How to follow up unaccepted quotes in Xero
Xero does not send automatic reminders for quotes that have not been accepted, so you follow up by hand. Open Sales, then Quotes, and work through the Sent tab: that is where quotes wait until you mark them accepted or declined. This guide gives the steps, an e-mail template you can paste and a simple follow-up schedule.
Download the quote follow-up tracker (CSV)
What Xero offers today
Xero can remind customers about invoices, but there is no equivalent for quotes. The request Quote - Ability to have quote reminder on Xero Product Ideas was shared on 12 April 2022. On 13 November 2026 it had 544 votes and the status Accepted, and the latest comment was from the same day.
Xero's community manager replied on 19 August 2024 that there were no immediate plans for it. On 5 January 2026 the reply said the team intends to start discovery on quote reminders that year, and pointed to resending the quote as the interim step. No date has been given. Until that changes, the follow-up is a manual routine.
What Xero does give you is what the routine needs. Each quote sits in a tab by status (Draft, Sent, Accepted, Declined, Invoiced), you can e-mail a quote again from Xero with a template of your own, and each quote can carry an expiry date. The official help is on Xero Central.
How to follow up an unaccepted quote in Xero
- Find the quotes that are waiting. In the Sales menu, select Quotes, then the Sent tab. Every quote here has been sent and not yet marked accepted or declined. Open a quote to see its expiry date, and note the date you sent it. To have Xero fill in an expiry date on every new quote, set a default under Sales settings, Invoice settings, Default Settings, Quote Expiry Date (Xero Central).
- Set up a follow-up e-mail template once. Click your organisation name, select Settings, then under General click Email settings. Next to Templates click Edit, then Add email template and choose the quote type. Xero allows up to 10 templates (Xero Central). Paste the text from the next section, and keep the Online Quote Link placeholder so that the customer can open the quote and accept, decline or ask a question.
- Send the quote again with that template. In the Sales menu select Quotes, open the tab the quote is in, tick the quote and click Send. In the Send quote dialog choose your template, check the message and click Send. Xero attaches a PDF copy of the quote automatically. There is no CC or BCC option, but you can enter several addresses and Xero sends a separate e-mail to each.
- Follow a simple schedule. Send the first follow-up 3 days after the quote, the second after 7 days and a last one after 14 days, and stop when the customer answers. This schedule is our suggestion, not a Xero feature or a published rule. Write the due dates in the tracker so that none is missed.
- Close the loop in Xero. When the customer says yes, tick the quote in the Sent tab and click Accept. When the answer is no, click Decline and, if you like, enter the reason (the reason box is optional). The quote moves to the Accepted or Declined tab, so what is left in Sent has no recorded answer (Xero Central).
E-mail template to paste
Replace the words in brackets and keep it short. The Online Quote Link placeholder is the one Xero fills in for you.
Follow-up after 3 and 7 days
Subject: Your quote (quote number): any questions?
Hi (first name),
I am following up on the quote I sent on (date) for (job). You can view it and accept it here: [Online Quote Link]
If something does not fit, for example price, timing or scope, tell me and I will adjust it. The quote is valid until (expiry date).
Thanks,
(your name)
Last message after 14 days
Subject: Closing your quote (quote number)
Hi (first name),
I have not heard back about the quote for (job), so I will close it on (date). If you still want to go ahead, reply to this e-mail or use this link and I will confirm the price and the start date: [Online Quote Link]
Thanks,
(your name)
Mistakes that cost sales
- Letting quotes sit in the Sent tab for weeks with no date to follow up on.
- Sending the same text three times. Change the second message: ask what is holding it up.
- Forgetting to mark accepted and declined quotes, so the Sent tab fills with old ones and the real follow-ups are hidden.
- Following up after the expiry date without offering to confirm the price again.
Want this automatic? Join the waitlist
We do not offer a tool for this and are not promising one. If enough people ask for automatic quote follow-ups, leave your e-mail address and we will write once. Nothing else.
Questions people ask
Can Xero send reminders for quotes?
No. Xero has no automatic reminder for quotes that are not accepted. The Xero Product Ideas request for it had 544 votes and the status Accepted on 13 November 2026, and Xero has not given a date.
How do I resend a quote in Xero?
In the Sales menu select Quotes, open the tab the quote is in, tick the quote and click Send. Check the e-mail in the Send quote dialog, choose a template if you have one and click Send again.
Where do I see which quotes are still waiting for an answer?
In the Sales menu select Quotes and open the Sent tab. Quotes you mark as accepted or declined move to their own tabs, so what is left in Sent has had no answer recorded.
Can I change the e-mail Xero sends with a quote?
Yes. Add a quote template under your organisation's Settings, Email settings, Templates, and select it in the Send quote dialog. You can also edit the subject and message for one e-mail.
How long should I wait before following up a quote?
There is no official rule. A simple schedule is 3, 7 and 14 days after sending, with the last message before the quote expires. That is our suggestion, so adjust it to how long your customers take to decide.
Atesen Software is independent. Xero is a trademark of Xero Limited, and this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Xero. The Xero Product Ideas and Xero Central pages were checked on 13 November 2026; menus can change. More Xero help: all guides, Xero tools and how to charge interest on overdue invoices in Xero. Questions: support@atesensoftware.com.