---
title: "Quotation, sale order or invoice: which to send"
description: "A quotation prices the job, a sale order confirms it and an invoice asks to be paid. How the three InvoiceStamp documents differ, and when to send each one."
url: https://docs.invoicestamp.com/documents/quotation-sale-order-or-invoice
last_updated: 2026-10-21
app: InvoiceStamp 1.1.0 for iPhone and Android
---

> InvoiceStamp Help Center: step-by-step guides for the InvoiceStamp app on iPhone and Android.
> Fetch the complete index of help pages at https://docs.invoicestamp.com/llms.txt to find the other pages you need before answering.

# Quotation, sale order or invoice: which to send

Send a **quotation** before the work is agreed, so the client sees the price. Send a **sale order** once they say yes, to confirm what you'll deliver and for how much. Send an **invoice** to get paid: it's the only one of the three you can record payments on. InvoiceStamp makes all three with the same editor.

## How do the three documents differ?

| | Quotation | Sale order | Invoice |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it tells the client | What the job would cost | What you've both agreed | What they owe you |
| When to send it | Before the client agrees | After they accept, before you deliver | When the work is done or payment is due |
| In the **+** menu | **Quotation** (Price it first) | **Sale Order** (Lock the deal) | **Invoice** (Get paid) |
| First number, by default | QUO-0001 | SO-0001 | INV-0001 |
| Payments | No | No | Full or partial, with **Unpaid**, **Partial** and **Paid** |
| Home screen total | **Total Quoted** | **Total Sale Orders** | **Total Invoiced** |

Each type keeps its own numbering, so your quotations, sale orders and invoices each count up on their own. You can change the prefix and the next number in [Document numbering](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/business-and-designs/document-numbering).

## How do I make each one?

1. Tap the round **+** button at the right of the tab bar.
2. Tap **Quotation**, **Invoice** or **Sale Order**. The editor opens on a new, numbered document of that type.

![The What are we making? menu with three buttons: Quotation, Price it first; Invoice, Get paid; Sale Order, Lock the deal](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/screenshots/create-menu.webp)

The editor is the same for all three: business, client, [line items](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/glossary#line-item), design and the optional extras. Only the document's name changes, on the editor's header, the **Save** button in the preview and the PDF. Every type has an [**Issue date**](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/glossary#issue-date) and a [**Due date**](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/glossary#due-date); on a quotation, you can set the due date to the day your offer ends. See [Fill in a document](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/documents/fill-in-a-document).

## Can I turn a quotation into an invoice?

Not automatically. In InvoiceStamp 1.1.0, each document stands on its own, and a document's type can't be changed once it's saved. When a client accepts a quotation:

1. Tap **+** and choose **Sale Order** or **Invoice**.
2. Pick the same client from your saved clients, and add the same products from **Add products**. Saved clients and products make this a few taps.
3. Tap [**+ Reference**](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/glossary#reference) and type the quotation's number, such as *QUO-0001*, so your client can match the two documents.

## Which document do I record a payment on?

Only on an invoice. Open it in **Documents** and tap **Payment** to mark it paid in full or in part. Quotations and sale orders have no payment row and no paid or unpaid status. See [Record a payment](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/payments/record-a-payment).

## Related guides

- [Make your first invoice](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/getting-started/make-your-first-invoice)
- [Manage your documents](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/documents/manage-your-documents)
- [Read your totals on the Home screen](https://docs.invoicestamp.com/payments/home-screen-totals)