Generating your first quote
Walk through creating a real quote from a DXF file. You'll see how cut time, material cost, and services combine into a price a customer can accept.
Why first quotes are hard
You don't know what's involved
Cut time, material, setup, finishing - there are a lot of components. Without a system, you're guessing.
Customer files are unpredictable
They send a DXF. Is it in inches or mm? Are the paths closed? You won't know until you open it.
You're worried about being wrong
Quote too high, you lose the job. Quote too low, you lose money. Neither feels good.
No reference point
If you haven't quoted before, you have no idea if $50 or $500 is reasonable for a given part.
How to create your first quote in NanoQuote
Upload the customer's DXF file
Drag and drop the file. NanoQuote parses geometry, detects units, and shows you part outlines, cut paths, and dimensions.
Review the parsed data
Check cut length, pierce count, and bounding box. If units look wrong, fix them before proceeding.
Select machine and material
Pick from your saved libraries (or use defaults to start). This determines cut rates and material cost.
Set quantity
How many parts does the customer need? Cut time and material scale with quantity.
Add services (optional)
Deburring, powder coating, shipping - add any extra services that apply to this job.
Review the price breakdown
See how machine time, material, and services contribute to the total. Adjust if something looks off.
Send or download the quote
Generate a shareable link for the customer or download a PDF for your records.
What you get in the quoting process
DXF parsing
Automatic extraction of geometry, cut lengths, pierce counts. No manual measurement.
Cut time calculation
Based on your machine's feed rates and pierce times. Real numbers, not guesses.
Material cost
Uses material density and cost per pound from your library. Accounts for part size and nesting.
Service add-ons
Define services once (deburring, finishing, etc.), add them to quotes with a click.
Price breakdown
See exactly where the price comes from. Helps you explain it to the customer.
Shareable quote link
Customer clicks a link, sees the quote, can accept/reject/request changes. No PDF back-and-forth.
Why NanoQuote for your first quote
Frequently asked questions
NanoQuote has defaults to get you started. You can refine them as you learn your actual cut speeds and costs.
NanoQuote shows you what it parsed. If something looks wrong (open paths, wrong units), you can fix the file or adjust manually.
Most users create their first quote in under 10 minutes. Once you have machines and materials set up, subsequent quotes are faster.
Yes. Update the quote, and the customer's link shows the latest version. You can also retract quotes if needed.
They can click 'Request Changes' on their quote page and leave a comment. You'll see their feedback and can revise accordingly.
Related resources
Product Features
Help & Docs
Ready to quote faster and more accurately?
Start with 5 free quotes - no credit card, no commitment. See how NanoQuote fits your shop.