Introduction: Streamlining Your Quote Management Process
Managing quotes efficiently is crucial for any sales organization, especially for businesses using HubSpot Sales Enterprise. If you're a Marketing Operations professional or HubSpot administrator looking to implement better control over your quoting process, this guide will walk you through setting up HubSpot's powerful quote approval feature.
Whether you're managing a team in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or anywhere else, having a robust quote approval system ensures consistency, compliance, and accountability across your sales operations. This feature is exclusively available for HubSpot Sales Enterprise users and can significantly improve your revenue operations workflow.
What Are HubSpot Quote Approvals?
HubSpot quote approvals are a built-in feature that allows organizations to implement a systematic review process before quotes are sent to prospects. When enabled, this feature ensures that designated approvers review and authorize quotes created by team members, adding an essential layer of quality control to your sales process.
This marketing automation capability is particularly valuable for:
- Companies with complex pricing structures
- Organizations requiring management oversight
- Businesses needing compliance documentation
- Teams wanting to maintain pricing consistency
Prerequisites for Quote Approval Setup
Before diving into the configuration process, ensure you have:
Required HubSpot Subscription
- HubSpot Sales Enterprise** seat (this feature is not available in Professional or Starter tiers)
- Administrative access to HubSpot settings
- At least one user designated as an approver
User Permissions Needed
- Super admin or user with quote settings permissions
- Access to workflow creation and management
- Ability to assign users to approval roles
Step-by-Step Guide to Configure Quote Approvals
Step 1: Access Quote Settings
1. Navigate to your HubSpot account
2. Click on the Settings gear icon in the main navigation
3. In the left sidebar, locate and expand the Objects section
4. Click on Quotes
Step 2: Enable the Approval Feature
1. Within the Quotes settings page, locate the Approval section
2. Find the option labeled "Require approvals on all quotes"
3. Toggle this setting to ON
4. A dropdown menu will appear for selecting approvers
Step 3: Assign Approvers
1. Click on the approver dropdown menu
2. Select the team member(s) who will serve as quote approvers
3. Note: Only users with Sales Enterprise seats will appear in this dropdown
4. Save your selection
Pro Tip: Consider creating an approval hierarchy for different quote values or product types using HubSpot's workflow automation capabilities.
Understanding Automated Workflows Created
Once you enable quote approvals, HubSpot automatically generates three essential workflows to manage the approval process. These marketing operations workflows handle different scenarios in your quote lifecycle:
1. When Quotes Require Approval
This workflow activates when a quote's status changes to "Pending Approval." The automation:
- Assigns the quote to the designated approver
- Creates a task for the approver to review
- Can send internal email notifications (customizable)
2. When Changes Are Requested
This workflow handles scenarios where approvers reject quotes:
- Triggers when quote status changes to "Rejected"
- Creates a task for the quote owner
- Notifies them that changes are required
- Helps maintain clear communication between sales reps and approvers
3. When Quotes Are Approved
This workflow celebrates successful approvals:
- Activates when quotes receive approval
- Creates confirmation tasks
- Updates quote status to "Published"
- Enables the sales rep to send the quote to customers
Customizing Your Approval Workflows
While HubSpot creates default workflows, you can enhance them for your specific business needs:
Adding Email Notifications
1. Edit each workflow in the Workflows tool
2. Add an "Send internal email" action
3. Configure recipient lists and email templates
4. Include relevant quote details using personalization tokens
Creating Conditional Approvals
For businesses in major metropolitan areas like San Francisco, Boston, or Dallas, you might need different approval levels based on:
- Quote value thresholds
- Product categories
- Customer segments
- Geographic regions
Setting Up Escalation Paths
Implement time-based escalations:
- Add delays to workflows
- Create reminder notifications
- Escalate to higher management if needed
- Track approval turnaround times
FAQ Section
Q: Can I have different approvers for different quote types?
A: While the basic setting allows one approver selection, you can create sophisticated routing using HubSpot workflows based on quote properties, amount, or other criteria.
Q: What happens if an approver is unavailable?
A: Best practice is to set up backup approvers or escalation paths in your workflows to prevent bottlenecks in your sales process.
Q: Can I require approvals only for quotes above a certain amount?
A: Yes, you can modify the automatically created workflows to include conditions based on quote value, allowing automatic approval for smaller amounts.
Q: How do I track approval metrics?
A: Create custom reports using HubSpot's reporting tools to monitor approval times, rejection rates, and other key performance indicators.
Q: Can approvers edit quotes directly?
A: Approvers can request changes, but typically the quote owner makes the actual edits to maintain accountability and tracking.
Q: Is this feature available for all HubSpot users?
A: No, quote approvals are exclusively available for HubSpot Sales Enterprise subscribers.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Sales Operations with HubSpot Quote Approvals
Implementing quote approvals in HubSpot Sales Enterprise is a game-changer for organizations looking to maintain quality control, ensure pricing consistency, and improve their overall sales operations. By following this guide, you've learned how to set up, customize, and optimize your quote approval process for maximum efficiency.
Whether you're a marketing operations manager in Houston, a RevOps leader in Phoenix, or a HubSpot administrator in Philadelphia, this feature provides the control and visibility needed to scale your sales processes effectively.
Ready to Optimize Your HubSpot Instance?
Don't let manual quote management slow down your sales team. Our team of certified HubSpot consultants specializes in implementing advanced Sales Enterprise features, including quote approvals, custom workflows, and revenue operations strategies tailored to your business needs.
Take the next step in your HubSpot journey:
- Get a free HubSpot audit
- Receive personalized implementation recommendations
- Access expert guidance on Sales Enterprise features
- Transform your marketing and sales operations
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can help you maximize your HubSpot investment and drive revenue growth through optimized sales processes.
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