Stale Quote
A stale quote has passed its validity date but is still open. Mark it won, lost, or re-quoted. Left open, it inflates your pipeline and makes your workload look bigger than it is.
What it means
A quote does not need an answer to stop being current. It only needs to reach its own expiry date. Once that date passes with no decision, the quote is stale. It does not matter whether the client ever replies.
Close it out and do not chase it forever. Mark it lost if you know the outcome. Mark it expired if you do not. Then take it off your open pipeline. A client who comes back later gets a fresh quote at your current price. You do not honor the old number out of habit.
A quote sent eight weeks ago, valid for three, has had no reply. It is a stale quote. Closing it out drops your pipeline total by its amount. It also stops the quote flattering your workload on paper.
Leaving an old, unanswered quote in the pipeline. Close it out. Otherwise the total looks healthier than the work coming in.
See also
Where this shows up
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- guide How to price a job so the number holds up The quote works only if its number works. Start with the price, then write it up.
- tool Free Quote & Estimate Generator Fill in your business and client details. Add line items, mark any as optional, and set a deposit. A clean quote builds as you type. Turn it into an invoice with one click.
- tool Quote & invoice terms builder Tick the clauses that fit the job and fill in your numbers once. You get a plain-English terms block. Copy it, print it, or send it into the quote generator.