Skip to content
399apps.com logo 399apps.com
Free business format

Quotation format: free template in Excel, with GST

Short answer

A quotation should show your business name and GSTIN, a quotation number and date, a validity date, the customer’s details, each item with description, HSN/SAC, quantity, rate, discount and GST, the total in figures and words, and your payment, delivery and warranty terms, signed by the person authorised to quote. Download the free template below.

Updated 2026-09-27 · 399Apps · General GST information, not tax advice

How to write a quotation: step by step

The same order works for goods and services, in a template or in billing software.

  1. 1

    Put your business details at the top

    Add your business name, address, phone, email and GSTIN (if registered), with the title "Quotation".

  2. 2

    Number and date it, and set a validity date

    Give every quotation its own number (for example QUO/2026-27/014) and date, and state how long the price holds — 15 or 30 days is common. Without a validity date an old price can be held against you.

  3. 3

    Add the customer and their enquiry reference

    Write the customer’s name, address and contact person, and quote their enquiry or tender reference so the quotation is matched to the right request.

  4. 4

    List each item with rate, discount and GST

    For each line give the description, HSN/SAC, quantity, unit, rate and any discount, then the GST rate and amount, so the customer sees the price they will actually pay.

  5. 5

    Write the terms

    State payment terms (advance, credit days), delivery period, freight and installation, and warranty. Most disputes over a quotation are about terms that were never written down.

  6. 6

    Sign it and send it

    Add the total in figures and words and the name or signature of the person authorised to quote, then send it as a PDF or print.

Free quotation format (download)

A ready-to-fill quotation with every field above in order. It is a CSV, so it opens directly in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc and WPS Office — no signup, no email, no macros. Taxable value, GST and totals are live formulas, the terms block is pre-worded for you to edit, and a checklist sits at the bottom of the file.

Quotation format with GST

For quoting goods or services to a customer. Eight item lines with discount, GST rate and amount per line, a validity date, and editable payment, delivery, freight and warranty terms.

CSV · Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice

Download

Free to use, copy, modify and share — for your own quotations or on your own site. No attribution required, no account needed.

What is a quotation?

A quotation is a written offer to supply goods or services at a stated price, on stated terms, until a stated date. It is sent before the sale, usually in reply to an enquiry, and the customer accepts it, negotiates it or lets it expire. Once accepted it is the basis for the order and the invoice.

What a quotation must show

There is no legally prescribed quotation format in India, but a quotation that a customer can say yes to shows:

  • • Your business name, address, contact details and GSTIN (if registered).
  • • A unique quotation number and the date.
  • • A validity date — after it you can revise the price.
  • • The customer’s name, address and their enquiry reference.
  • • Each item with description, HSN/SAC, quantity, unit, rate and discount.
  • • The GST rate and amount per line, so the landed price is clear.
  • • The total in figures and in words.
  • • Payment, delivery, freight and warranty terms.
  • • The name or signature of the person authorised to quote.

Quotation vs proforma invoice vs tax invoice

A quotation is an offer: “this is what we will charge if you order”. A proforma invoice is sent after the buyer agrees, to confirm the order and ask for an advance. A tax invoice is raised when the goods or services are actually supplied, and it is the only one of the three that carries a GST liability and lets the buyer claim input tax credit.

Neither a quotation nor a proforma invoice is reported in GSTR-1. Only the tax invoice is.

Should a quotation include GST?

If you are GST-registered, yes — show the GST rate and amount on each line. Business buyers compare landed prices, and a quotation that quotes “₹10,000 + GST” without the rate invites a dispute at invoice time. If you are not registered, or you are a composition dealer who cannot collect tax, quote the price without GST and say so.

Mistakes that lose the order

Most quotations that go unanswered fail on the same few points:

  • • No validity date, so an old price is quoted back months later.
  • • GST left out or written only as “extra”, so the final amount surprises the buyer.
  • • Vague items (“material as required”) that cannot be compared with a competitor’s quote.
  • • No payment or delivery terms, so the negotiation starts again after the order.
  • • No quotation number, so a revised quote is confused with the original.

How 399Apps helps

Nidhi Books (by 399Apps) makes quotations with their own QUO/ number series and a validity date that expires them automatically. Email it or send a link where the customer taps Accept or Decline, then convert the accepted quotation to an invoice in one click — no retyping.

FAQ

Quotation format — frequently asked questions

What is the format of a quotation? +
A quotation shows your business details and GSTIN, a quotation number and date, a validity date, the customer’s details, each item with description, HSN/SAC, quantity, rate, discount and GST, the total in figures and words, payment and delivery terms, and an authorised signature.
Can I download a quotation format in Excel for free? +
Yes. The quotation format on this page downloads as a CSV with no signup, no email and no account, and opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc and WPS Office. Totals and GST are live formulas. Save it as .xlsx from Excel if you want to keep formatting.
Is GST mandatory on a quotation? +
No law requires it, because a quotation is not a tax document. But if you are GST-registered you should show the GST rate and amount per line so the buyer sees the real price. Composition dealers cannot collect GST and should quote without it.
How long is a quotation valid? +
As long as you say. 15 or 30 days is common; commodity-linked prices often hold for 7 days or less. Always write the validity date on the quotation, because without one a customer can argue the old price still stands.
What is the difference between a quotation and an estimate? +
In everyday Indian business use the words overlap. An estimate is usually an approximate cost that can change once the work is scoped; a quotation is a fixed price for a defined supply that holds until its validity date.
Does a quotation go into GSTR-1? +
No. A quotation creates no supply and no GST liability, so it is never reported in GSTR-1. Only the tax invoice you raise when you actually supply goes into GSTR-1.
Try 399Apps

GST billing, returns & e-invoicing — done automatically

Nidhi Books raises GST-compliant invoices and prepares GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B exports, with unlimited users flat ₹399/month per app. Free for 14 days.