Converting a quote to booking

When a customer accepts a quotation, CargoSurge creates a linked Booking with all the data copied over. This article explains exactly what's copied, what's new, and the decisions you make at the conversion.

Two paths to conversion

Path 1 — Customer accepts via public link

The customer clicks the Accept button on the public quote URL (cargosurge.co.com/q/{token}).

1. Quote status flips to accepted.
2. A Booking is auto-created with status requested.
3. The customer sees a confirmation screen with the booking number.
4. You get an email notification: "Quote QT-xxx accepted — Booking BK-xxx created."

Path 2 — You mark it Accepted manually

From the quote detail page → Convert to Booking. Same outcome: quote → accepted, booking → requested.

Use the manual path when the customer accepts offline (email, phone, or paper confirmation). Log the acceptance channel in the quote's Activity so you have an audit trail.

What's copied from quote to booking

Copied 1:1:

• Customer
• Direction, mode, load type
• Origin / destination (country, port, airport, city)
• Commodity
• Cargo lines (pieces, weight, volume, dimensions, DG flag, reefer flag)
• All charges — sell rates and buy rates, basis, quantities, tax rates
• Commercial terms (the ticked checkboxes)
• Notes and Special Instructions
• Currency, incoterm, payment terms

Copied but renamed:

• Quote's valid_until → Booking's response_deadline (informational — bookings don't expire the same way).

Not copied (you add at booking stage):

• Vessel / voyage / flight number
• Carrier booking reference
• ETD / ETA
• Container numbers
• Seal numbers
• MBL / MAWB / HBL / HAWB references
• Shipper / consignee / notify-party party details (you fill these in for the operational side)
• Pickup / delivery specifics (time windows, contacts)

Step-by-step — after conversion

Once the booking is created, finish the operational setup:

1. 1
   Go to the new booking's detail page.
2. 2
   Shipper / Consignee / Notify Party — add party records. These flow onto the MBL / MAWB.
3. 3
   Transport details — vessel, voyage, carrier booking ref, flight no. Fill as the carrier confirms them.
4. 4
   ETD / ETA — planned dates. Real dates come from carrier tracking or milestones.
5. 5
   Container numbers (for sea FCL) as the carrier releases them.
6. 6
   Confirm the booking — transitions from requested to confirmed. This enables invoicing.

Linking back to the quote

The booking detail page's Activity tab shows the originating quote. You can open the quote from there to compare what was agreed vs what's now happening (useful if cargo specs shifted between quote and booking).

Revisions

If terms change after the quote is accepted (e.g. customer adds cargo, dates slip), you have two choices:

• Edit the booking in-place if it's still in requested or confirmed status and the changes are minor.
• Revise — Booking detail → New Revision — creates a dated revision snapshot. Use when the commercial terms materially change and you want an audit trail of what-was-vs-what-is.

Common pitfalls

Declining / rejecting

If a quote is rejected, mark it rejected from the quote detail. This doesn't create a booking. You can still clone the quote into a new version if the customer asks for a revised rate.

If a quote expires (past validity), status auto-flips to expired. Clone it; pricing and schedules may have moved, so review before re-sending.