Documentation

Getting Started with CueQuote

Learn how to create professional AV proposals in minutes

Quick Start

Getting started with CueQuote takes just a few minutes. Follow these five steps and you'll have your first professional AV proposal ready to share.

  1. Sign up for a free account at app.cuequote.com
  2. Create your company profile and upload your logo
  3. Set your brand color — this will be applied to all your proposals automatically
  4. Navigate to Proposals and click "New Proposal"
  5. Describe the event in plain language and let CueQuote's AI generate a complete equipment list with pricing
TipYou can create up to 3 proposals per month on the free plan — no credit card required.

Getting Started Checklist

When you first log in after signing up, the dashboard shows a Getting Started checklist at the top. This guides you through the essential setup steps to get your first proposal out the door.

Each step auto-completes as you perform the action — no manual checkboxes needed. Once all steps are done, the checklist shows a celebration message and can be dismissed permanently.

  1. Create your account — automatically completed after signup
  2. Set up your company — completed during onboarding (company name, address, brand color)
  3. Upload your logo — go to Settings and upload your company logo (appears on every PDF)
  4. Add equipment to your catalog — import your gear and prices for accurate AI proposals
  5. Create your first proposal — describe an event and generate your first AI-powered quote
TipYou can dismiss the checklist at any time by clicking the X button. It won't come back once dismissed.

Start From the Cost Calculator

The AV cost calculator on cuequote.com prices an event in your own market and currency. Once you are happy with the estimate, it carries straight into CueQuote — your first proposal opens already filled in with the event you priced, rather than an empty form.

The estimate is orientation, not a quote. CueQuote re-prices everything from your own catalogue and your own rates, so what you send a client is always your pricing, never the calculator’s.

  1. Open the AV cost calculator and choose the country where the event takes place. Prices and currency update to that market.
  2. Set the attendee count and number of days, then pick your video, lighting and staging options. The breakdown shows each line as you go.
  3. Click "Continue with this estimate". Your configuration travels with you to the signup page.
  4. Create your account and confirm your email. When you open your first proposal, the attendee count, days, currency and equipment are already there — adjust anything before generating.
TipEquipment and crew are priced separately by market. AV hardware costs much the same worldwide because it is bought globally, while crew rates are local — which is why two countries can show similar equipment costs but very different crew costs.

Equipment Catalog

Your equipment catalog is the backbone of accurate proposals. CueQuote lets you maintain a detailed inventory of your gear with default pricing.

Equipment is organized into categories: Audio, Lighting, Video, Staging, Rigging, Power & Distribution, and Custom. Each item can have a name, description, default rental price, and internal notes.

  1. Go to Settings → Equipment Catalog
  2. Add items manually or import from a CSV spreadsheet
  3. Set default rental prices per item — these will be used when AI generates proposals
  4. Organize items into categories for easy browsing
TipWhen you import from CSV, use columns: Name, Category, Price, Description. CueQuote will map them automatically.

Clients

Keep all your client information organized in one place. CueQuote supports different client types to help you categorize your business relationships.

Each client record stores contact details, company information, and is linked to all their proposals — giving you a complete history of your quoting relationship.

  1. Navigate to Clients and click "Add Client"
  2. Fill in contact and company details
  3. Select the client type: Direct, Agency, Venue, or Corporate
  4. Link the client to new proposals from the proposal creation screen
TipClient types help you track where your business comes from. Use the "Agency" type for production companies that subcontract your services.

Creating Proposals

CueQuote's AI-powered proposal engine turns a simple event description into a detailed, professional quote in seconds.

Start by describing the event: the venue type, audience size, what kind of production is needed (sound, lighting, video, staging), and any special requirements. The more detail you provide, the more accurate the generated equipment list will be.

  1. Click "New Proposal" from your dashboard
  2. Enter the event description — be as specific as possible about the venue and requirements
  3. CueQuote's AI generates a complete equipment list with quantities and pricing
  4. Review and edit: add, remove, or adjust any line items
  5. Download as a branded PDF or share via a unique link
TipUse the share link feature to let clients view proposals online — they can approve directly from the link.

AI Generation Quota

Each CueQuote plan includes a monthly AI proposal generation quota. Every time you generate a proposal using AI (including retries), it counts against your monthly limit.

Before generating, CueQuote shows a confirmation dialog telling you how many generations you have remaining this month. This helps you avoid wasting a slot on an incomplete description. The dialog is skipped for admin and enterprise users.

  1. Free plan: 3 AI generations per month
  2. Starter plan: 10 AI generations per month
  3. Pro plan: 40 AI generations per month
  4. Business plan: 120 AI generations per month
  5. Manual edits to generated proposals are always free — only new AI generations count
TipWrite a detailed event description before clicking Generate. The more specific you are, the better the AI output — and the less likely you'll need to regenerate.

Per-Proposal Language

CueQuote supports creating proposals in 5 languages: English, Polish, Arabic, German, and French. Each proposal can be generated in a different language — independent of your dashboard language.

This is designed for AV companies working with international clients. An Arabic-speaking user can create an English proposal for an English-speaking client, and vice versa. The AI generates all content (item names, descriptions, inclusions, exclusions) in the chosen language, while keeping brand names and equipment model numbers untranslated.

  1. When creating a new proposal, select the language from the dropdown next to the Currency selector
  2. The language defaults to your dashboard language but can be changed per proposal
  3. Click Generate — the AI outputs all proposal text in the selected language
  4. The PDF also renders labels (Subtotal, Total, Terms, Payment Schedule, etc.) in the proposal's language
  5. You can always edit the generated text in the proposal editor after generation
TipCatalog item brand names (Sennheiser, Shure, etc.) are kept untranslated regardless of the proposal language. The AI translates descriptive text while preserving product identifiers.

Terms & Details

Every proposal can include customizable terms and conditions, payment terms, and inclusion/exclusion lists. These sections build trust and set clear expectations with your clients.

You can set defaults that apply to all new proposals, then customize per proposal as needed.

  1. Go to Settings → Proposal Defaults to set your standard terms
  2. Edit inclusions: what's covered in the quoted price (e.g., delivery, setup, operator)
  3. Edit exclusions: what's not included (e.g., power supply, venue access fees)
  4. Set payment terms: deposit percentage, payment schedule, accepted methods
  5. Add your full Terms & Conditions — these appear on the last page of the PDF
TipEach proposal has its own copy of these terms. Changing the defaults won't affect existing proposals — only new ones.

PDF Templates

CueQuote offers four professionally designed PDF templates so your proposals always look polished and on-brand.

Each template automatically applies your company logo, brand color, and contact information. You can switch templates at any time — existing proposals will update to use the new template when re-downloaded.

  1. Modern — Clean lines, generous white space, contemporary feel. Best for tech-forward clients.
  2. Bold — Strong typography, high-contrast layout. Great for making a statement.
  3. Classic — Traditional proposal format with structured sections. Ideal for corporate clients.
  4. Minimal — Stripped-back design focused on content. Perfect when simplicity matters.
TipYou can set a default template in Settings, but override it per proposal if needed. Your brand color is applied to headings, accents, and borders.

Regenerate Proposals

Instead of creating a new proposal from scratch, you can regenerate an existing one. This updates the line items while preserving your client, dates, venue, terms, and all other settings. Regenerating does not count against your monthly proposal quota.

There are three regeneration modes: Full (replaces all line items with a fresh AI generation), Smart (keeps items you manually edited, replaces AI-generated ones), and From File (upload an updated specification document and regenerate based on it).

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TipRegenerating is free — it does not use a proposal credit. Use it to quickly update proposals when requirements change.

Risk Assessment Plan

CueQuote can generate an AI-powered risk assessment for your events. The risk plan identifies potential problems and provides specific mitigation strategies based on your event's equipment, venue, attendee count, and duration.

Risk assessment is available from the Risk Plan tab in the proposal editor. Starter plans get 3 basic categories (equipment, power, crew) in view-only mode. Pro plans unlock all 8 categories with full editing and PDF inclusion. Business plans add custom risk creation and regeneration.

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TipThe AI only generates weather risks for outdoor events and interpretation risks when SI equipment is in the proposal. It's smart about what's relevant.

Proposal Comparison

CueQuote's comparison tool lets clients and event planners compare proposals from multiple vendors side by side. It works entirely via share tokens — no login required.

Paste share URLs or tokens into the comparison page to load proposals. The tool calculates a Value Score for each vendor based on price (40%), scope coverage (35%), and contract terms (25%).

  1. Navigate to the Compare page and paste proposal share URLs or tokens into the input field to add vendors
  2. Review the vendor cards showing total price, savings vs cheapest, and Value Score breakdown
  3. Scroll down to the line item comparison table — items are cross-matched by name and grouped by category, with cheapest highlighted in green and most expensive in red
  4. Check the Terms Comparison for deposit, validity, cancellation, and insurance differences, then review the AI Insight summary for a recommended choice
TipThe comparison URL is shareable — send it to your client so they can see the side-by-side analysis themselves

Proposal Comments

Comments allow real-time collaboration between you and your clients directly on proposals. Clients can leave feedback on the shared proposal page, and you can reply from the proposal editor.

Comments can reference specific line items and be flagged as formal revision requests. Your team sees a comment badge count in the editor and the system polls for new comments every 10 seconds.

  1. Clients open the shared proposal link and leave comments — they can optionally select a specific line item to reference
  2. When a client flags a comment as a revision request, it appears with a 'Pending' status badge in your editor
  3. Open the proposal in the editor and click the Comments tab — the red badge shows the count of unread comments
  4. Reply to comments and click 'Mark Resolved' on revision requests once you've addressed the feedback
TipComments are updated in real-time — both you and your client see new messages within 10 seconds

Sharing & Tracking Proposals

CueQuote lets you share proposals with clients via unique links — no PDFs to email back and forth. When a client opens the link, you see exactly when they viewed it, how many times, and whether they accepted or declined.

Every proposal gets a shareable link that shows a professional, branded view of your proposal. Clients can review equipment, pricing, and terms, then accept or decline with one click. You get notified instantly when they respond.

  1. Open any proposal and click the "Share" button in the header
  2. Copy the unique share link and send it to your client via email, WhatsApp, or any messaging tool
  3. Track views in real-time — see when the client opens the proposal and how many times they viewed it
  4. When the client clicks "Accept" or "Decline" on the shared page, you receive an instant notification on your dashboard
  5. Follow up strategically — if a client viewed but hasn't responded within 48 hours, it's time to reach out
TipUse the "Send Proposal" button to email the share link directly from CueQuote with a personal message. The email includes a summary of the proposal with a branded CTA button.

Invoicing

CueQuote lets you create professional invoices directly from your proposals. Once a proposal is sent or accepted, you can generate a deposit or full invoice with one click — complete with your company branding and payment instructions.

Before creating invoices, add your payment methods in Settings. You can configure bank transfer details (IBAN, SWIFT), PayPal, or Wise. These details appear on every invoice PDF you generate, so clients know exactly how to pay.

  1. Go to Settings and add your payment methods (bank account, PayPal, or Wise) under Payment Information
  2. Open a sent or accepted proposal and click "Create Invoice" — choose between a deposit invoice or a full invoice
  3. Review the invoice editor: verify the invoice number, issue date, due date, line items, and totals
  4. Select which payment method to display on the invoice from the dropdown
  5. Download the invoice PDF — it includes your branding, line items, VAT, payment instructions, and reference number
  6. Send the invoice to your client via email and track its status: Draft, Sent, Viewed, or Paid
TipAdd at least one bank account in Settings — most B2B clients prefer bank transfer for AV equipment payments. Include the invoice number as the payment reference for easy reconciliation.

Payment Tracking

CueQuote lets you record full and partial payments on invoices and track the complete payment history. When you record a payment, the invoice status updates automatically — partial when partially paid, paid when fully covered.

Every payment is logged with the amount, date, method, and optional reference number. You can view, delete, or add payments at any time. If you accidentally mark an invoice as paid, you can revert it with one click.

  1. Open an invoice and click the green "Record Payment" button in the Summary sidebar
  2. Enter the amount received, date, payment method (bank transfer, cash, card, check), and optional reference number
  3. View all payments in the Payment History section below the invoice notes — each shows amount, date, method, and reference
  4. To revert a paid invoice, click "Undo — mark as unpaid" below the Paid badge — it recalculates based on actual recorded payments
  5. Change invoice status manually by clicking the status badge in the header — select from Draft, Sent, Viewed, Partial, Paid, Overdue, or Cancelled
TipUse the status dropdown to manually mark overdue invoices. The Record Payment button in the sidebar is the quickest way to log received funds.

Corrective Invoices

When a sent or paid invoice needs corrections, CueQuote lets you issue a corrective invoice that references the original. The original stays untouched for audit purposes, and the correction shows exactly what changed with before/after values.

Corrective invoices follow professional invoicing standards used across the EU and are compatible with Poland's KSeF e-invoicing system. Each correction is linked to its original invoice with full traceability.

  1. Open a sent, viewed, or paid invoice and click the correction icon (circular arrow) in the header toolbar
  2. The system creates a new invoice with "/COR" suffix, pre-filled with all original line items and their values stored as snapshots
  3. Edit the items that need correcting — modified items show the original total struck through next to the new total
  4. Fill in the "Reason for Correction" field and send the corrective invoice to your client
TipThe original invoice shows an amber banner linking to the correction, and the corrective invoice shows a blue banner linking back to the original — creating a complete audit trail.

Smart Suggestions

CueQuote's Smart Suggestions engine analyzes your company's past proposals to provide intelligent recommendations. It detects items you frequently include but may have missed, flags pricing inconsistencies, and identifies items you use often but haven't added to your catalog.

Smart Suggestions learns from your own data — the more proposals you create, the smarter it gets. It requires at least 3 sent proposals to generate meaningful recommendations. You can toggle it on or off at any time.

  1. Click the "Smart" lightbulb toggle in the proposal tab bar to enable suggestions — your preference is saved across sessions
  2. The "Missing Items" tab shows items you usually include but haven't added to this proposal, with confidence scores and one-click "Add" buttons
  3. The "Repricing" tab flags items priced more than 15% above or below your historical average, showing current vs average price with min-max range
  4. The "Add to Catalog" tab lists items used in 2+ proposals but missing from your equipment catalog — click to create catalog entries with average pricing
TipSmart Suggestions is especially useful for preventing forgotten items and maintaining consistent pricing across proposals. The repricing tab catches accidental price changes when reusing items.

Client Portal

The Client Portal gives your clients a dedicated login where they can view all proposals and invoices you've sent them in one place. No more searching through email for share links — everything is organized and accessible.

Clients self-register from the share page using the same email address you sent proposals to. The portal is available on Pro plans and above. You can manage client access from the Clients page in your dashboard.

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TipThe Client Portal makes you look more professional — clients see a branded dashboard instead of scattered email links.

Team Management

CueQuote supports multi-user teams with role-based access. The company owner can invite team members and assign roles that control what each person can see and do.

There are four roles: Owner (full access, can manage billing and team), Admin (full access except billing), Sales (can create and manage proposals, clients, and catalog), and Viewer (read-only access to proposals and dashboard).

  1. Go to Team from the sidebar — you'll see all current team members with their roles
  2. Click "Invite Member" and enter their email address and select a role
  3. The invited person receives an email with a link to join your CueQuote workspace
  4. Once they accept, they appear on your team page and can access the dashboard based on their assigned role
  5. You can change roles or remove team members at any time from the Team page
TipUse the Sales role for your quoting team — they can create proposals and manage clients but can't change billing or company settings.

Scope Templates

Scope templates let you save and reuse proposal configurations for recurring event types. Instead of describing the same conference setup from scratch every time, save it as a template with pre-configured line items, quantities, and pricing.

Templates come in two types: scope-only templates (just the event description and settings, AI still generates the equipment list) and full templates (complete with pre-configured line items that skip AI generation entirely).

  1. Go to Templates from the sidebar to view and manage your saved templates
  2. To create a template from scratch, click "New Template" and configure the event type, description, attendee range, and optionally add line items
  3. To save an existing proposal as a template, open the proposal editor and click "Save as Template" — all line items are captured
  4. When creating a new proposal, your templates appear as quick-start cards — click one to pre-fill the event description and settings
  5. Full templates (with line items) let you skip AI generation entirely — click "Use Template" to create an instant proposal
TipCreate templates for your most common event types: conference, gala dinner, product launch, hybrid event. Each template speeds up quoting by 80% for repeat event formats.

Inventory Management

Track your physical AV equipment with serial numbers, asset tags, condition ratings, and real-time availability. Assign units to events and see at a glance what's available for upcoming jobs.

Each inventory unit links to a catalog item and can be tracked through its lifecycle: available, assigned to an event, in maintenance, or retired. The mini availability calendar shows your weekly equipment status.

  1. Go to Inventory and click 'Add Unit' — select equipment from your catalog, enter the serial number, asset tag, purchase details, and condition rating
  2. Use the search bar and category filters to find specific units — the table shows equipment name, serial number, condition, status, and current event assignment
  3. Click the three-dot menu on any available unit and select 'Assign to Event' — choose a won proposal and dates auto-fill from the event schedule
  4. Check the mini availability calendar on the right sidebar — green means available, amber means all units of that type are assigned for that day
  5. Use the quick actions to mark units as 'In Maintenance' when they need servicing, or 'Available' when they're ready to deploy again
TipKeep serial numbers and asset tags consistent — they make it easy to track specific units across events and insurance records

Crew Scheduling

Manage your crew roster, assign team members to events, and share crew prep sheets with your staff. CueQuote supports both in-house staff and freelancers with different rate structures.

The crew calendar gives you a weekly overview of who's available and who's assigned. The 'Events Needing Crew' widget shows upcoming events that still need staff, and crew prep sheets can be shared as public links with no pricing information.

  1. Go to Crew and click 'Add Member' — enter their name, type (Staff or Freelancer), default role, skills, and day rate for freelancers
  2. Filter your roster by type (Staff/Freelancer) or skills (Sound/Lighting/Video) to find the right person for each event
  3. Click 'Assign to Event' from a member's menu — select a won proposal and the dates auto-fill from the event schedule. You can override their role for this specific event
  4. Check the 'Events Needing Crew' widget to see upcoming events and their staffing status — click the + button to quickly assign someone
  5. Share a Crew Prep Sheet via public link — it shows the event schedule, equipment list, and assigned crew without any pricing information
TipCrew prep sheets are designed to be printed or shared on mobile — crew members don't need a CueQuote account to view them

Billing & Plans

CueQuote offers flexible plans to match your business size. Start free and upgrade as you grow.

  1. Free — 3 proposals/month, 1 user, basic PDF template
  2. Starter (€29/mo) — 10 proposals/month, 1 user, full branding, client management
  3. Pro (€79/mo) — 40 proposals/month, 5 users, custom templates, priority support
  4. Business (€179/mo) — 120 proposals/month, 20 users, API access, dedicated support
TipYou can upgrade or downgrade at any time from Settings → Billing. Changes take effect at the start of the next billing cycle.

Account & Profile

Your account page lets you manage your personal profile and security settings. This is separate from company settings — account settings are per-user, not shared with your team.

You can update your display name (shown in the sidebar and on team pages), change your password, and view your account email. Your profile photo can be updated from the account page as well.

  1. Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar to open the Account page
  2. Edit your full name — this is displayed to your team members and in activity logs
  3. Change your password — enter your current password, then your new password (minimum 8 characters)
  4. Your email address is shown for reference but cannot be changed directly — contact support if you need to update it
TipUse a professional full name — it appears on proposals and invoices when you're the assigned creator.

Settings

The Settings page is where you configure everything about your CueQuote workspace. Keeping your settings up-to-date ensures every proposal reflects your brand accurately.

  1. Company Profile — Business name, address, phone, email, and website
  2. Logo — Upload your company logo (PNG or SVG recommended, max 2MB)
  3. Brand Color — Choose a hex color that matches your brand; applied to all PDF templates
  4. Currency — Set your default currency (USD, EUR, GBP, PLN, and more)
  5. Language — Set the proposal language (affects PDF headings and labels)
  6. Proposal Defaults — Default template, terms, inclusions, exclusions, and payment terms
TipYour logo looks best at a minimum of 400px wide. CueQuote will automatically resize it for the PDF.

Costing & Margins

Track your costs and profit margins at the proposal level. Set cost prices on catalog items, define margin targets, and get real-time alerts when a proposal falls below your target profitability.

Cost data is strictly internal — it's never visible to clients in proposals, PDFs, or the client portal. You control which team roles can see cost information through the visibility settings.

  1. Go to Settings > Costing & Margins and set who can view cost data — choose between Owner & Admin only, or include Sales team members
  2. Set your default margin target percentage and optionally override targets for specific categories like Audio, Video, or Labor
  3. Add cost prices to your catalog items, or enter costs per-line-item directly in the proposal editor
  4. Toggle 'Show Costs' in the proposal editor to see the Margin Summary panel — it shows Revenue, Your Cost, Profit, and Margin % with color-coded health indicators
  5. Review margin alerts above your line items — red alerts flag proposals below target, amber alerts flag items missing cost data
TipThe margin calculation only includes required items (not optional ones). Items without a cost price are excluded from the cost total but their revenue still counts — so add costs to all items for accurate margins

Vendor Management

Manage your AV vendor relationships in one place. Add vendor companies with contact details, track their status, and maintain notes about past experiences and pricing.

The Vendors page is available in Planner mode. Use it to build your vendor network, send RFQ requests, and compare responses before selecting a vendor for your event.

  1. Navigate to Vendors from the sidebar (available in Planner mode) and click 'Add Vendor' to create a new vendor record with company name, contact, email, and phone
  2. Set the vendor status (active, preferred, new) and add tags for easy filtering — e.g., 'audio specialist', 'nationwide', 'budget-friendly'
  3. Add relationship notes to track past experiences, pricing patterns, and reliability — these notes are private and never shared with the vendor
  4. Send RFQ requests directly from the vendor profile and track response status (pending, received, declined)
TipBuild relationships with at least 3 vendors per category so you always have competitive options for your clients

Subbing Work Out to Suppliers

When part of a job goes to a dry-hire house, a dealer or a specialist trade, the Suppliers tab issues them a work order: their scope, their price, the venue and the load-in window, on one link with no login. What it never contains is your client. The end client's name, contact details and the proposal's scope summary stay behind, along with what you are charging — a non-solicitation clause is worth very little if the document it sits on names the client it protects.

The scope text is generated from the lines you selected, so it describes what the supplier is supplying rather than what the event is about. If the wording — or an item description copied from the proposal — happens to name your client, CueQuote refuses to issue the order and tells you which line to fix. Words that are ordinary vocabulary for you rather than a client's identity can be marked as such once per client and are never flagged again.

  1. Open a job and go to the Suppliers tab, then click "Sub work out". In AV mode you tick the line items; in Planner mode you award a whole section, such as Catering
  2. Pick a supplier or create one on the spot — you only need a name. Add their public liability expiry while you are there, because sending is blocked without it
  3. Review the generated scope, add the site address, access notes and payment terms, then issue and send
  4. Copy the link to the supplier. They see their scope and price, and accept by typing their name — the date, time and their answer are recorded on the order
  5. Revoke the link at any time if the job changes or the link is forwarded. Revoking also frees a slot against your plan's limit
TipInsurance is checked against your load-out date, not against today. Cover that is valid when you book and expired on site is the failure that actually costs money.

Getting Prices From Suppliers Before You Commit

A work order tells a subcontractor what you are paying them. An inquiry asks them what they charge. That is the difference, and it matters because it is the order the work actually happens in: you ask two or three dry-hire houses what a package costs, you compare, and only then do you commit to one. Until now CueQuote could only do the second half of that.

Send the same request to several suppliers in one action. Each gets their own link, and what they see is the quantities, the dates and the venue — never your prices, never your client, and never who else you asked. They enter a unit price per line, flag anything they cannot supply, and submit. Quotes stay editable on their side until you award, because a supplier correcting their own number before the deadline is ordinary business rather than a change of contract.

  1. Open a job, go to the Suppliers tab and click "Get quotes". Tick the line items you want priced — or, in Planner mode, choose a whole section
  2. Tick every supplier you want to ask. Asking one at a time is how you end up with one quote, so the picker is deliberately multi-select
  3. Set the date you need an answer by, and add a covering note if the price depends on something. The scope text is generated from the lines you picked and is checked for your client's name before anything is sent
  4. Send, then pass each supplier their link. Quotes come back in the same tab, sorted cheapest first, with the gap to the next quote shown in money
  5. Award the one you want. It becomes a work order at the price that supplier actually quoted, and their link stops working
TipWatch the "cannot supply" flag. A quote missing two of your six lines is not the cheapest quote — it is a different quote, and the comparison says so rather than letting a smaller total speak for itself.

Supplier Certificates, and Knowing Before They Lapse

Public liability, LOLER, food hygiene, electrical, goods in transit — the certificates you are supposed to hold for anyone working on your job, and the ones nobody can find on the morning something goes wrong. The Suppliers tab keeps them per supplier, with an expiry date on each, and refuses to let a work order go out to someone whose cover does not reach the end of the job.

You do not chase them by email. Ask for what is missing and the supplier gets a link — no account, no password — where they upload each certificate with its expiry. Nothing counts until you have looked at it: an uploaded document sits as "awaiting your check" and does not satisfy the send gate until you verify it, so a supplier cannot unblock their own job by attaching a blank PDF.

  1. Open a job's Suppliers tab and pick a supplier. What they hold, and what is missing for this job, is listed above the work orders
  2. Click "Request documents". What is already missing is pre-ticked; add anything else you want on file, then create the link
  3. Send the supplier their link. They upload each certificate with an expiry date, which is required — a certificate with no expiry cannot satisfy a check dated against your load-out
  4. Verify or reject each upload. Only a verified document clears the gate, and a rejection records why
  5. On Pro and above, you are told when something is about to lapse — 30 days out, 7 days out, and on the day — but only for suppliers you have actually worked with in the last year
TipThe check is dated against the day your crew is on site, not against today. Cover that is valid when you book and expires the week of the show is the failure this exists to catch, and checking against today waves it straight through.

Quote Comparison

Compare quotes received from multiple AV vendors side by side. The comparison view shows pricing, scope, payment terms, and an AI-generated value score to help you make informed decisions.

Quotes are linked to your proposals — when a vendor responds to your RFQ, their quote appears in the Quotes section where you can review, compare, and select the best option.

  1. Go to Quotes from the sidebar to see all received vendor quotes, organized by status (pending, received, accepted, declined)
  2. Upload vendor quotes as PDFs or enter line items manually — the system tracks pricing, scope, and terms for each vendor response
  3. Use the comparison view to see vendors side by side — pricing differences, payment terms, and cancellation policies are highlighted automatically
  4. Select a vendor and mark their quote as accepted — the system updates your proposal with the confirmed pricing
TipAlways compare at least 2-3 vendor quotes before selecting. The value score weighs price (40%), scope completeness (35%), and payment terms (25%)

Market-Rate Budgets

When using CueQuote in Planner mode, the AI generates production plans with market-rate budget estimates instead of fixed catalog prices. Each line item includes a low-high price range based on current market data.

Market-rate budgets help event planners set realistic client expectations before getting formal vendor quotes. The AI also provides crew recommendations, production timeline, and practical tips.

  1. Create a new proposal in Planner mode — describe your event including type, attendee count, venue, and production requirements
  2. The AI generates a complete production plan with budget ranges (low-high) for each category: Audio, Lighting, Video, and Crew
  3. Review the crew recommendations and production timeline — the AI suggests staffing levels and setup schedules based on event complexity
  4. Use the budget estimate to align with your client, then request formal quotes from vendors to get final pricing
TipMarket-rate estimates are based on industry averages and may vary by region. Always get formal vendor quotes for final budgeting

When the Plan Checks Itself

In Planner mode, the advice written while your plan was generated stays with the proposal instead of appearing once and vanishing. It sits above your line items on the Plan tab as open questions to resolve — confirm the power supply, check the load-in window — and each one can be ticked off or marked not applicable.

The panel also watches the plan as you edit it. It says when the advice was written against different numbers, flags prices that are far outside the normal band for your event's region, and lists anything your attached brief asked for that the plan does not yet cover.

  1. Set Setup days and Strike days on the new-proposal form. In Planner mode they are priced as venue occupancy and crew time — what an organizer actually pays — not as extra days of equipment rental
  2. Open the proposal and work through the planning notes on the Plan tab, ticking off each one as you confirm it with the venue or the vendor
  3. If you change the headcount, days, budget or event date afterwards, the panel names exactly what moved so you know the advice predates it
  4. Review the flagged prices and the scope gaps — a gap disappears as soon as you add the line that fills it, and a price flag clears once the rate is inside the normal band
TipThe price bands are wide on purpose. They are there to catch a missing zero or a day rate typed as an hourly one — not to argue about 15%

Feedback & Support

CueQuote has a built-in feedback system that lets you report bugs, request features, or get support — all without leaving the app.

Every submission includes automatic context (your browser, plan, and current page) so our team can help faster. You can track the status of your submissions and see replies directly in the app.

  1. Go to Feedback & Support in the sidebar and choose your feedback type: Bug Report, Feature Request, General Feedback, or Support Request
  2. Fill in the subject and details — the app automatically captures your browser, plan, and page context
  3. Attach screenshots if something looks wrong — up to 3 images (PNG, JPG or WebP, 5 MB each). A picture of the problem usually saves a round of questions.
  4. View your past submissions in the My Submissions tab — each shows a status badge (Submitted, In Review, Planned, Shipped)
  5. Check the Help Center tab for links to tutorials, documentation, and answers to common questions
TipFeedback from Pro and Business plan users is automatically prioritized for faster response

Growing Your Catalog with AI

When CueQuote's AI generates a proposal, it sometimes includes items that aren't in your equipment catalog — marked with [CUSTOM] and estimated prices.

After generation, an amber suggestion bar appears showing these new items. You can add them to your catalog with one click, so future proposals use your exact pricing instead of estimates.

  1. Generate a proposal with AI — if any items aren't in your catalog, you'll see a suggestion bar on the Review step
  2. Click the bar to expand it and see each new item with its category, unit, and suggested price
  3. Click 'Add to Catalog' on individual items, or 'Add all' to save them all at once — they'll appear in your Catalog immediately
TipItems added from AI suggestions keep the AI-estimated price as a starting point — review and adjust prices in your Catalog to match your actual rates

Understanding Your Event Budget

When you generate a budget plan in Planner mode, CueQuote's AI creates a comprehensive event production budget with market-rate pricing, crew recommendations, and a suggested timeline.

Unlike AV Company mode which uses your catalog prices, Planner mode uses real market rate ranges so you know what to expect when requesting quotes from AV vendors.

  1. Switch to Planner mode and describe your event — include venue, attendee count, and what you need (presentations, live music, branding, etc.)
  2. Review the Budget Overview showing your total estimated range (e.g. €12,500 — €18,200) with a breakdown of equipment vs crew costs
  3. Check the Equipment & Services section — each item shows why it's needed and a budget range, not just a single price
  4. Review Crew Recommendations to see which technical roles you'll need, how many people, and the typical daily rate range
  5. Read the Event Timeline for a suggested schedule, and the Pro Tips section for practical advice on working with AV vendors
TipUse the budget range when requesting quotes from vendors — if a quote falls outside the range, ask the vendor to explain the difference

Multi-Currency Pricing

CueQuote lets you set exact prices per currency on every catalog item, so proposals always show the right number — not a converted estimate. When a client selects USD or EUR as their proposal currency, CueQuote pulls the manual price you set, not an auto-converted figure.

If no manual price exists for the chosen currency, CueQuote falls back to automatic conversion using the current exchange rate. You can override this any time by adding a specific price for that currency on the item.

  1. Go to Catalog and open any equipment item you want to price in multiple currencies
  2. In the item editor, find the Currency Prices section and click Add Currency — choose USD, EUR, GBP, or any supported currency
  3. Enter the exact price for that currency (e.g. $450 for a camera that costs €400), then save the item
  4. Create or open a proposal and set the proposal currency — CueQuote automatically uses your manual price for items that have it, and converts the rest
TipSet manual USD and EUR prices on your most popular items to avoid rounding surprises on international proposals

Proposal Approval Workflow

The approval workflow lets managers review proposals before they reach clients. Once enabled, team members submit proposals for approval instead of sending them directly — the proposal is locked for editing until a decision is made.

Only workspace Owners and Admins can approve or reject proposals. Approvers can leave internal comments visible only to the team, making it easy to request specific changes without back-and-forth emails.

  1. Go to Settings → Proposals and toggle on Require approval before sending to enable the workflow for your workspace
  2. Create a proposal as usual, then click Submit for Approval instead of Send — the proposal status changes to Pending Approval
  3. The manager receives an email notification and can open the proposal to review all details, pricing, and terms
  4. The approver clicks Approve to allow sending, Reject to block it, or Request Changes to send it back with comments
  5. If changes are requested, the original creator edits the proposal and resubmits — the cycle repeats until the proposal is approved or rejected
TipUse the internal comments field to leave specific feedback like 'adjust the setup day rate' so the creator knows exactly what to fix

Custom Categories

CueQuote includes 13 built-in equipment categories (Lighting, Audio, Video, etc.), but you can create your own for anything that doesn't fit. Custom categories appear everywhere the built-in ones do: catalog, proposals, PDF exports, and the client share page.

The category field uses a combobox — start typing to filter existing categories, or type a new name and press Enter to create it on the spot. You can also rename individual section headings per proposal without affecting the category name globally.

  1. In the Catalog, open or create an item and click the Category field — type to search existing categories or type a new name like 'Staging' and press Enter to create it
  2. Save the item — the new category is now available across your entire workspace for other items
  3. To rename a category heading in a specific proposal only, open the proposal, click the section heading, and type the new name — this affects only that proposal's PDF and share page
TipKeep custom category names short and consistent — they appear as section headings in the PDF, so 'Rigging & Trussing' works better than 'Rigging equipment and trussing systems'

Price Sync

Price Sync automatically detects when proposal line item prices differ from your equipment catalog. It appears as a blue banner in the proposal editor whenever mismatches are found.

You can sync prices in either direction: pull catalog prices into the proposal, or push proposal prices back to your catalog as the new standard. A 'Match all to catalog' button lets you bulk-fix all mismatches at once.

  1. Open any proposal in the editor — if line item prices differ from your catalog, a blue 'Price Sync' banner appears above the line items
  2. Click to expand and see each mismatch: the item name, proposal price, catalog price, and percentage difference (red for >10%, amber for smaller differences)
  3. For each item, choose 'Use catalog price' to update the proposal, or 'Update catalog' to set the proposal price as your new catalog standard
  4. Click 'Match all to catalog' to bulk-apply catalog prices to all mismatched items at once — green checkmarks appear as items sync
TipPrice Sync is especially useful after AI generation — the AI matches catalog items but may occasionally use slightly different prices. One click fixes them all.

Production Budget for Event Planners

When you generate a production budget in Planner mode, CueQuote's AI creates a comprehensive equipment and crew plan with market-rate pricing. Each category — Audio, Video, Lighting, Staging — appears as a bordered card with a colored badge, item count, and budget range, making it easy to understand the full production scope at a glance.

For planner convenience, Audio, Video, Lighting, and Staging are grouped together under a single 'AV & Technical' card in the results. This unified view helps you see the complete technical production cost before contacting vendors. The AI also includes crew recommendations, event timeline, and practical tips for working with AV vendors.

  1. Switch to Planner mode from the dashboard — this unlocks event production planning tools tailored for non-technical users
  2. Click 'Generate Production Budget' and describe your event: venue type, attendee count, and what you need (presentations, live music, streaming, simultaneous interpretation, etc.). Choose a template that matches your event type for better AI guidance.
  3. Review the categorized budget with the AI-generated equipment list. The 'AV & Technical' card groups all audio, video, lighting, and staging needs together with a subtotal and item count. Click the card to expand and see individual line items with descriptions and budget ranges.
  4. Use the budget ranges and crew recommendations when requesting quotes from vendors, and reference the Event Timeline to ensure vendors understand the setup and strike schedule. Save or export the plan as a PDF to share with stakeholders.
TipThe market-rate budget ranges help you manage client expectations before going to vendors. If a range seems high or low, adjust your event description and regenerate — more detail typically produces more accurate estimates.

Event Layout Designer

The Event Layout Designer lets you create a visual floor plan for your event directly inside CueQuote. Open any proposal, click the Layout tab at the top of the editor, and you'll find a canvas where you can design your room setup with AV shapes, staging areas, tables, and more.

Finished layouts can be exported as a landscape-oriented PDF page — ideal for attaching to your proposal — or downloaded as a standalone PNG image for use in presentations and site surveys. The Layout Designer is available on Pro and Business plans.

  1. Open a proposal in the editor and click the Layout tab at the top — the canvas loads with a blank room template by default
  2. Choose a room template from the Templates dropdown (classroom, theatre, banquet, boardroom, open stage) to pre-fill the canvas with a common configuration
  3. Click the AV Shapes dropdown and select items to add — speakers, projectors, screens, stage risers, lighting rigs, and more — then drag them into position on the canvas
  4. Double-click any shape to rename it or adjust its size; use the snap-to-grid option for precise alignment
  5. Click Export to PDF to append the layout as a landscape page to your proposal PDF, or click Download PNG to save a standalone image of the floor plan
TipLabel each AV shape with the specific model or item name from your catalog — it reinforces professionalism and helps the venue crew understand your setup at a glance.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of security to your CueQuote account. Even if someone obtains your password, they cannot log in without the one-time code generated by your authenticator app. We recommend enabling 2FA for all accounts, especially if you store client contact details or pricing in CueQuote.

CueQuote supports any TOTP-compatible authenticator app. Google Authenticator and Authy are the most widely used and work on both iOS and Android. Once enabled, you'll be prompted for a 6-digit code on every new login.

  1. Go to Account (top-right avatar menu) → Security → Enable Two-Factor Authentication
  2. A QR code appears on screen — open your authenticator app (Google Authenticator or Authy), tap the + icon, and choose Scan QR code
  3. Point your camera at the QR code; your app will add a CueQuote entry and display a rotating 6-digit code
  4. Enter the current 6-digit code from your app into the confirmation field and click Verify & Enable — 2FA is now active on your account. Store your backup codes in a safe place.
TipIf you lose access to your authenticator app, use one of the backup codes provided during setup to regain entry. Store these codes offline or in a password manager — they cannot be retrieved later.