ServiceM8 how-to
How do you give customers quote options in ServiceM8?
Use Quote Options on any plan: produce each option as its own renamed quote PDF and send them together, and the customer accepts one online. For optional extras or a pick one section inside a single quote, use Proposals (Growing plan and up). Either way, the accepted choice becomes the job's billable items.
Last checked 25 Sep 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Yes, natively: Quote Options (all plans) for separate priced quotes on one job, or Proposals (Growing and up) for optional and multiple choice items.
Step by step
- Quote Options: open the job in the Online Dashboard and build the first option in Billing.
- Produce the quote, then in the Diary hover over the quote, click the down arrow, choose Version History and Rename it, for example 'Option 1: repair'.
- Change the items and description for the next option, produce the quote again and rename that version too.
- Send the quote by email or SMS with the {document} merge field so the customer gets the online quote page with every option.
- Use Make visible to Client or Hide from Client on each Diary item to control which options the customer sees.
- When the customer accepts one, check the job is now a Work Order with that option's items, and read the Diary note.
- Proposals: turn on the Proposals add-on in Settings, ServiceM8 Add-ons, open a job in Quote status and click Proposal.
- Add a Materials section per group of choices and set each section to Fixed, Multiple Choice or Optional.
- Send the proposal by email or SMS with {document}. On acceptance, the fixed items and the customer's choices are applied to the job.
Gotchas
- An option only shows separately if its PDF name differs from the previous version. If your naming preference leaves the price out, rename every option.
- Quote Options and versions are managed in the Online Dashboard only.
- If the customer picks an option by phone, find that version in the Diary and choose Apply to job, or the job keeps whatever items were last in Billing.
- Applying a Proposal replaces the job's existing items rather than adding to them. Check Billing before you apply.
- To change an accepted Proposal, set the job back to Quote, edit and resend it.
- In the mobile app, Proposal deposits can only be a percentage. A fixed dollar deposit has to be set in the Online Dashboard.
What the official help article misses: It explains versions and options but does not compare them with Proposals, does not say that optional line items are a Proposals feature, and does not give the plan each needs. Read ServiceM8's article.
Quote Options: separate quotes, one job
Quote Options is built on ServiceM8's quote versions. Every time you produce a quote PDF, ServiceM8 saves a snapshot of the price, items and Work Completed description. Rename a version and it shows as its own item in the job Diary. Each renamed PDF is an option.
So for a hot water job you might build the electric replacement, produce the quote and rename it "Option 1: electric". Swap the items for a heat pump, produce again and rename it "Option 2: heat pump". Send both in one email or SMS with the online link. The customer sees every visible option in their online quote page and accepts one.
When they do, ServiceM8 moves the job to Work Order, restores the accepted option's items, price and description to the job, and writes a Diary note saying which option was chosen. Only one option can be accepted. This is all done in the Online Dashboard, not the app.
Proposals: choices inside one document
Proposals are a richer quote, with text, photos and materials sections. Each materials section is set as one of three types:
Fixed: everything in the section is included. This is the default.
Multiple Choice: the customer picks exactly one line in the section, which suits good, better and best on a single product.
Optional: the customer picks some, all or none, which suits add ons like a surge diverter or an extra power point.
When the customer accepts, the fixed items plus their choices are applied to the job, the job becomes a Work Order and the Diary records it. Proposals are live: edit an unaccepted proposal and the customer's view updates, so you do not need to resend it. You can also see whether and when the customer opened it, and ServiceM8 tells the sender if it has not been viewed within 24 hours.
Which to use
Use Quote Options when the choices are whole different jobs (repair versus replace, two brands of system) and you want a separate PDF for each. Use a Proposal when there is one core job with extras to tick, or when a customer needs to mix and match. ServiceM8's help centre describes optional and multiple choice items only for Proposals, not for the standard quote. Proposals need the Growing plan or higher; Quote Options is on every plan.
Sources
- Each produced quote is saved as a version; renaming a version shows it as a separate PDF in the Diary; clients can accept one option online, which changes the job to Work Order, restores that version's items, price and description, and adds a Diary note. Quote Versions and Options are managed in the Online Dashboard only. ServiceM8 Help Center, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- ServiceM8 says to use Quote Options for different options on the same job, and only one quote option can be accepted and restored to the job card. ServiceM8 Help Center, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Proposal materials sections can be Fixed (default), Multiple Choice (one line) or Optional (some, all or none). Acceptance changes the job to Work Order and applies fixed and selected items; applying replaces the existing material list; unaccepted proposals update live; senders are notified if a proposal is not viewed within 24 hours. ServiceM8 Help Center, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- On ServiceM8's Australian pricing, Quote Options is included on every plan and Proposals from the Growing plan up. ServiceM8, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Proposal deposits can be a percentage or fixed amount in the Online Dashboard, but only a percentage in the mobile app. ServiceM8 Help Center, checked 25 Sep 2026.