When a proposal is approved, Handoff saves the approved version, cancels pending follow-up reminders, and moves the project to Approved. It doesn't create an invoice or a schedule, and it doesn't charge your client, so those next steps are yours.
Available on the Flex, Pro, Scale, and Business plans. The budget, schedules, and project phase automations need the Pro or Scale plan. Works on desktop and in the mobile app.
What Handoff does automatically
The same steps run whether your client approves the proposal or you mark it approved for them.
The approved version is saved. Handoff keeps what your client agreed to, with who approved it and when. If you edit the estimate later, the approved proposal doesn't change. When a proposal offered several options, the ones your client didn't pick are marked not selected.
Follow-up reminders stop. Pending reminders for the proposal are cancelled. See How to set up and stop follow-up reminders.
The project status becomes Approved. A project never moves backward, so a project already further along stays where it is.
Your project phase can change. If you set a phase for the Proposal approved automation, the project moves to it. Go to Settings > Project settings > Automations to set one. This needs the Pro or Scale plan.
A signed copy is saved. Handoff archives the signed proposal as a PDF in the background.
You are notified when your client approves. If you mark the proposal approved yourself, Handoff doesn't send you that notification.
How the budget uses the approved estimate
Handoff doesn't build a separate budget when a proposal is approved. The Budget tab reads the approved estimate directly, so approving the proposal is what makes the budget appear. It needs the Pro or Scale plan and permission to view Job Costing. See How project budgets are created.
What Handoff doesn't do automatically
No invoice. Approving doesn't create or send an invoice, and your client isn't charged. You turn the payment schedule into an invoice when you want to bill.
No schedule. Handoff doesn't build a project schedule. You create it yourself from the approved proposal.
What to do next
Confirm the proposal shows as approved. The status banner reads Approved, and so does the project's status.
Request the deposit. Open the proposal, turn the payment that's due On approval into an invoice, and send it. See How to request a deposit with a payment schedule.
Activate online payments in Settings > Finance & payments if you want your client to pay by card or bank transfer. See How to set up online payments.
Build the work plan. Select Convert to > Schedule to create a schedule, or Convert to > Task list for tasks. Schedules need the Pro or Scale plan.
For scope changes later, open the options menu (⋮) on the approved proposal and select Convert to change order.