Quick Start · Article 1.3
Send your first proposal
From an empty `New proposal` form to a green `Sent` badge on your dashboard, in under 10 minutes.
Where this fits in the lifecycle
Draft
Only you can see this. Edit anything.
Sent
Email landed in the client's inbox.
Viewed
Client opened the link — awaiting decision.
Signed
Legally binding. Audit trail captured.
Deposit paid
Money in escrow. You can start work.
In work
Project running. Final invoice ready when you're done.
Paid
Final invoice settled. Just one click left.
Completed
Closed. Archived. You did the thing.
The proposal wizard at /proposals/new walks you through every required field. If you've already saved a template, choose it on step 1 and most fields auto-fill. The preview on step 5 is the final document that gets emailed; if it doesn't look right, go back and edit.
Quick visual tour
Step 1: Pick a template — three options to start from.
Step 2: Add line items. Each row gets an amber checkmark when ready.
Step 3: Stamp it as final. The proposal is now ready to send.
Step 4: Set the deposit percentage — typically 30% upfront.
Step 5: Press Send. The client gets the email within seconds.
Step by step
Pick the client.
Choose from your existing clients dropdown, or click
+ New clientto add one inline. The client's country and B2B/B2C flag determine which VAT rule Clozo applies — change the client's country in their record if it's wrong.Set the title and description.
The title becomes the subject line of the email and the headline on the proposal PDF. The description is a one-paragraph summary of the project; it's optional but adds context for the client.
Add line items.
Each line is a row: description, quantity, rate, type (hourly or fixed). Clozo calculates VAT per line and totals at the bottom. Add as many lines as you need; you can drag to reorder.
Configure payment terms.
Pick the deposit percentage (0%, 25%, 50%, or 100% upfront), the deposit due date, and the final payment terms (net 7, 14, 30 days). The deposit triggers a separate invoice that goes out the moment the client signs.
Preview and send.
Step 5 renders the actual PDF. Check the totals, your name, the client's name, the VAT calculation, and the language. Click
Sendand Clozo dispatches the email immediately.
As soon as you click Send, the proposal moves to Sent status on your dashboard. The proposal detail page shows a green Timeline event "Sent at 14:32 UTC". Within seconds, the PDF appears in the Documents dropdown — that's the version we sent the client. You can resend the link from the Actions menu if the client says it didn't arrive.
Why this works this way
Why a 4-digit PIN gate? Email is not secure transport — anyone with access to the inbox could open a contract intended for someone else. The PIN is a lightweight second factor: it's printed in the email and required to view or sign. Five wrong attempts in 24 hours triggers a per-IP lockout to prevent brute force. If the client gets locked out or loses the email, you can issue a fresh PIN from the Actions menu on the proposal detail page; it invalidates the old code.
The signing step captures the client's IP address, the User-Agent string, and a server-side timestamp. That evidence is what makes the signature a Simple Electronic Signature (SES) under EU Regulation 910/2014 Art. 3(10) and Art. 25(1) — its legal effect cannot be denied solely on the grounds that it is electronic. Clozo retains the audit trail for 10 years to meet the most stringent national rules.
Troubleshooting
Keep reading
Lifecycle
Status: Sent — the proposal is in your client's inbox
You've clicked `Send`. The PDF is rendered, the email is on its way, the proposal number is assigned, and the audit trail starts here. Now you wait — until the client opens it (`Viewed`) or signs (`Signed`).
Lifecycle
Status: Viewed — your client has opened the link
The client clicked the email button, entered the PIN correctly, and saw the proposal. Status flips from `Sent` to `Viewed` automatically. From here, the next state is `Signed` (or `Declined`).
Working with Clients
Adding a client: the four fields that matter
Name, email, country, and the B2B/B2C flag — those four fields turn an empty client record into one Clozo can build legally correct invoices from.
Proposals & Invoices
Creating an amendment (the 4-step wizard)
The amendment wizard at `/proposals/{id}/amend` walks you through line items, reason, preview, and email — in that order. Five minutes for a simple change, ten minutes for a complex one. The client doesn't see anything until you click Send on Step 4.