How do I write a quotation letter?

Open with a reference number and date, then the buyer's name and a subject line naming what is being quoted. In the body, thank them for the enquiry, state the price for each item with the unit, and say whether taxes and freight are included. Close with delivery time, payment terms and the validity date, then your name, designation and phone number. Keep it to one page and attach the detailed quotation if there are many items.

What is a request for quotation letter?

It is a letter from a buyer asking suppliers to quote for specified goods or services. A good one gives the exact specification, quantity, delivery location and required date, asks for prices with taxes and freight shown separately, states the payment terms the buyer prefers, and sets a deadline for replies. Sending the same letter to every supplier makes the quotations directly comparable.

How do I write a letter for a revised quotation?

Refer to the original quotation by number and date, say plainly what has changed and why, such as quantity, specification or price, and state the new total. Add that the revised quotation replaces the earlier one in full, give it a revision suffix such as R1 on the same number, and set a fresh validity date. Attach the revised document so nobody works from the old file.

How do I accept a quotation in writing?

Send a short letter or email that names the quotation number and date, confirms the items, quantity and total amount you are accepting, restates the delivery date and payment terms, and says whether a purchase order will follow. Acceptance that refers to a specific numbered quotation is what ties both sides to the same terms. Keep a copy with the quotation.

Can a quotation letter be sent by email or WhatsApp?

Yes, and most are. Use the same structure in the email body, put the quotation number in the subject line, and attach the quotation as a PDF so the figures cannot be altered by accident. On WhatsApp keep the message to three or four lines with the total and the validity date, and attach the same PDF. Formal tenders and government buyers may still require a signed letter on letterhead.

What is the difference between a quotation and a proforma invoice?

A quotation is an offer of price and terms made before the buyer commits. A proforma invoice is issued once the buyer has agreed to buy, and it is used for advance payment, customs or a purchase approval. The quotation letter asks for an order. The proforma invoice prepares the payment for it.

Is a quotation letter legally binding?

A quotation is an offer. It generally becomes binding on the seller only when the buyer accepts it within the validity date and on the stated terms. That is why the validity date, the inclusions and exclusions, and a written acceptance matter. For a high-value order, check the wording with a lawyer.

What should the subject line of a quotation letter say?

Name what is quoted and give the reference, for example: Quotation for 200 office chairs, your enquiry ENQ/031 dated 12 October. For a request, write Request for quotation for [item]. For a revision, add the word Revised and the earlier number it replaces.

How long should a quotation letter be?

One page. State the offer, the total, the terms and the validity date, then attach the itemised quotation if there are many lines. Letters for tenders or construction work are longer because they carry scope, specifications and conditions, but the commercial summary should still sit on the first page.

How soon should I follow up after sending a quotation?

Confirm receipt the same day or the next, then follow up two or three working days later with a useful question, not a reminder. After that, space the contacts out over two weeks. Tell the buyer in the quotation letter when you will call, so the follow-up is expected. Most quotations that are lost were never refused: they went quiet and nobody called.

Quotation Letter Format

Quotation Letter Format: Five Letters You Can Copy

The request, the submission, the revision, the follow-up and the acceptance, written out in full with short email and WhatsApp versions.

Last updated: 15 Oct 2026

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Quick answer

What is the format of a quotation letter?

A quotation letter has a reference number and date, the recipient's name and company, a subject line naming what is quoted, a short opening, the items with prices and whether taxes and freight are included, the delivery time, payment terms and validity date, and a sign-off with a name and phone number. It fits on one page. Longer price lists go in an attached quotation.

Five complete letters below: request, submission, revised quotation, follow-up and acceptance
Each has a short version for email and WhatsApp
Free Word file with all five letters, no sign-up

Quotation format with tables Quotation follow-up guide

What is a quotation letter?

A quotation letter is a formal business letter that states the price and terms for goods or services. A seller sends it after an enquiry, and a buyer writes a request for quotation to ask for one. It is an offer: it binds the seller only if the buyer accepts it within the validity date. It is different from a proforma invoice, which comes after the buyer has decided to buy. The same layout works for a school asking for sports equipment, an office buying furniture, an IT services quote or a trade supply.

The parts of a quotation letter

Every letter on this page uses the same eight parts. Once you know them you can write any quotation letter without a sample.

Part	What it does
Reference number and date	The quotation or enquiry number, so every later letter can point back to it
Recipient	Name, designation, company and address. A letter addressed to a person gets answered
Subject line	What is being quoted or requested, plus the reference. It should make sense on its own
Opening line	Why you are writing, in one sentence
The commercial content	Items, quantities, prices, taxes, freight. In a table if there are more than three lines
Terms	Delivery time, payment terms, validity date, warranty
Next step	What you want the reader to do, and by when
Sign-off	Name, designation, phone and email of someone who can take a decision

If your prices need a table of more than a few lines, send the letter as a covering note and attach one of the tabular quotation formats.

Letter 1: request for quotation, from buyer to supplier

Send the same letter to every supplier. The numbered questions force comparable answers.

[Your company letterhead]

Ref: ENQ/2026-27/031 | Date: [date]

To, [Supplier name], [Address]

Subject: Request for quotation for [item or service]

Dear Sir or Madam,

We invite your quotation for the following requirement. Please reply by [date] to [email address].

1. Item and specification: [full specification, make or grade, drawing number if any]. 2. Quantity: [number and unit]. 3. Delivery: to [place], required by [date]. 4. Please quote the basic price per unit, and show GST, freight, packing and installation separately. 5. Please state your delivery time, payment terms, warranty and the validity of your offer.

Our usual payment terms are [terms]. If any part of the specification is unclear, please call [name] on [phone] before quoting.

Yours faithfully, [Name], [Designation], [Company]

Short version for email or WhatsApp: Please quote for [quantity] of [item, specification], delivered to [place] by [date]. Show GST and freight separately, and state delivery time, payment terms and validity. Reply by [date]. Thank you, [name], [company].

Letter 2: quotation submission, from seller to buyer

This is the letter most people mean by quotation letter format. The offer, the total and the validity date come first.

[Your company letterhead]

Ref: QTN/2026-27/047 | Date: [date]

To, [Name], [Designation], [Company], [Address]

Subject: Quotation for [item or service], your enquiry [reference] dated [date]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for your enquiry. We are pleased to quote as follows.

[Item one, specification]: ₹[rate] per [unit] for [quantity]. [Item two, specification]: ₹[rate] per [unit] for [quantity]. Total basic value: ₹[amount]. GST at [rate]% extra. Freight: [included, or extra at actuals].

Delivery: within [number] days of your purchase order. Payment: [terms]. Warranty: [period]. This quotation is valid until [date]. The detailed quotation is attached.

I will call you on [day] to answer any questions. If you need a different quantity or specification, I can revise this the same day.

Yours sincerely, [Name], [Designation], [Phone], [Email]

Short version: Dear [Name], our quotation QTN/2026-27/047 for [item] is attached. Total ₹[amount] plus GST, delivery in [number] days, valid until [date]. I will call on [day]. Regards, [name], [phone].

Letter 3: revised quotation

The one sentence that matters is the last but one: the revision replaces the earlier quotation in full.

Ref: QTN/2026-27/047-R1 | Date: [date]

Subject: Revised quotation for [item], replacing QTN/2026-27/047 dated [date]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for your call on [date]. As discussed, we have revised our quotation for the following change: [quantity increased from 200 to 350 units, or specification changed to, or delivery location changed to].

The revised price is ₹[rate] per [unit], and the revised total is ₹[amount] plus GST at [rate]%. All other terms are unchanged: delivery within [number] days, payment [terms].

This revised quotation, QTN/2026-27/047-R1, replaces our earlier quotation in full and is valid until [date]. The revised document is attached.

Yours sincerely, [Name], [Designation], [Phone]

Short version: Dear [Name], revised quotation 047-R1 attached: [what changed], new total ₹[amount] plus GST, valid until [date]. It replaces the earlier quotation. Regards, [name].

Letter 4: follow-up on a quotation

A follow-up that only asks whether the quotation was received is easy to ignore. Ask something the buyer can answer in one line.

Subject: Our quotation QTN/2026-27/047 for [item]: one question

Dear [Name],

I sent our quotation for [item] on [date], valid until [date]. I am not writing to push for a decision. One question would help me give you the right offer: is the delivery date of [date] firm, or is there some flexibility? If there is, I can look at a better price on a slightly longer delivery.

If the quotation needs to go to someone else for approval, I can send a one-page summary with only the total, delivery and payment terms, which is easier to forward.

I will call you on [day] at [time], unless another time suits you better.

Regards, [Name], [Phone]

The reasoning behind this approach, and the full sequence after it, is in our guide to following up B2B quotations. Call scripts for the same moment are in telecalling scripts for India.

Letter 5: acceptance of a quotation, from buyer to seller

If you are the seller, send this to the buyer as a draft they can return. It takes them two minutes and saves you an argument.

Ref: [buyer reference] | Date: [date]

To, [Supplier name], [Address]

Subject: Acceptance of your quotation QTN/2026-27/047-R1 dated [date]

Dear [Name],

We are pleased to accept your quotation QTN/2026-27/047-R1 dated [date] for [quantity] of [item] at ₹[rate] per [unit], total ₹[amount] plus GST at [rate]%.

Delivery: to [place] by [date]. Payment: [terms, as per your quotation]. Our purchase order [number] [is attached, or will follow by date]. Please confirm the dispatch schedule by return.

Yours faithfully, [Name], [Designation], [Company]

Short version: We accept your quotation 047-R1 dated [date]: [quantity] [item], total ₹[amount] plus GST, delivery by [date], payment [terms]. PO to follow. [Name], [company].

Subject line examples

Request for quotation for [item], delivery to [place] by [date]
Quotation for [item or service], your enquiry [reference] dated [date]
Revised quotation QTN/2026-27/047-R1, replaces QTN/2026-27/047
Our quotation QTN/2026-27/047: one question on delivery
Acceptance of your quotation QTN/2026-27/047-R1 dated [date]

Quotation letters for tenders and larger jobs

A tender or construction quotation usually needs more than the one-page letter: the scope of work, the specification or bill of quantities, the basis of rates, exclusions, the completion period and any conditions on price variation. Keep the covering letter to one page with the total and validity, and put the detail in a numbered annexure. Many buyers also want the letter signed on letterhead, so check the tender document before sending an email-only reply.

Common mistakes in quotation letters

No reference number, so the later acceptance cannot point to a specific document
Prices without the unit or without saying whether GST is included
No validity date, or a duration instead of a date
Freight, installation and packing left unsaid
A wrong name, designation or company spelling in the address block
A revised price sent without saying that it replaces the earlier one
Informal tone or abbreviations in a letter that may be read by a finance team

Salutation and closing

Use Dear [Name] when you know the person. Use Dear Sir or Madam when you do not, and close with Yours faithfully. If you opened with a name, close with Yours sincerely. Add your designation and a direct phone number after the signature.

Writing rules that make quotation letters work

Lead with the offer

The reader wants three things: what, how much, until when. Put them in the first paragraph and leave the courtesies short.

One letter, one purpose

A letter that quotes, apologises for a delay and introduces a new product will be answered on none of them.

Say what is not included

Freight, unloading, installation, taxes. Anything you leave unsaid will be assumed to be in the price.

Use a date, not a duration

Valid until 21 October is unambiguous. Valid for 30 days starts an argument about which day the count began.

Name the next step and who takes it

I will call you on Thursday is a plan. Looking forward to hearing from you is a hope.

Send a PDF

Attach the quotation as a PDF, never as an editable file, and name the file with the quotation number.

Download all five letters

Quotation letter format in Word (.docx): all five letters with placeholders, one per page, free and with no sign-up. Our name appears only on a note you delete before sending. For priced tables to attach to these letters, use the quotation format in Word or the quotation format in Excel.

Request for quotation letter format from a buyer to a supplier, with reference number, subject line and numbered requirements — Letter 1: request for quotation

Quotation submission letter format from a seller to a buyer, used as a cover letter for a priced quotation — Letter 2: quotation submission

Follow-up letter format for a quotation that has not been answered — Letter 4: follow-up on a quotation

When letters become a daily job

Five quotations a week can be run from an inbox. At twenty, the letters start to slip: a follow-up is forgotten, a revision goes to the wrong contact, an acceptance sits unread. HelloGrowthCRM keeps the enquiry, the quotation, the messages and the follow-up date on one record, with quote tracking showing which quotations are open and for how long, and a shared WhatsApp CRM inbox so replies reach the whole team. Related formats: proforma invoice and estimate. Paid plans start at ₹899 per user per month and there is a free plan. See India pricing.

Challenges we solve

Where quotation letters go wrong, and the fix

Four problems that a better letter solves, each matched to one of the samples on this page.

Problem: The request for quotation is vague, three suppliers quote for three different things, and the comparison is meaningless.

How HelloGrowthCRM solves it: Ask every supplier the same questions in the same order: specification, quantity, delivery place and date, taxes, freight, payment terms and validity. Letter 1 is built that way.

HelloGrowthCRM capability: Comparable quotations

Problem: The quotation is sent as an attachment with no covering note, and the buyer has to open the file to find out what it is.

How HelloGrowthCRM solves it: Put the offer in the first three lines of the message: what is quoted, the total and the validity date. Letter 2 does this in under a hundred words.

HelloGrowthCRM capability: Offer in the first lines

Problem: A revised price is sent, and later nobody can tell which figure the customer actually agreed to.

How HelloGrowthCRM solves it: Give every revision a suffix on the same number, and state in the letter that the new quotation replaces the earlier one in full. Letter 3 has the wording.

HelloGrowthCRM capability: Numbered revisions

Problem: The order is confirmed on a phone call, and the dispute over delivery date and payment terms starts a month later.

How HelloGrowthCRM solves it: Ask for acceptance in writing that refers to the quotation number and date. Letter 5 is the two-minute version a buyer can send back.

HelloGrowthCRM capability: Written acceptance

What you get

Why teams choose HelloGrowthCRM

AI-powered CRM with the features you need to close more deals.

Every enquiry that arrives by email, WhatsApp, web form or phone becomes a lead with an owner, so a request for quotation is never left in one person's inbox

The covering message and the quotation PDF are sent from the same record, so what was said and what was priced stay together

Message templates hold your standard covering letter, revised quotation note and follow-up, with the customer's name and the quotation number filled in

A follow-up task is created when the quotation is sent, with a date, so the second letter goes out on time instead of when someone remembers

Replies on WhatsApp and email land on the customer's timeline, where the next person to pick up the account can read them

Revised quotations are saved as versions of the same record, so the acceptance always refers to a version both sides can identify

When the customer accepts, the deal moves stage and the accepted quotation converts to an invoice without retyping

Open quotations are listed with value and age, which shows at a glance who is owed a follow-up letter today

Lost reasons are recorded when a quotation closes, so you learn whether price, delivery or silence is costing you orders

Managers can see which quotations are open, who owns each one and when it was last followed up, without asking anyone

Compare HelloGrowthCRM to HubSpot, Salesforce & more

HelloGrowthCRM by the numbers

$12: per user/month list price — $10/user/mo on annual billing, ₹899/user/mo in India
$0: free forever starter plan — no credit card required
14-day: trial included on paid plans
500+: teams worldwide run their pipeline on HelloGrowthCRM