# Turn a customer inquiry into a proposal you can shape.

Reviewed: 2026-10-25

Canonical: https://clankercloud.ai/templates/small-business-proposal

Prepare an editable service proposal from a customer inquiry and your approved service information. This fictional Cedar Studio starter shows a clear scope, an itemized service total and the questions to resolve before agreement. Use the starting prompt in a Project, then refine the result for your own process.

## What you are working toward

A proposal draft with a clear scope and next conversation.

## Start with

- The fictional inquiry and rate card

- A Project for this customer-work example

- A proposal draft for the business owner to review

## Build from the agreed service information

Add the inquiry and rate card to a Project. Ask for a proposal covering the requested deliverables, itemized prices, assumptions and next questions.

Two workshops at €250 each, a €350 delivery brief and a €150 handoff total €1,000 excluding tax. Keep any tax treatment and payment terms as questions unless approved information is supplied.

## Make the next conversation easier

Read the saved proposal, adjust its tone and confirm the commercial details. Keep the start date open and show translation outside the approved scope.

You choose when to send the finished proposal. Preparing the draft does not book a job or change a customer record.

## Make your proposal format reusable

Give a Proposal Agent your structure, service guidance and selected Tools. Use the current customer inquiry and approved rate card for each new task.

Reuse the method for the next proposal while keeping each engagement’s facts and finished files in its Project.

Sources:

- [Create reusable Agents](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/ai-agent-factory)

## Sample files

Fictional inputs. Download and add to your Project.

- [customer-inquiry.md](https://clankercloud.ai/templates/small-business-proposal-files/customer-inquiry.md): A fictional service request with an open start date.

- [approved-services.csv](https://clankercloud.ai/templates/small-business-proposal-files/approved-services.csv): Approved unit prices in EUR, excluding tax.

## Try this prompt

Copy into a Workspace Session. Opening Workspace does not send it automatically.

```text
Read customer-inquiry.md and approved-services.csv in this Project. Save service-proposal.md with the requested in-scope deliverables, itemized EUR prices, a total excluding tax, assumptions and questions for owner review. Use the approved prices. Keep translation outside scope and the start date undecided. Do not invent payment terms, apply a tax rate, send the proposal or book the work.
```

## Illustrative result

Fictional sample; your result depends on your inputs and needs review.

```text
# Cedar Studio — service proposal draft

Discovery workshops: 2 × €250 = €500
Delivery brief: 1 × €350 = €350
Handoff meeting: 1 × €150 = €150

Proposed service total: €1,000 excluding tax.

Scope: two discovery workshops, one delivery brief and one handoff meeting. Translation is outside the approved scope.

To agree: start date, tax treatment and payment terms.

Prepared for owner review. Authored fictional example; not an executed Agent result.
```

## Before using the result

- The line items agree with the approved rate card.

- The start date and unprovided commercial terms remain open.

- The saved draft is ready for the owner to shape and approve.

## Common questions

### Will the Agent choose my service prices?

Supply your approved service information and ask it to use those figures. Review the saved line items, assumptions and total before approving the proposal.

### Does making the proposal send it to the customer?

No. This starter prepares a saved draft in Workspace. Sending or sharing it is a separate action you choose.

## Sources

- [Client work in Workspace](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/ai-for-small-business-client-work)

- [Workspace trust center](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/workspace-security-and-data-controls)

## Related

- [Bring the work. Leave with something useful.](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/business-workflows-in-workspace)

- [Keep client context close. Give delivery more room.](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/ai-workspace-for-agencies-and-consultants)

- [More time for the work your customers came for.](https://clankercloud.ai/learn/ai-workspace-for-service-businesses)

- [Weekly client report starter.](https://clankercloud.ai/templates/weekly-client-report)

[Open Workspace](https://workspace.clankercloud.ai)

[Current pricing and usage](https://clankercloud.ai/pricing)