Before drafting your quote, make sure you fully understand the client’s needs. Briefs can be unclear, so take time to clarify the project details with your client.
Watch a demo on how to create a quote on Malt here
We’ve provided all the essential information to help you create an accurate and effective quote.
Here is a list of questions you could ask.
| About the project and its context: | About the team: |
| What key skills are expected? | Who will be my direct contact in the company |
| When exactly will the task start? | Will I work alone on the project or in a team? |
| How long will the task take? | What type of profile does this team have? |
| Where will the project take place? | Are there other freelancers? |
| How long will the task take? | |
| Can I work remotely? If so, how many days a week? | |
| Will we have to travel? | |
| Will the project be extended or finished on schedule? |
... Any other point that comes to mind?
Once you send your quote, it remains valid for 30 days. If your client delays acceptance, you can easily reactivate the quote with one click trough the original link.
Project Task-based |
Project Time based |
| Enter your quote title. | Enter your quote title. |
| Describe the project scope and task details. | Describe the project scope. |
| Add the quantity and unit price (excl taxes) for each task. | Fill in the expected start and end dates. |
| Review the total and add any notes if needed. | Choose daily or hourly rate, then input your rate and expected number of working days or hours. |
| Accept the terms and conditions, then send your quote. | Review the total and add any notes if needed. |
| Accept the terms and conditions, then send your quote. |
Tips: Unit price (excl. tax) and number of days/hours
You can only enter up to two decimal places here; Malt automatically limits your input to ensure prices fit the standard euro format.
How rounding works ?
Banker’s rounding is a method of rounding numbers where values exactly between two integers are rounded to the nearest even integer.
For example, if the rounding digit is 5 and the preceding digit is even, you round down; if it’s odd, you round up.
• 2.125 becomes 2.12 (preceding digit is even, round down)
• 2.135 becomes 2.14 (preceding digit is odd, round up)
• 2.127 becomes 2.13 (if next digit is 7, round up)
• 2.123 becomes 2.12 (if next digit is 3, round down)
This method prevents bias by not always rounding in the same direction and provides better accuracy over time.
Can I modify, cancel or reactivate a quote?
It is possible to modify or cancel your task-based or time-based project as long as the client hasn’t accepted or completed it.
To do this, simply go to “Manage my projects,” then select “Proposals” to find any projects awaiting acceptance.
From there, you can choose to either update the quote details or cancel the project.
Your client will be notified of any changes or cancellations via Malt messaging and email.
Modifying a task-based project after acceptance follows a different process, which we explain below.
You don’t need to create and send a new quote; the client will be notified of the changes to the original quote and can accept or reject it directly through the project link.
If you modify your task-based project upwards ✚
The client must complete payment of the difference provided for in the new quote. Payment can be made directly from the project link, by credit card or bank transfer.
If you modify your task-based project downwards ➖
The client will be refund for the delta at the end of the project on his client wallet, and you will receive the new project amount within 2 working days.
You will find a “Reactivate Quote” button on the quote page. Clicking this will renew the quote and extend its validity for another 30 days.
When creating a quote on Malt, you can choose between task-based or time-based projects.
Time-based projects work well for long-term engagements over weeks or months that involve ongoing tasks.
If you opt for this, you’ll need to submit a monthly timesheet listing the hours or days worked before marking the month complete and sending it to your client for approval. Once approved, the invoice for that month, based on your actual work, will be processed, and you can start tracking time for the next month.
Sometimes, time-based projects consist of key milestones with distinct deliverables instead of continuous tasks. In this case, it’s often easier to send separate task-based quotes for each project phase rather than one large quote, ensuring you get paid promptly after each stage.
Whether you manage your work as a single time-based project or multiple task-based phases, Malt makes it easy to handle and get paid without delays.
Remember to clearly label each quote with the stage, such as:
• Job title + down payment
• Job title + part 1, part 2, etc.
• Job title + January, February, etc.