Estimate Review: Verify the Scope Before You Seek Approval
Question: What should a service team check before asking a customer or internal owner to approve an estimate?
An estimate is a proposed scope
Treat an estimate as a clear proposal, not as proof that work is authorized, scheduled, completed, or paid. Its job is to help a reviewer understand what is included, what is excluded, and what still needs a decision.
Review in this order
- Confirm the estimate belongs to the correct lead, customer, or job.
- Describe the proposed work in plain language.
- Separate known scope from assumptions or optional work.
- Check that quantities, terms, and any financial details follow the approved process.
- Identify who must review or approve it.
- Record the next step rather than assuming consent.
- Reopen the saved record and read it as the recipient would.
Scope questions
| Question | Purpose |
|---|---|
| What problem or request does this address? | Keeps the proposal tied to the real work. |
| What is included? | Reduces ambiguity at approval time. |
| What is excluded or still unknown? | Avoids an implied promise. |
| What approval is needed? | Makes ownership clear. |
| What happens next? | Prevents an approved-looking draft from stalling. |
Do not paste customer payment data, private access information, internal cost structures, or unsupported savings claims into a shared estimate note.
For estimate workflow fundamentals, see Estimates: Explain the Work Before You Ask for a Decision. For an approval that requires a person, see Human Tasks.
Boundaries
This checklist improves scope review. It does not establish pricing, tax, legal terms, availability, customer consent, contract formation, schedule confirmation, or payment. Verify those facts in the approved process before relying on an estimate.