> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.qwoty.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quote lifecycle

> Understand the complete journey of a quote from creation to contract.

A quote in Qwoty moves through a structured lifecycle from initial draft to final acceptance. Each status represents a milestone in the sales process and determines what actions are available.

Understanding the lifecycle helps you track deal progress, set up appropriate approval workflows, and automate downstream processes like order generation and contract creation.

## Status flow

Quotes follow a primary path through these statuses:

* **Draft**: Initial creation and editing phase
* **Pending approval**: Submitted for manager review (optional, workflow-dependent) {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}
* **Approved**: Cleared for publication {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}
* **Published**: Sent to the Dealroom and visible to the customer
* **Pending signature**: Customer is reviewing and preparing to sign
* **Accepted**: Quote is signed, triggering automatic order creation

Alternative statuses handle exceptions and negative outcomes:

* **Changes requested**: Approver requires modifications before approval {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}
* **Expired**: Quote passed its validity date without acceptance {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}
* **Lost**: Deal did not close, competitor won or customer canceled {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}
* **Canceled**: Quote withdrawn by the sales team {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}

<Note>
  Not all quotes pass through approval. If your template doesn't require approval, quotes move directly from **Draft** to **Approved** when published.
</Note>

## Lifecycle diagram

```mermaid theme={null}
graph TD
    A[Draft] --> B[Pending approval]
    A -.-> C[Approved]
    B --> D[Changes Requested]
    B --> C
    D --> A
    C --> E[Published]
    E --> F[Pending signature]
    F --> G[Accepted]
    E -.-> H[Expired]
    E -.-> I[Lost]
    A -.-> J[Canceled]
    E -.-> J
    F -.-> J
    
    style G fill:#90EE90
    style H fill:#FFB6C1
    style I fill:#FFB6C1
    style J fill:#FFB6C1
```

## Status details

### Draft

The quote is being created or edited by a sales rep. All quote fields, line items, and configurations can be modified.

**Available actions:**

* Edit all quote details
* Add or remove products
* Apply discounts
* Submit for approval or publish directly (depending on workflow)
* Delete the quote

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

### Pending approval {/* TODO: verify exact badge label in app */}

The quote is locked and awaiting manager review. Sales reps cannot modify the quote during this phase.

**Available actions:**

* Approve the quote (manager/admin only)
* Request changes with feedback (manager/admin only)
* View quote details (all roles)

**Who can access:** All users (read-only for sales reps)

<Info>
  Approval requirements are configured in the template settings. Common triggers include total value thresholds, specific discount levels, or custom fields.
</Info>

### Changes Requested

An approver returned the quote with modification requests. The quote returns to draft-like editing capabilities.

**Available actions:**

* Edit quote based on feedback
* View approver comments
* Resubmit for approval

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

### Approved

The quote passed approval (or didn't require it) and is ready to send to the customer.

**Available actions:**

* Publish to Dealroom
* Edit quote (returns to Draft)
* Generate PDF preview

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

### Published

The quote is live in the Dealroom and visible to the customer. The Dealroom URL is active and can be shared.

**Available actions:**

* View Dealroom
* Track customer engagement
* Move to Pending signature manually {/* TODO: verify if status change is manual or automatic */}
* Mark as Lost or Expired

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins, customer (via Dealroom link)

**Restrictions:** Quote line items and pricing are locked. Only metadata and notes can be edited.

### Pending signature

The customer is actively reviewing the quote and preparing to sign. This status indicates high intent.

**Available actions:**

* Monitor signature progress
* Send reminders {/* TODO: verify if reminder feature exists */}
* Mark as Accepted (if signed)
* Mark as Lost or Canceled

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins, customer (via Dealroom link)

### Accepted

The customer signed the quote. Qwoty automatically generates an order and may create or update a contract.

**Available actions:**

* View generated order
* View contract
* Export for downstream systems

**Who can access:** All users (read-only)

**Automatic processes:**

* Order creation
* Contract generation (if configured)
* Webhook notifications (if configured)

<Check>
  When a quote reaches **Accepted**, it becomes the source of truth for fulfillment. The order is locked and cannot be modified without creating a new quote.
</Check>

### Expired

The quote passed its validity date without customer acceptance. Customers can no longer access the Dealroom.

**Available actions:**

* Clone to create a new quote
* Archive for reporting

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

### Lost

The deal did not close. Use this status to track lost reasons for pipeline analysis.

**Available actions:**

* Add lost reason and notes {/* TODO: verify field names */}
* Clone to create a new opportunity

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

### Canceled

The sales team withdrew the quote before completion.

**Available actions:**

* Add cancellation notes
* Clone to create a revised quote

**Who can access:** Quote owner, managers, admins

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I edit a published quote?">
    You cannot edit line items or pricing once a quote is published. You can update metadata fields and internal notes. To modify pricing or products, cancel the quote and create a new version by cloning it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if a quote expires?">
    The Dealroom becomes inaccessible to customers, and the signature option is disabled. The quote remains in your system for reporting. Clone the expired quote to create a new version with an updated validity date.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I skip the approval process?">
    Yes. Approval is configured at the template level. If your template doesn't define approval rules, quotes move directly from **Draft** to **Approved** when you publish them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I move a quote back to Draft?">
    From **Approved** status, you can edit the quote, which automatically returns it to **Draft**. From **Published** or later statuses, you must cancel the current quote and clone it to create an editable copy.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between Lost and Canceled?">
    **Lost** means the customer chose not to proceed (competitor won, budget cut, etc.). **Canceled** means your team withdrew the quote (pricing error, wrong product, customer requested different terms). Use **Lost** for pipeline analysis and win/loss reporting.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a customer reopen an expired quote?">
    No. Once expired, the Dealroom is locked. Clone the quote, update the validity date, and publish the new version. Share the new Dealroom link with your customer.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Approval workflows" icon="check-double" href="/user-guide/quotes/reference/lifecycle">
    Configure multi-level approvals based on quote value, discount, or custom rules
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quote statuses" icon="tags" href="/user-guide/quotes/reference/lifecycle">
    Learn how to manually update quote status and add status comments
  </Card>

  <Card title="Orders" icon="box" href="/user-guide/orders-contracts/introduction">
    Understand how orders are generated from accepted quotes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dealroom" icon="handshake" href="/user-guide/dealroom/introduction">
    Explore the customer-facing space for quote review and signature
  </Card>
</CardGroup>