Quotation Format in Excel
Free Excel quotation with working GST columns, a validity date and a terms block. The tax split is computed, so the quote matches the invoice you eventually raise.
Excel 2016 and later, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. No macros. Fill the amber cells; the green ones calculate.
Quotation or Proforma Invoice? They Are Not the Same
This is the confusion worth clearing up before you send anything, because customers ask for one and mean the other.
| Quotation | Proforma invoice | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before anything is agreed | After the deal is agreed, before supply |
| Purpose | Offers a price and invites an order | Previews exactly what the tax invoice will say |
| Negotiable | Yes — that is the point | No, the terms are settled |
| Usually asked for to | Compare suppliers | Release a payment, raise a PO, arrange finance |
| GST payable | No | No |
Neither is a tax invoice. If it is the second one you need, take the proforma invoice format instead.
The Full Cycle
A quotation is the first document of four, and each is issued by a different side:
- Quotation — you → customer. "This is what it costs."
- Purchase order — customer → you. "We'll take it, on these terms."
- Proforma invoice — you → customer, if they need one to pay.
- Tax invoice — you → customer, at supply. This is the one that carries GST.
Show the GST, Even Though None Is Payable
A quotation creates no liability. There is no time of supply, nothing enters GSTR-1, and your customer cannot claim credit against it. Tax arrives later — at the tax invoice, or when you receive an advance for a service.
Show the tax anyway. A quote that hides GST looks cheaper than the real cost and then produces an argument at invoice time. This sheet asks for your GSTIN and the place-of-supply state code, works out whether the eventual supply is intra-state or inter-state, and splits the tax accordingly — so what you quote is what you will bill.
If you are unsure which rate applies, check the HSN or SAC code before quoting rather than after.
Keep the Validity Date Honest
Two things move underneath a quotation: your input costs, and the GST rate. The September 2025 rationalisation changed slabs across the board — anyone holding a six-month-old quote at the old rate was quoting a number that no longer existed.
The terms block in the sheet states that tax is charged at the rate in force at the time of supply, not the rate quoted. Keep the validity window short, and reissue rather than honour something stale.
What the Terms Block Covers
Five standard conditions are pre-written into the sheet, and they are the ones that cause disputes when they are missing:
- Validity — prices may be revised after the date shown.
- Taxes at rates in force on the quotation date; the rate at time of supply applies if it changes.
- Freight and insurance excluded unless stated.
- Delivery timelines run from a written order or advance, whichever is later.
- The quotation is an offer only — no supply and no liability until accepted.
Edit them to match how you actually trade. A quotation with no terms is where "but you said two weeks" comes from.
Next Document in the Chain
When the customer accepts, they send a purchase order — here's the format, free.
Purchase order formatFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a quotation and a proforma invoice?
A quotation is an offer that invites the customer to order, and its terms are still open to negotiation. A proforma invoice previews the tax invoice for a deal already agreed, and is usually asked for so the buyer can release a payment, raise a purchase order internally, or arrange finance. Both are non-taxable documents; the difference is where they sit in the cycle.
Should a quotation include GST?
Yes, show it. No GST is payable because of the quotation itself, but the customer needs to see the tax-inclusive cost. A quote that omits GST looks cheaper than it is and creates an argument when the invoice arrives. Show the taxable value and the tax separately, split into CGST plus SGST or IGST depending on the place of supply.
Does a quotation create any GST liability?
No. A quotation is an offer, not a supply. It creates no time of supply, nothing goes into GSTR-1, and the customer cannot claim input tax credit against it. Tax becomes payable when you issue the tax invoice, or when you receive an advance for a service.
How long should a quotation be valid?
Set a date and keep it short enough that you can honour it. Both input prices and GST rates move — the September 2025 rate rationalisation changed slabs across the board. If a quotation runs past its validity, reissue it rather than honouring a stale number, and state that tax is charged at the rate in force at the time of supply, not the rate quoted.