still view the proposal and its details.
Sharing with clients
When you send a proposal, dronelist generates a unique, secure link you can share with your client. Two sharing modes are available:| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| Public | Anyone with the link can view the proposal — no verification required |
| Protected | The recipient must verify their email address before viewing |
Client acceptance flow
When a client opens a proposal link, they see a professional, branded view of your proposal with all the details you included — services, pricing, equipment, credentials, and deliverables. From there, the client can:- Accept the proposal with an optional message
- Decline the proposal with an optional message
- Ask a question to start a conversation before deciding
CRM integration
Proposals connect to your CRM pipeline in two ways:- Link to a deal — When creating a proposal, you can associate it with an existing CRM deal. The deal’s detail page will show all linked proposals.
- Automatic stage updates — When a client accepts a proposal, the linked deal moves to Won. When they decline, it moves to Lost. This keeps your pipeline accurate without manual updates.
Creating a project from a proposal
When a proposal is accepted, a Create Project button appears on the proposal detail page. This lets you convert the proposal into a project with control over what data carries over:| Data | Optional |
|---|---|
| Project title | You set this — defaults to the proposal title |
| Description | Include the proposal description in the project |
| Work location | Copy the site address and coordinates |
| Pricing | Set the proposal total as the project’s agreed price |
| Client account | Link the project to the CRM account from the deal |
| Deal link | Associate the project with the CRM deal |
| Deliverables | Select which deliverables to include as project scope |
Tips
Set up your service catalog first
Set up your service catalog first
The quote builder pulls from your service catalog. Having your services, rates, and tiers configured before creating proposals makes the process much faster.
Use the Recommended tier as your starting point
Use the Recommended tier as your starting point
The Recommended tier (1.25x your costs) gives you a healthy margin without overpricing. Adjust up for specialized work, down for competitive bids.
Include equipment and credentials to build trust
Include equipment and credentials to build trust
Clients want to know you have the right gear and qualifications. Adding your equipment and certifications to the proposal gives them confidence before they accept.
Link proposals to CRM deals for pipeline accuracy
Link proposals to CRM deals for pipeline accuracy
When you link a proposal to a deal, acceptance and decline actions automatically update your pipeline. This eliminates manual deal stage management.
Use Protected mode for sensitive quotes
Use Protected mode for sensitive quotes
If the proposal contains pricing you don’t want forwarded freely, use Protected sharing. The recipient must verify their email before they can see the proposal.
Review the breakdown before sending
Review the breakdown before sending
Check each line item, modifier, and the selected tier before sending. The client sees the total, but you’ll want to confirm your margins look right in the breakdown view.