Introduction

You’ve walked the site, your head’s full of details, and your phone’s buzzing. Wait two days to type a quote and the job’s gone. Let’s fix that. Here’s a practical deep‑dive into using on‑site voice capture to spin what you see and say into a clean, branded, signable proposal before you leave the driveway. We’ll cover the problem it solves, exactly how the workflow runs with Donizo, and the kind of time and cash‑flow gains small teams are seeing—without adding more admin.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• The Problem: Handwritten Notes Cost You Hours
• The Feature: Voice-To-Proposal That Builds Itself
• How It Works On Site
• From Send To Signed: Branded PDFs And E‑Signature
• After Acceptance: Invoice And Payment Tracking
• Real Contractor Results
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• In general, moving from handwritten notes to voice capture cuts admin by 30–50% per job and gets proposals out in less than 24 hours.
• Commonly, adding photos to voice‑built proposals halves follow‑up questions and reduces scope misunderstandings.
• It’s typical to see more same‑day e‑signatures when proposals arrive within 1–2 hours of a visit—speed builds trust.
• In general, converting accepted proposals to invoices immediately shortens time to first payment by 3–5 days.

The Problem: Handwritten Notes Cost You Hours

Many contractors still scribble on pads, snap a few photos, and plan to “type it up tonight.” Then the phone rings, a supplier calls, and that quote lands two days late. Commonly, that delay means:

• Details get fuzzy and quantities drift.
• Clients shop around while they wait.
• You retype the same boilerplate repeatedly—tedious and error‑prone.

Industry practice shows slow turnaround weakens win rates on small and medium residential jobs. A common mistake is trusting memory for measurements and client preferences; it’s easy to miss a line item or an exclusion. The result? Revisions, free site re‑visits, and scope creep.

What It Costs You

• In general, contractors lose 1–3 hours per job on retyping and formatting alone.
• It’s common for proposal turnaround to slip to 2–3 days, which drags decisions and cash.
• Missed lines (allowances, patching, protection) often eat margin later.

The Feature: Voice-To-Proposal That Builds Itself

Here’s the fix: Donizo’s voice‑to‑proposal workflow turns your on‑site narration, quick text notes, and photos into a clean proposal draft—instantly.

• Speak the scope in natural language while you’re looking at the work.
• Add photos where detail matters (access, finishes, hidden risks).
• Let Donizo assemble a structured proposal you can send the same day.

Why it works: Your brain is sharp on site. Dictating specifics—“skim two walls, seal stain on ceiling, protect oak floor, client supplies fittings”—captures context you usually lose by evening. With Donizo, that context becomes clear line items, client‑friendly language, and a professional PDF ready to go.

How It Works On Site

Step‑By‑Step

1. Open Donizo on arrival and start a new job capture.
2. Record a concise voice walkthrough: rooms, quantities, materials, risks, access, lead times.
3. Snap photos of the tricky bits: cracked plaster, tight stair runs, ceiling hatches, existing finishes.
4. Add any quick text for allowances or exclusions you always want in writing.
5. Generate the proposal draft—review, adjust any pricing, and you’re ready to send.

Practical Tips That Help

• Use room‑by‑room voice notes to avoid missing small items like trims, protection, and making good.
• Note client decisions in your narration: “client prefers satin, not matt.”
• Call out risks clearly: “possible live junction behind old tile—allow contingency check.”

Before vs After: Time On Admin

In general, contractors report the total admin per proposal dropping from around 1–2 hours to 20–35 minutes.

From Send To Signed: Branded PDFs And E‑Signature

You’ve got a draft. Now get it read and signed.

• Generate a branded PDF proposal and email it with client portal access straight from Donizo.
• The client reviews on their phone or laptop, asks a question in the portal if needed, then signs digitally.
• E‑signature in Donizo is legally binding, so acceptance is clear and trackable.

Many contractors find branded documents are opened faster than generic files. Clear structure, photos, and plain language remove hesitation. Commonly, when a client receives a same‑day proposal after a visit, you’ll see decisions within 24 hours for small works.

Plan Notes That Matter

• Free (Discover): Unlimited proposals, voice/text/image input, e‑signature, PDF export (with watermark).
• Ascension (Paid): Everything above plus custom branding (logo and company details), invoicing and payment tracking, basic templates, analytics dashboard, priority support, and no watermark.
• Autopilot (Paid): Everything in Ascension plus advanced templates, a margin estimator, multi‑language support, and work report exports.

If brand presence is important to you (it usually is), running Ascension or Autopilot removes watermarks and puts your identity front and centre.

After Acceptance: Invoice And Payment Tracking

Once signed, Donizo converts accepted proposals to invoices in one click. No copy‑paste, no mismatched totals.

• Create the invoice from the accepted proposal—line items flow through.
• Track payments and status from the same place.
• Export work reports (Autopilot) if you need a record for handover or warranty discussions.

In general, immediate conversion to invoice shortens the time to first payment by 3–5 days because you’re not re‑building documents. Contractors often avoid errors here—no taxes or totals mistyped—because the source of truth is the signed proposal.

Example Payment Flow

• Morning: Site visit, voice capture, photos.
• Midday: Send branded PDF with e‑signature via the client portal.
• Afternoon: Client signs digitally.
• Same day: Convert to invoice and log payment due—no extra admin.

Real Contractor Results

Scenario 1: One‑Person Decorator, Semi‑Detached Repaint

Problem: Evenings lost re‑typing quotes, proposals out 48–72 hours after visit.

Solution: Voice capture room‑by‑room, add 6 photos (prep, repairs, protection), send same‑day branded PDF with e‑signature via Donizo.

Outcome: Commonly, turnaround dropped to under 4 hours from visit to proposal. The decorator reported fewer clarifying calls because photos and exclusions were explicit. In general, admin time per job fell by about half.

Scenario 2: Small Electrical Team, Kitchen Upgrade + New Circuits

Problem: Missed small items (RCD upgrade, making good) eroded margin.

Solution: On‑site voice notes include protection, RCD/RCBO assumptions, and access constraints; proposal built instantly with these as clear line items.

Outcome: Fewer unpaid extras. Commonly, the team saw decisions within 24 hours when the proposal landed on the same day, and fewer disputes about what was included.

Scenario 3: Bathroom Refresh, Client Abroad

Problem: Email ping‑pong and delays across time zones.

Solution: Voice‑to‑proposal with photos; client opens the portal, signs via e‑signature; invoice created immediately.

Outcome: In general, decision time compressed from “sometime next week” to under 48 hours. Cash flow improved because invoicing started the same day acceptance arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Detailed Should My Voice Notes Be?

Aim for clear room or area segments and include materials, quantities, finishes, and any risk notes. Two to four minutes per room is typical. Call out exclusions and client‑supplied items so your proposal spells out assumptions.

Do Clients Really Sign Without A Site Return Visit?

Yes—especially on small to medium scopes when the proposal arrives quickly and includes photos. It’s common to see same‑day signatures when the document is clear, branded, and arrives within 1–2 hours of the visit.

What If I Need My Branding On The Proposal?

Use Donizo’s Ascension or Autopilot plans to add your logo and company details and remove watermarks. Many contractors find branded PDFs build trust and reduce questions.

Can I Invoice Immediately After Acceptance?

Absolutely. With Donizo, an accepted proposal converts to an invoice in one click, and you can track payments from the same dashboard. In general, this brings first payments forward by several days.

We Work In Multiple Languages—Does That Help?

If you often serve bilingual clients, Donizo’s Autopilot adds multi‑language support so proposals can meet clients where they are, improving clarity and speed to yes.

Conclusion

If you’re tired of late‑night typing and “can you resend the quote?” messages, switch the capture point to where you’re strongest—on site. Voice, photos, and quick notes become a professional, branded, signable proposal before you drive off. Then, when the client clicks yes, invoice in one click and keep momentum.

Ready to try it on your next visit? Open Donizo, record your walkthrough, and send a proposal today. Fewer admin hours. Faster decisions. Cleaner cash flow.