Introduction

Be honest—how many bids sit in limbo because you can’t see what’s actually slowing them down? Most small crews run on hustle and gut feel, but guessing costs approvals. This guide shows how using proposal analytics gives you a scoreboard you can act on: faster turnaround, clearer follow-ups, and fewer stalled jobs. We’ll cover the problem, how Donizo’s analytics dashboard and voice-to-proposal workflow work together, and the real results contractors are seeing when they run their week off the data, not the inbox.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• The Real Problem: Blind Bidding And Slow Follow-Up
• The Feature: Proposal Analytics In Donizo
• How It Works: Voice To Signed Proposal
• Real Results: Time And Money Saved
• A Simple Weekly Routine That Works
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• In general, proposals sent within 24 hours see noticeably higher acceptance—often 10–20% better than slower turnarounds.
• Many contractors find e-signatures cut approval cycles from several days to same day or next day, reducing back-and-forth dramatically.
• It’s common for small teams to save 2–3 hours per week by capturing scope with voice and photos, then generating proposals immediately.
• Converting accepted proposals to invoices right away typically reduces the gap to first payment by a few days, improving cash timing.

The Real Problem: Blind Bidding And Slow Follow-Up

What’s Going Wrong

Your week’s busy: site visits, subs, materials, crews. Proposals are squeezed into “later” and follow-ups become a guessing game. Common signs:

• Proposals take too long to assemble, so they go out cold days after the visit.
• Follow-ups happen irregularly because there’s no clear status list.
• You don’t know where approvals stall—content, timing, or signature friction.

In general, when proposals land more than 48–72 hours after the visit, acceptance tends to dip. Prospects get distracted, talk to others, or forget details. Without analytics, you can’t see your true turnaround or where proposals bottleneck.

The Fix

Track a few simple metrics and act on them every week:

• Time from capture to send
• Acceptance rate and unsigned aging
• Proposal-to-invoice conversion time once approved

When you can see these, you can tighten your process. That’s exactly what Donizo’s analytics dashboard is built for.

Real-World Snapshot

A small interiors crew noted proposals often went out 3–5 days after a walkthrough. By focusing on “time to send” and using voice capture on-site, they consistently sent within 24 hours. In general, teams that make this shift see acceptance improve noticeably and reduce follow-up calls because the proposal lands while the memory of the visit is fresh.

The Feature: Proposal Analytics In Donizo

What It Shows You

Donizo’s analytics dashboard (available on the Ascension plan) gives you operational visibility on your proposal flow. You can track:

• Proposals created, sent, and signed
• Average time from capture to send
• Acceptance and unsigned proposal counts
• Proposal-to-invoice conversions once the client signs

These are the practical numbers contractors use to manage their week. Pair them with Donizo’s workflow—voice to proposal, branded PDF sending with client portal access, built-in e-signature, and one-click invoice conversion—and you’ve got data that’s immediately actionable.

Why It Matters

A Note On Plans

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

If you want the analytics dashboard, Ascension or Autopilot is the move.

How It Works: Voice To Signed Proposal

Step 1: Capture Scope Fast

Speak through the job while you’re on-site. Add photos of key areas and any client notes. Many contractors find that capturing details in the moment removes missed items and cuts admin time later by 2–3 hours per week.

Step 2: Generate And Send A Branded PDF

Create a professional, branded PDF and send it via email. The client gets portal access to view everything clearly in one place. In general, clear line items, photos, and assumptions reduce questions and objections.

Step 3: Get A Legally Binding E‑Signature

Clients can digitally sign for legally binding acceptance. Contractors often report that e-signatures cut approval time from days to hours because there’s no print/scan step.

Step 4: Convert To Invoice In One Click

As soon as the client signs, convert the proposal to an invoice. With payment tracking on Ascension, you can monitor what’s outstanding and move on to scheduling.

Step 5: Let Analytics Run In The Background

As you work, the analytics dashboard aggregates your pipeline—created, sent, signed, invoiced—and shows your averages. You don’t have to build spreadsheets or chase statuses; you simply act on the numbers.

Real Results: Time And Money Saved

Problem → Solution → Example

• Problem: Proposals lag 3–5 days; approvals drift; cash timing is inconsistent.
• Solution: Voice capture on-site, e-signature, and a weekly review of turnaround time and unsigned aging.
• Example Outcome: A two-person remodeling team focused on sending within 24 hours and following up at 48 hours if still unsigned. In general, crews making this shift see acceptance improve 10–20%, and approvals that used to take a week commonly arrive same day or next day with e‑signature.

Where The Savings Show Up

• Admin: Fewer evenings rebuilding notes—the voice-to-proposal workflow typically saves 2–3 hours per week.
• Close Rate: Faster send times and clear assumptions reduce back-and-forth and commonly lift acceptance when compared to slower, less detailed proposals.
• Cash Timing: Converting to invoice immediately after a signature often brings first payments forward by a few days, which helps small teams stay liquid for materials.

A Simple Weekly Routine That Works

Monday: Set Targets

• Review last week’s averages: time to send, acceptance, unsigned aging.
• Set one improvement target: for example, “All proposals out within 24 hours.”

Midweek: Act On The Data

• Any proposal older than 48 hours and unsigned? Send a short, specific nudge with a clear call to action.
• If time-to-send creeps up, switch to capturing scope by voice immediately after the walkthrough and generating the PDF before leaving the area.

Friday: Close The Loop

• Convert all newly signed proposals to invoices in one click.
• Note what worked (fast send, clearer assumptions, better photos) and update your basic template so next week starts stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need A Paid Plan To Use Proposal Analytics?

Yes. The analytics dashboard is part of the Ascension plan (and included in Autopilot). Discover (Free) lets you create unlimited proposals with voice/text/images, use e‑signature, and export PDFs with a watermark, but it doesn’t include analytics.

How Fast Can I Go From Voice To Proposal?

Many contractors complete a solid proposal in minutes after a visit by speaking details and adding photos. In general, sending within 24 hours noticeably improves acceptance versus waiting several days.

Are E‑Signatures Legally Binding?

Yes. Donizo’s e‑signature capability provides legally binding acceptance, which removes print/scan friction and commonly reduces approval time from days to hours.

Can I Add My Logo And Company Details?

Yes. Custom branding is available on the Ascension plan and above. It also removes the PDF watermark and adds invoicing, payment tracking, templates, and analytics.

What Happens After The Client Signs?

Convert the accepted proposal to an invoice in one click. With payment tracking on Ascension, you can stay on top of who owes what and when, then schedule with confidence.

Conclusion

When you can see your proposal pipeline clearly—how fast you send, how quickly clients sign, and how soon invoices go out—you stop guessing and start closing. Donizo makes the workflow simple: capture by voice, send a clean branded PDF with client portal access, get a legally binding e‑signature, and turn it into an invoice immediately. Want the scoreboard that keeps you on pace? Move to the Ascension plan for the analytics dashboard and run your week off the numbers. Try it today at Donizo.