Chapter 6: Creating a Proposal

Proposals are Packages that may include “real” Vendor services or “generic” services created solely for generating cost quotations

To start the process, from the record of the Client to whom you are making the Proposal, click on the “+Proposal” button. This will open the TM database where you will create a record just as outlined in Chapter 4. The only exception is that these records will be tagged with a “Proposal” rather than “Active” status.

When you select the “+ Package” button to continue, you will be asked if you want to create a new Package or duplicate an existing Tour and Package(s). If you elect to build a new Package, the process is exactly the same as outlined in Chapter 5, with the exception that Proposals are never published. If you intend to duplicate an existing TM, remember to first reconfirm its status as being “Template”.

If you tend to send a lot of quotations for the same or very similar types of tour, you might want to consider creating TM/Package records as permanent templates that can be copied over and over again. Chapter 4 outlines the specifics of the tour duplication script; using it will save you an endless amount of time.

Something else to consider is creating “generic” or “Proposal Only” Vendor records and/or Product Date Records within a Vendor, whose Price/Inventory records will be used over and over again in multiple quotes. An example is to create a Vendor called “Orlando Hotel”, whose notes might reference the fact that accommodations will be provided at Hotel X, or Hotel Y, and whose cost would be a good approximation of what you would expect to have to pay for accommodations at either property.

Once the Package is complete, price it, perhaps duplicate it and price it based on a different cost factor; sweep both sets of prices to the proposal and print or e-mail it. For obvious reasons, you do not want to – in fact you cannot – publish it.

At the point it becomes a “real” tour, what you might want to do is use the tour duplicate function to replicate the services in a uniquely coded and perhaps newly-dated TM and Packages. If generic services were used in the itinerary, all you have to do is swap out the proposed services for the real thing once they are confirmed.

If you create a Package using real services and nothing changes at the point it turns from a Proposal to a sold tour, all you would have to do is publish the Package(s), at which point the status of the TM record will change from Proposal to Active, which makes it available to see and sell from Bookings.

If you have any questions that are not answered here Contact TourTools Support for assistance.