A quote is the priced version of an order before you've approved it. A sales order is what it becomes once you have. The conversion from one to the other is the most important step in the lifecycle — it's the moment production gets scheduled, the deposit is invoiced, and the spec gets locked in.
#What's in a quote
A quote captures everything we'd need to produce and ship the order if you approved it as-is:
- The products, with variants and quantities
- The decoration — method, placement, artwork
- Setup charges (one-time prep fees)
- Per-piece pricing at the chosen quantity tier
- Shipping destination(s) and method
- The target in-hands date
- Tax (if applicable to the destination)
- Total at the bottom
Quotes are revisable. If something looks off — a quantity, a color, the decoration — say so and your account team will issue a revised quote. Multiple rounds are normal on a new product or a complex run.
#How approval works
Two paths:
- In-portal approval. Open the order and approve from there. The order moves to Client Approved and production gets queued.
- Shared approval link. Your account team can send a shared link that lets someone approve the order without logging into the portal. Useful for getting sign-off from someone on your team who isn't a portal user.
Approval is a deliberate checkpoint. We don't auto-approve, and quotes don't expire silently — they wait for you. If something has changed since the quote was issued (supplier price moved, the in-hands date drifted), your account team will issue a revised quote and ask you to approve the new one.
For the full lifecycle of statuses around approval, see Order lifecycle and statuses.
#What's locked once you approve
Approval is the meaningful edit window. Once you approve:
- The spec locks in. Products, variants, quantities, decoration, artwork, placements — what you approved is what production will run.
- The price locks in. The quoted total becomes the order total. Material costs already incurred are yours from this point.
- Production gets queued. The order takes a slot in the schedule.
- The deposit invoice issues (on most orders).
Some things are still editable post-approval, but the window narrows fast. For what you can still change and when, see Cancellation and changes.
#What still needs a proof
For decorated orders, there's often a separate design proof step in parallel with quote approval. The proof shows exactly how the decoration will look on the product — placement, size, colors, method. You approve the quote and the proof; both have to be green before production starts.
If the proof needs a revision after you've approved the quote, the order sits at Pending Client Approval on the proof side while the design team adjusts. Production doesn't start until both checkpoints clear.
#What triggers production
Production gets queued once:
- You've approved the quote
- You've approved the proof (for decorated orders)
- The deposit invoice is settled (if your account requires deposit clearance before production)
On accounts with auto-pay or sufficient account funds, the deposit settles automatically and production starts on its own. On accounts paying by wire or with payment terms, production may wait on the deposit clearing — your account team will let you know.
#How the deposit invoice fits in
Most orders bill in two pieces:
- A deposit invoice at approval, covering the materials and setup needed to start production.
- A balance invoice once the order ships, covering the rest of the order, shipping, and any per-piece work completed.
The deposit is what gives production the green light on most accounts. The balance is what closes the order out. See Invoice types for the breakdown.
Smaller orders, reorders, and certain payment configurations may bill in one piece instead. The quote will show whether your order has a deposit, and the deposit amount if so.
#After production starts
Once production is underway, the order is in motion:
- Items get produced and decorated
- Pieces get packed
- Shipments get handed to carriers
- Each shipment becomes its own fulfillment order with a tracking number
For where the order is at each step, see Order lifecycle and statuses. For tracking individual shipments, see Fulfillment orders and tracking.
The terms cover the binding language on what an approved order obligates.