Getting started with QuoteCloud

Recruitment proposal software for fees, terms and rate cards

Terms of business with your fee bands and guarantee, retained search proposals with staged fees, and temp rate cards that keep your margin to yourself, signed online by everyone who needs to sign.

QuoteCloud is proposal, terms of business and eSignature software for recruitment agencies. Set fee percentages by salary band, offer contingent, exclusive or retained terms, set out retained fees in stages with the engagement fee paid on signing, and send temp rate cards where the client sees the charge rate while pay rates, on-costs and margin stay hidden.

Sample terms of business from a fictional agency, Ashby Lane Recruitment, for Harbourline Logistics. The placement fee scale has four salary bands: 15% under $100,000, 18% from $100,000, 20% from $150,000 and 22% from $200,000. A Head of Finance on $165,000 falls in the 20% band, a fee of $33,000.00 plus tax; the example then moves to a payroll officer on $85,000 (15%), a senior software engineer on $140,000 (18%) and a chief operating officer on $245,000 (22%). The fee is invoiced by the agency on the start date and nothing is paid on signing. The CFO and the procurement manager have both signed, and the terms expire on 30 June 2027 for the annual review.

One set of terms for every role the client briefs

Your fee scale, written once: a percentage of first-year base salary for each band, how you'll work the role (contingent, exclusive or retained) and the guarantee that comes with it, all in the client's terms of business.

The client's CFO and procurement read the same document, ask their questions in comments, and both sign online. Fees are invoiced by you on the start date, from your own accounts system.

  • Fee bands and exclusivity options as a table block, from your template
  • Free replacement or a sliding rebate, saved as a locked company block (Business)
  • An expiry date on every set of terms, ready for the annual review

eSignatures: every plan · Content locking: Business plan

Terms of business & fee tiers
Ashby Lane RecruitmentTerms of business AL-TOB-2027 Sample · fictional business

Placement fees % of first-year base salary, + tax

Base salaryFeeOn $165,000
Up to $99,99915%–
$100,000 – $149,99918%–
$150,000 – $199,99920%$33,000.00
$200,000 and above22%–

Head of Finance at $165,000 base falls in the $150,000 – $199,999 band: 20%, a fee of $33,000.00 + tax.

How we work the role

  • ContingentBand rateFee payable on the start date. No fee unless we place.
  • Exclusive · 4 weeksBand rate − 2 pointsWe work the role alone for 4 weeks; the fee is still payable on the start date.
  • Retained search25% flatSenior roles: engagement, shortlist and placement fees, each a share of the estimated fee.

Fees are invoiced by Ashby Lane on the candidate's start date, on 14-day terms. Nothing is payable on signing these terms.

Our guarantee Choose one per role

Free replacement3 months

If your new hire leaves within 3 months of starting, we recruit a replacement at no further fee, once.

Sliding rebate12 weeks

If your new hire leaves within 12 weeks, we credit part of the fee on this scale.

  • Weeks 1–475% credited
  • Weeks 5–850% credited
  • Weeks 9–1225% credited

Applies when

  • Fees paid within terms
  • The hire leaves for reasons other than redundancy or restructure
  • You tell us within 7 days of the last day worked

Build the fee or the rate card. Watch the terms assemble.

Try it with a fictional agency and client. Choose permanent or contract, set the salary, the fee model, a discount or the margin, then send the terms for approval and two signatures.

QuoteCloud · Ashby Lane Recruitment · terms builderDemo · fictional data

What are you quoting?
Fee model
Over 10% goes to the managing director for approval (Business plan).
Guarantee

In QuoteCloud the fee is a price-table line (salary and Percentage columns, or a Formula column on Business) and the pay rate and on-costs sit in a Cost column the client never sees.

  1. Build
  2. Approve
  3. Send
  4. Signed
Ashby Lane RecruitmentTerms of business AL-TOB-2027 Demo · fictional data

Terms of business · FY2027

Permanent recruitment terms

For Harbourline Logistics · Expires 30 June 2027

Placement fee % of first-year base salary, + tax

  • 15%Under $100k
  • 18%$100k–150k
  • 20%$150k–200k
  • 22%$200k +
RoleHead of Finance
Base salary$165,000
Fee rate20% band rate
Placement fee$33,000.00
Tax$3,300.00
Total$36,300.00

Payable when the candidate starts, invoiced by Ashby Lane on 14-day terms. Nothing is paid on signing.

Guarantee

Free replacement · 3 months If the candidate leaves within 3 months of starting, Ashby Lane recruits a replacement at no further fee, once.

Accept these terms 2 of 2 signed

  • Chloe TanChief financial officer · hiring manager Signed
  • Daniel FerrisProcurement manager Signed

Nothing is paid on signing: the fee is invoiced by Ashby Lane Recruitment on the start date.

Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

Activity what your team sees

  1. Sent to Chloe Tan and Daniel Ferris
  2. Signed by Chloe Tan
  3. Signed by Daniel Ferris
  4. Client updated in your CRM or ATS

A demo with fictional data: nothing is sent, signed or charged. The builder on the left is our drawing of the work a consultant does in QuoteCloud's editor: the fee is a price-table line (salary and Percentage columns, or a Formula column on Business) and the pay rate and on-costs sit in a Cost column that recipients never see. The on-cost rates are samples, not advice. Placement fees and temp hours are invoiced by the agency; QuoteCloud takes a payment only on signing.

Temp & contract rate cards

Anatomy of a retained search proposal

A CFO search for a fictional food manufacturer, read top to bottom. Each part is a QuoteCloud content block from the agency's own template, and not one candidate is in it.

  1. Consultant edits

    Opens on the client's search

    The role, the client and how long the proposal is valid, from your retained search template.

    Ashby Lane RecruitmentRetained search proposal AL-ES-0412 Sample · fictional business
    Three people in suits at a meeting table, one signing a document

    Retained search proposal

    Chief Financial Officer search

    Prepared for Bellbrook Foods · 12 August 2026 · Valid 21 days

    A retained search for Bellbrook Foods' next Chief Financial Officer: the brief as we understand it, how we'll search the market, the timetable to a shortlist in six weeks, and the fee in three stages.

  2. The brief, not the candidates

    Your understanding of the role, the market and how you'll search it confidentially. Shortlists go to the client separately, with each candidate's consent. The chief people officer's question is answered under her comment.

    Candidate-free client proposals

    The brief, as we understand it

    • Chief Financial Officer, reporting to the CEO and the board's audit and risk committee.
    • Head office in Northgate, two plants, 1,100 staff; ERP replacement in the next 18 months.
    • Estimated base salary $264,000 plus retirement contributions and a short-term incentive.
    • A confidential search: we approach people directly and never advertise the role.
    • Shortlist presented in week 6, with interview notes and referees, shared separately with each candidate's consent.

    Sarah QuinnWill the board meet the shortlist or only the CEO?

    Claudia, Ashby LaneBoth: the CEO interviews first, then two directors meet the final two in week 8, as in the timetable.

  3. Client chooses

    The fee, plus options they can tick

    The retained fee as a percentage of the estimated base salary, and leadership assessments or a market map as optional rows. Tick one and the total and the engagement fee follow.

    Price tables: Essentials and up

    Search fee

    ItemQtyRateAmount
    Retained search$66,000
    Retained search fee25% of the estimated first-year base salary of $264,000; balanced to the actual salary at placement
    1 search $66,000 $66,000.00
    Options Tick to add
    3 candidate $1,200 $3,600.00
    1 report $2,800 $2,800.00
    Subtotal
    $69,600.00
    Tax (10%)
    $6,960.00
    Total
    $76,560.00
    Engagement fee on signing (30%)
    $22,968.00
  4. Locked block

    Three stages, one paid today

    Engagement, shortlist and placement as shares of the estimated fee. Only the engagement fee is paid online on signing; you invoice the other two as each stage is reached.

    Payment on signing: Essentials and up · Content locking: Business

    Fee stages Inc tax, on the estimated fee

    StageShareAmountHow it's paid
    EngagementOn signing 30% $22,968.00 Paid on signing via Stripe
    ShortlistShortlist presented, week 6 30% $22,968.00 Invoiced by Ashby Lane at that stage
    PlacementCandidate's start date 40% $30,624.00 Invoiced by Ashby Lane at that stage
    Estimated fee100%$76,560.00

    Only the engagement fee is paid online, on signing. The shortlist and placement fees are invoiced by Ashby Lane when each stage is reached; the placement fee is balanced to the actual base salary.

  5. A timetable the board can hold you to

    Briefing, mapping, approaches, interviews and the shortlist in week 6, as a Gantt chart with milestones.

    Gantt charts: Business plan

    Search timetable

    StageW1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10
    Proposal signed Week 1
    Briefing with CEO & board Week 1 to 2
    Market mapping Week 2 to 3
    Direct approaches Week 3 to 5
    Interviews & assessments Week 4 to 6
    Shortlist presented Week 7
    Client interviews Week 7 to 9
    Offer & references Week 9 to 10
    Offer accepted Week 10
  6. Client signs

    CEO and people officer sign

    Each signer signs in their own browser with no account, and the engagement fee is paid on the same page. Your team sees every step.

    Retained & executive search proposals

    Accept the search and pay the engagement fee

    2 of 2 signed

    • Andrew LimChief executive officer, Bellbrook Foods Signed14 Aug, 4:40 pm
    • Sarah QuinnChief people officer, Bellbrook Foods Signed15 Aug, 9:05 am

    Engagement fee on signing (30%)

    $22,968.00

    Paid via StripePay with card or PayPal

    Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

    Activity

    1. Proposal openedAndrew Lim · Bellbrook Foods
    2. Leadership assessments ticked+$3,960.00 inc tax
    3. Signed by bothCEO and chief people officer
    4. Engagement fee paid$22,968.00 via Stripe
    5. Search created in your ATSZapier or the QuoteCloud API

Send your next terms of business from QuoteCloud

Free for 14 days, no credit card required. Send us your current terms and we'll convert one template for you during the trial.

Rate cards that show the charge rate, and nothing under it

A temp or contract rate card is pay rate plus on-costs plus your margin. Your team works with all three; the client sees the role and the charge rate per hour.

In QuoteCloud the pay rate and on-costs go in a Cost column, so the margin is worked out for your team and never shown to the client. Weekly hours are invoiced from your payroll or back-office system.

  • One rate card per client, with an expiry date for the yearly review
  • Two signers: the workforce manager and the director of nursing
  • Rates kept as a product catalogue with cost and margin (Essentials and up)
Temp & contract rate cards
Ashby Lane RecruitmentTemp rate card AL-RC-0318 Team view · sample data

Charge rates Per hour, ex tax

Team view · pay rate, on-costs and margin are hidden from the client

RolePay rateOn-costsMarginCharge rate
Registered nurseDay shift, Mon–Fri$56.40$12.15$10.2813.0% of rate$78.83/hr
Registered nurseNight shift$64.90$13.99$11.8313.0% of rate$90.72/hr
Enrolled nurseDay shift, Mon–Fri$46.20$9.96$8.4213.0% of rate$64.58/hr
Assistant in nursingAny shift$38.10$8.21$7.4113.8% of rate$53.72/hr
Personal care workerCare homes$36.40$7.84$7.0813.8% of rate$51.32/hr

On-costs 21.55%: Retirement contributions 12% · Payroll tax 5.45% · Workers' compensation 2.6% · Insurance & admin 1.5% (sample rates)

Weekend and public holiday shifts are charged at the rates in Schedule 2. Timesheets are approved weekly and invoiced weekly by Ashby Lane.

Discounts wait for a director. Terms wait for every signer.

When a consultant gives a client more than your discount limit, the terms go In Review for the managing director and finance director, and can't be sent until both approve.

Then the hiring manager and procurement each sign in their own browser, with no account. You see who has signed and who hasn't, and every signature comes with a certificate of authenticity.

  • Approval triggers on discount percentage, total value, team, role, template or customer
  • Several signers on one document, each with their own block
  • Comments and replies in the document, not in an email thread

Approval workflow: Business plan · eSignatures: every plan

Multiple signers & fee-discount approvals
Ashby Lane RecruitmentTerms of business AL-TOB-2027 Sample · fictional business

Document workflow

In Review

Triggered when Discount percentage greater than 10

  • Fiona DelaneyManaging directorApproved
  • Anita KovacsFinance directorWaiting

Must be approved by all approvers before it can be sent.

  1. Approval request sent by Jonah Pierce
  2. Approved by Fiona Delaney

Approval workflow · Business plan

Accept these terms

1 of 2 signed

  • Chloe TanChief financial officer, Harbourline Logistics Signed4 Jun, 10:18 am
  • Daniel FerrisProcurement manager, Harbourline Logistics Awaiting signature

Terms summary

Fees
15–22% by band
Discount
15% for FY2027
Guarantee
Replacement or rebate
Expires
30 Jun 2027

Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

Rated, secure and in business since 2013

  • eIDAS compliant eSignatures
  • 256-bit encryption
  • Hosted on AWS
  • GDPR compliant

Your annual terms review, from 60 days out

How an agency can run its yearly review of client terms in QuoteCloud. You decide the timing; QuoteCloud gives you the dates, the documents and the signatures.

  1. 60 days

    See whose terms end next

    Every set of terms carries its expiry date. The Expiring Soon filter lists the clients whose terms end first.

    Expiring Soon filter
  2. 45 days

    Update the template once

    New fee bands, a changed guarantee or new clauses, written once in next year's terms template.

    Template
  3. 30 days

    Send to the whole client list

    Bulk send the new terms as a personalised copy for each client, with their name and contacts filled in.

    Bulk send Essentials and up
  4. 14 days

    Call the ones who haven't opened

    Document tracking shows who has opened their terms, so the follow-up calls go where they count.

    Document tracking
  5. Expiry

    Signed for the new year

    Finance and procurement sign online before the old terms run out.

    eSignature

Nothing renews, reminds or sends by itself: the expiry dates and filter show what's due, and your team sends the new terms. Bulk send has volume-based costs.

Every way an agency sells, in its own document

Permanent terms, a retained search, a temp rate card and an RPO programme: four sample documents from the same fictional agency.

Ashby Lane RecruitmentTerms of business AL-TOB-2027 Sample · fictional agency
Two women shaking hands across an office desk

Terms of business

Permanent recruitment terms of business

Prepared for Harbourline Logistics · 3 June 2026 · Expires 30 June 2027

The fees, guarantee and terms that apply to every permanent role Harbourline Logistics asks Ashby Lane to fill between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, agreed once and signed online by finance and procurement.

Placement fees % of first-year base salary, + tax

Base salaryFeeOn $165,000
Up to $99,99915%–
$100,000 – $149,99918%–
$150,000 – $199,99920%$33,000.00
$200,000 and above22%–

Head of Finance at $165,000 base falls in the $150,000 – $199,999 band: 20%, a fee of $33,000.00 + tax.

How we work the role

  • ContingentBand rateFee payable on the start date. No fee unless we place.
  • Exclusive · 4 weeksBand rate − 2 pointsWe work the role alone for 4 weeks; the fee is still payable on the start date.
  • Retained search25% flatSenior roles: engagement, shortlist and placement fees, each a share of the estimated fee.

Fees are invoiced by Ashby Lane on the candidate's start date, on 14-day terms. Nothing is payable on signing these terms.

Two women shaking hands across an office desk

Contingent or exclusive, by salary band

The client's fee scale, the exclusivity options and when fees are invoiced, in terms both finance and procurement sign.

  • Fee % of first-year base salary by band
  • Exclusive roles at a lower rate
  • No payment on signing: fees are invoiced on the start date
Terms of business & fee tiers
Ashby Lane RecruitmentRetained search proposal AL-ES-0412 Sample · fictional agency
Three people in suits at a meeting table, one signing a document

Retained search proposal

Chief Financial Officer search

Prepared for Bellbrook Foods · 12 August 2026 · Valid 21 days

A retained search for Bellbrook Foods' next Chief Financial Officer: the brief as we understand it, how we'll search the market, the timetable to a shortlist in six weeks, and the fee in three stages.

Search fee

ItemQtyRateAmount
Retained search$66,000
Retained search fee25% of the estimated first-year base salary of $264,000; balanced to the actual salary at placement
1 search $66,000 $66,000.00
Options Tick to add
3 candidate $1,200 $3,600.00
1 report $2,800 $2,800.00
Subtotal
$69,600.00
Tax (10%)
$6,960.00
Total
$76,560.00
Engagement fee on signing (30%)
$22,968.00
Three people in suits at a meeting table, one signing a document

A retained CFO search in three stages

A quarter of the estimated base salary, leadership assessments the board can add, and the engagement fee paid on signing.

  • Optional rows the client ticks
  • Engagement fee paid via Stripe or PayPal
  • Shortlist and placement fees invoiced by you

Price tables and payments: Essentials and up

Retained & executive search proposals
Ashby Lane RecruitmentTemp rate card AL-RC-0318 Sample · fictional agency
A nurse in a white uniform with a stethoscope, hands clasped

Temp rate card

Temporary nursing & care staff rate card

Prepared for Westvale Health · 20 June 2026 · Expires 30 June 2027

Hourly charge rates for agency nurses and care staff at Westvale Private Hospital and both care homes, for shifts booked between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.

Charge rates Per hour, ex tax

RoleCharge rate
Registered nurseDay shift, Mon–Fri$78.83/hr
Registered nurseNight shift$90.72/hr
Enrolled nurseDay shift, Mon–Fri$64.58/hr
Assistant in nursingAny shift$53.72/hr
Personal care workerCare homes$51.32/hr

Weekend and public holiday shifts are charged at the rates in Schedule 2. Timesheets are approved weekly and invoiced weekly by Ashby Lane.

A nurse in a white uniform with a stethoscope, hands clasped

Nursing and care staff by the hour

Five roles with their charge rates for a private hospital and two care homes, valid for the financial year.

  • Charge rates per hour, ex tax
  • Pay rate, on-costs and margin hidden
  • Weekly timesheets invoiced by the agency
Temp & contract rate cards
Ashby Lane RecruitmentRPO proposal AL-RPO-0221 Sample · fictional agency
A worker in hi-vis inspecting rebar across a large building site

RPO proposal

Site recruitment programme, 12 months

Prepared for Corrigan Civil · 9 September 2026 · Valid 30 days

Ashby Lane runs Corrigan Civil's site recruitment for 12 months: about 60 labourers, plant operators and supervisors for the western corridor projects, from the job ads to the first day on site.

Programme fees

ItemQtyRateAmount
Set-up$24,500
Programme design & employer brandRole profiles, ads and the hiring process
1 lot $18,000 $18,000.00
Careers page & ATS configurationYour ATS, configured for site roles
1 lot $6,500 $6,500.00
Programme$0
Programme managementDedicated team of two, monthly reporting
Monthly $14,500 $14,500.00/mo
Subtotal
$24,500.00
Tax (10%)
$2,450.00
Total
$26,950.00
Programme management, per month
$14,500.00/mo
Set-up fee on signing (50%)
$13,475.00
A worker in hi-vis inspecting rebar across a large building site

Sixty site hires, one programme

A set-up fee, half paid on signing, and a monthly programme management fee for a civil contractor's year of site recruitment.

  • Once-off and monthly rows in one table
  • Half the set-up fee paid on signing
  • Monthly fees invoiced by the agency, not by QuoteCloud
RPO & volume hiring proposals

From the client brief to signed terms

Five steps for a new client, with the consultant, the director and the client's finance team in one document.

  1. Start from your terms template

    Your fee bands, guarantee and clauses are already in place, converted from your own Word terms.

  2. Set the fee or the rates

    Choose the model and the fee for each role, or the charge rates for temps, with your costs in hidden columns.

  3. Clear any discount

    A discount over your limit goes In Review for a director first, on the Business plan.

  4. Send one link

    The hiring manager and procurement open it on any device and ask their questions in comments.

  5. Signed by both

    Each signer signs online; a retained search pays its engagement fee on signing. The terms carry an expiry date for next year.

Everything an agency sends, in one place

Terms, retained searches, rate cards, RPO programmes and the way your desks run QuoteCloud.

Recruitment proposal questions, answered

What is QuoteCloud for recruitment agencies?

QuoteCloud is proposal, terms of business and eSignature software for permanent and contract recruiters, executive search firms, labour hire and RPO providers. You build terms with fee bands, retained search proposals, temp rate cards and client proposals from your own templates, and clients choose options, sign online and can pay on signing.

Can I set placement fees as a percentage of salary by band?

Yes. Put your fee scale in the terms as a table, and price each role as a price-table line with the salary and a Percentage column, or a Formula column on the Business plan. Offer contingent, exclusive or retained terms as options, and the totals and tax calculate in the document. Price tables are on Essentials and above.

Can a retained search fee be paid in stages?

QuoteCloud takes one payment on signing, as a percentage or a fixed amount, through Stripe or PayPal. Set out the engagement, shortlist and placement stages in the proposal, take the engagement fee on signing, and invoice the shortlist and placement fees from your accounts system as each stage is reached. Instalments are not taken automatically.

Can I hide pay rates, on-costs and margin from the client on a rate card?

Yes. Costs and margins are hidden from the client: put the pay rate and on-costs in the Cost column and the client sees the charge rate only, while your team sees the margin. QuoteCloud doesn't calculate minimum pay rates or on-costs; you set them from your own figures.

Do client proposals include candidate details?

They don't need to. Most agencies keep proposals and terms candidate-free: the brief, the market, the process, the fees and the guarantee. Shortlists and CVs stay in your ATS and go to the client separately, with each candidate's consent. QuoteCloud is not an ATS and doesn't process candidate data.

Can the hiring manager and procurement both sign?

Yes. Add several signers to one document; each gets their own signature block and signs in their own browser with no account, on a computer, tablet or phone. Every signed document comes with a certificate of authenticity and an audit trail. eSignatures are included on every plan.

Can fee discounts go to a director for approval?

Yes, on the Business plan. Set a workflow trigger such as a discount percentage greater than 10, or a total value, team, role, template or customer. The document goes In Review and can't be sent until the approvers approve it.

Does QuoteCloud invoice placements or connect to my ATS?

QuoteCloud doesn't invoice placements or timesheets. Signed documents reach your ATS or CRM through Zapier or Make where it has a connector, or the QuoteCloud API, from Essentials, with per-document fees for API and Zapier creation. Xero and QuickBooks are native on Business, otherwise via Zapier.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. QuoteCloud has a free plan and a 14-day free trial of Essentials or Business with no credit card required. During the trial QuoteCloud converts one of your existing templates, such as your terms of business, for free on Essentials, Business and Enterprise, and paid plans include a 45-minute training session.

More recruitment questions

Your next terms of business, signed by everyone who signs

Free for 14 days. No credit card required.