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I send over 30 proposals a month across four or more businesses. IT services, telecoms, digital marketing. Each one different. Each one needing to look professional and get signed quickly. This is exactly how I do it with PandaDoc.
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up for PandaDoc using my link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use and genuinely rate. The views expressed are my own based on real usage across my businesses.
The way it used to work (and why it had to change)
Before PandaDoc, every proposal was a fresh document, a PDF, and a prayer that the client had a printer.
For years, getting a proposal or contract signed meant the same painful chain of events. I’d put a document together — usually starting from a previous version, reformatting it, updating the client name, adjusting the scope — then export it as a PDF and email it over.
The client then had to print it, find a pen, sign it, either scan it or take a photo of it on their phone, and email it back. Some clients did this quickly. Many didn’t. Some never did at all, and I’d end up chasing a signature for days before work could formally begin.
When you’re sending one or two proposals a week that’s annoying. When you’re running multiple businesses and sending 30-plus proposals a month across IT services, telecoms, and digital marketing, it becomes a serious operational drag.
Before PandaDoc
- New document built from scratch each time
- Exported as PDF and emailed over
- Client had to print, sign, and scan
- Signed copies returned by email in varying quality
- Signed contracts scattered across email inboxes
- No way to know if client had even opened it
With PandaDoc
- Template pulled up and updated in minutes
- Sent as a link — nothing to download or print
- Client signs with one click on any device
- Signed copy stored automatically with audit trail
- All contracts in one searchable place
- Real-time notification when clien
What my proposals actually include
Every proposal I send has the same core structure, regardless of which business it comes from.
The structure is consistent across all four businesses, even though the branding, pricing, and scope content differs. That consistency is what makes templating work — the bones are the same, the flesh changes per client.
| Section | What it contains | How PandaDoc handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Cover page | Business branding, client name, date, document title | Branded template with dynamic fields for client name and date — auto-populates |
| Scope of work | What is being delivered, timelines, responsibilities | Editable text blocks — updated per proposal, reused where relevant |
| Pricing table | Line items, quantities, totals | Interactive pricing table — figures entered per proposal, totals calculate automatically |
| Terms and conditions | Standard commercial terms, limitations of liability, payment terms | Pre-loaded content block — rarely changes, locked into the template |
| Signature block | Signature field, printed name, date | eSignature field assigned to recipient — signs with a click |
For T&Cs documents — which I also run through PandaDoc — the structure is slightly different. These tend to be a cover page explaining what the client is signing, the small print itself, and a signature block confirming acceptance. No pricing table, but the same template logic applies. Build it once, send it every time.
How I set up the templates
The template setup is the work. Once it’s done, everything else is fast.
Most people underestimate how long good template setup takes. I spent proper time on each one — not hours, but a focused session per business. The payoff is that once the template is right, it is right permanently. You never rebuild from scratch again.
01
Start with the branding
Each business has its own logo, colour scheme, and font choice. I set these at the template level so every document that goes out looks like it came from that business specifically — not a generic document with a logo dropped on top.
02
Set the fixed content
The parts that rarely change — terms and conditions, company descriptions, boilerplate scope language — go in as locked or semi-locked content blocks. I do not want someone on the team accidentally editing the standard T&Cs. They are in the template and that is where they stay.
03
Add dynamic fields for the variables
Client name, company name, date, specific service details, pricing figures — these are the things that change per proposal. I mark these as dynamic fields so they are clearly flagged as “fill this in before sending.” It removes the risk of sending a proposal that still has a previous client’s name in it, which is an embarrassing mistake and an easy one to make when you’re busy.
04
Build the pricing table
PandaDoc’s pricing table handles line items and totals. I set up the table structure in the template with the standard service categories for that business. When I’m building a proposal, I fill in the quantities and prices for that specific job. The totals calculate automatically — no manual maths, no errors.
05
Assign the signature block
The signature block is pre-placed at the end of every template, assigned to the recipient role. When I send the proposal, I enter the client’s email address and they are automatically assigned as the signer. Nothing to configure each time.
Worth knowing
I have a separate template for each business within the Carden IT Services group and the wider portfolio. A little more upfront work, but it means every proposal goes out correctly branded from the right entity without any manual adjustments.
What sending a proposal actually looks like day-to-day
Once the templates are built, sending a proposal is genuinely quick.
The day-to-day process once templates are set up is straightforward. I open PandaDoc, select the right template for that business, duplicate it, and fill in the dynamic fields — client name, company, specific scope details, pricing figures. That takes a few minutes at most.
Then I hit send. The client gets an email with a link. No attachments, no PDF, nothing to download. They click the link, the proposal opens in their browser — fully formatted, fully branded — and they can read through it on whatever device they have to hand.
When they reach the signature block, they sign with a click. They can type their name, draw a signature, or upload one. It takes about ten seconds. The moment they sign, I get a notification. The signed document is stored automatically. Done.
Tip: I always mention to clients when sending that the document will come from PandaDoc and to check junk if they do not receive it within a few minutes. It is a small heads-up that prevents a “I never got the link” email later.
What the client actually sees
The client experience is clean, simple, and requires nothing from them except a click.
This matters more than people realise. One of the reasons the old print-sign-scan process was so slow was that it put effort on the client’s side. The more effort you ask of someone, the less likely they are to do it quickly.
With PandaDoc, the client receives a plain email with a link and a clear call to action. They click it. The proposal opens in their browser — no account needed, no app to install. It looks like a well-designed document, not a hastily formatted Word file. They scroll through it, review the pricing table and scope, and sign at the end.
Several clients have specifically commented on how straightforward and professional the process is. For businesses like Growth MSP, where the client relationship starts with this proposal, first impressions count.
After signing, the client automatically receives a copy of the signed document. I receive a notification and the document is stored in PandaDoc with a full audit trail showing when it was opened, when each section was viewed, and when the signature was applied.
A few things I wish I’d known at the start
None of these are obvious until you’ve been using the tool for a while.
Spend real time on template setup. It is the most important session you’ll have with PandaDoc. A rushed template will cause problems every time you use it. Book a proper session for each business, do it once, and do it properly.
Use dynamic fields for anything that changes. Even things that feel stable — like a specific service name — can drift over time. If it is something that varies by client or by proposal, make it a dynamic field. Your future self will thank you for it.
Lock your T&Cs content. If you have standard terms in your proposals, treat them as locked content. Do not leave them as freely editable text. The wrong change at the wrong moment is a legal headache you do not need.
The pricing table is one of the most useful features. Totals that calculate automatically and line items that are clearly formatted make proposals look credible and remove arithmetic errors entirely.
Track your open notifications. When PandaDoc tells you a client has opened your proposal, that is the right moment to follow up if needed. Not pestering — just a well-timed message. It is far more effective than following up cold.
Related
For a full breakdown of everything PandaDoc can do — including HR documents, audit trails, and pricing — see my full PandaDoc review.
Ready to ditch the print-sign-scan loop?
Start with the 14-day trial on a paid plan. The free plan limits you to five documents a month — not enough to properly test this against a real proposal workflow.
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up for PandaDoc using my link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use and genuinely rate. The views expressed are my own based on real usage across my businesses.
