Quoting Time Savings Calculator
Published
Compare the time you spend preparing quotes in Word with your expected time in quoting software. This free calculator estimates the monthly value of any time saved, allows for subscription and setup costs, and works out how many quotes you would need to break even. No sign-up required; your entries are not saved.
Compare your quoting time and costs
Use your own timings and your chosen provider's cost. The example starts with 20 minutes of setup, using the upper end of our 15–20 minute estimate for Quote Forge, spread over 12 months. This is an estimate to adjust for your own business and learning time. The £25 monthly subscription is hypothetical, not Quote Forge's published price.
Is quoting software worth it for you?
Compare your own timings and costs. These example figures are assumptions, not measured savings.
Enter your chosen provider’s monthly cost. £25 is a hypothetical example, not Quote Forge’s published price.
Starts at 20 minutes, using the upper end of our 15–20 minute estimate for Quote Forge. Adjust for your own setup and learning time.
Illustrative net monthly time value
£36.81
After the subscription and allocated setup time. This values your time; it is not additional profit or income.
- Hours saved per month
- 2.5
- Potential monthly time value
- £62.50
- Monthly subscription + setup allowance
- £25.69
- £25.00 subscription + £0.69 allocated setup time
- Time-based break-even
- 5 quotes per month
A saved hour does not necessarily generate extra revenue. Time a real quote in both methods, including checking and PDF preparation, and adjust these assumptions.
How the calculator works
Monthly value of time saved = quotes per month × minutes saved per quote ÷ 60 × your chosen hourly value of admin time
The calculator subtracts the monthly subscription and an allowance for your one-off setup effort:
Monthly setup allowance = setup minutes ÷ 60 × hourly admin value ÷ months you spread setup over
With the example figures, 10 quotes per month taking 30 minutes in Word or 15 minutes in software would release 2.5 hours. At £25 an hour, that represents £62.50 of potential monthly time value. After a hypothetical £25 subscription and £0.69 allocated setup time, the illustrative net monthly time value is £36.81. The example breaks even at five quotes per month.
Break-even is the smallest whole number of quotes whose time value covers the subscription and allocated setup effort. If software takes as long or longer, or you value the time at £0, there is no time-based break-even. If both costs are zero and each quote releases time with a positive hourly value, break-even can be zero quotes.
Check the assumptions against a real job
Time the full process in both methods: adding customer details and line items, checking calculations, formatting and preparing the final PDF. Include time spent learning the software and setting up information you will reuse. Do not assume software reduces the time spent inspecting a job or deciding what to charge.
The result values your time; it is not additional income or profit. A saved hour might go towards paid work, other admin or time off. Software can also take longer, and the calculator shows that extra time and its negative value.
For the full comparison, read our guide to Word quote templates vs quoting software.