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Packaging quotes with the dieline proof inside

Cartons and labels at the run lengths your client is weighing, the forme as a one-off line, and the dieline proof they check and sign off.

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With QuoteCloud a packaging printer sends one document per job: the customer's spec as data items, run lengths as a single choice priced from the printer's run sheet, the cutting forme and delivery as one-off lines, and the dieline proof the customer checks and approves with their signature and deposit.

Last reviewed by the QuoteCloud team

An engineered drawing of a printed kraft carton for Fernhollow Tea Co., quoted by a fictional printer, Morrowgate Print & Signs, in three stages: the dieline lying flat with its glue tab, four panels and top and bottom flaps, the cut line highlighted, creases dashed and the two-ink artwork on the long panels; the carton erected with its flaps up; and the closed, printed carton, 240 × 160 × 90 mm. The quote card offers 1,200 cartons at $1.29 each, 2,500 at $1.11 and 5,000 at $1.03 as one choice, with the cutting forme at $680.00 and pallet delivery at $95.00: $2,555.30 inc tax for 1,200. The dieline proof moves from awaiting approval to approved and signed, with a 30% deposit of $766.59.

The carton quote, read part by part

Fernhollow's quote as Marcus reads it, with a note on what Morrowgate sets up once and what the client decides.

  1. Opens on the job

    A cover from the carton template, with the run lengths explained in the intro.

    Morrowgate Print & SignsPrinted carton quote MP-P-3108 Sample · fictional business
    A pile of plain cardboard cartons sealed with tape

    Printed carton quote

    Gift-range cartons for Fernhollow Tea Co.

    Prepared for Marcus Vale · Mon 9 Nov 2026 · Valid until Wed 9 Dec 2026

    Printed kraft cartons for the new gift range, quoted at the 1,200 you asked for, with 2,500 and 5,000 as alternatives so you can see how the unit price falls with the run.

  2. From the email

    His spec, kept with the quote

    Marcus's email is quoted as he wrote it, and quantity, size, board, print and delivery become data items. An AI assistant connected through MCP can be set up to prepare this draft.

    Your request

    EmailMarcus Vale, Fernhollow Tea Co. · Mon 9 Nov, 7:42 am
    Carton quote, please. Hi Rafe, can you quote 1,200 printed cartons, 2 colours, same size as the sample we dropped in (240 × 160 × 90 mm), kraft board? Delivered to our Northgate warehouse by mid-March. Thanks, Marcus
    Quantity
    1,200
    Size
    240 × 160 × 90 mm
    Board
    Kraft
    Print
    2 colours
    Deliver to
    Northgate warehouse
    Needed by
    Mid-March
  3. Your formulas

    The run sheet

    Board, ink, die-cut and glue and make-ready per run length in a Spreadsheet block. Row 8's cells set each run length's unit price; show the sheet or keep it for your team.

    Run sheet

    Carton run · Morrowgate.xlsxSpreadsheet block
    B8 =ROUNDUP(B7/1200,2)

    Run

    RowABCD
    1 Quantity 1,200 2,500 5,000
    2 Board per carton $0.62 $0.62 $0.62
    3 Ink per colour $0.07 $0.07 $0.07
    4 Colours 2 2 2
    5 Die-cut & glue $0.18 $0.18 $0.18
    6 Make-ready $420 $420 $420
    7 Run cost $1,548 $2,770 $5,120
    8 Unit price $1.29 $1.11 $1.03
    • Typed in
    • Your assumption
    • Connected to the price table
  4. Client chooses

    Three run lengths, one choice

    1,200, 2,500 or 5,000 as a single choice, so Marcus sees the unit price fall with the run. The cutting forme and delivery are one-off lines.

    Print runs & quantity breaks

    Your cartons

    Cartons · choose a quantityChoose one

    1,200 printed cartons, 240 × 160 × 90 mmKraft board, 2 colours one side
    1,200 $1.29 $1,548.00
    2,500 printed cartons, 240 × 160 × 90 mmSame spec, longer run
    2,500 $1.11 $2,775.00
    5,000 printed cartons, 240 × 160 × 90 mmSame spec, longest run
    5,000 $1.03 $5,150.00

    One-off

    Cutting formeKept on file for reorders
    1 $680.00 $680.00
    Pallet delivery to NorthgateOne drop, tail-lift
    1 $95.00 $95.00
    Subtotal
    $2,323.00
    Tax (10%)
    $232.30
    Total
    $2,555.30
    Deposit on signing (30%)
    $766.59
  5. Client approves

    The dieline proof

    Cut and crease lines, the glue tab, the two inks and the checks Marcus confirms before anything is cut. Screen colour is a guide, and a press proof on the board is offered.

    Dieline & artwork proof Proof 1

    FERNHOLLOW FERNHOLLOW 240
    Size 240 × 160 × 90 mm, regular slotted carton Stock Kraft board Colours 2 inks: forest green and black Cut line Crease
    Before you approve, please check
    Wording, barcode area and panel order are right
    Flaps and glue tab are where I expect
    I understand colours on screen are a guide only

    Colours on screen are a guide only, and ink on kraft prints darker than it looks here. We can run a press proof on request.

    Awaiting the client's approval · Proof 1

  6. Signed, deposit paid

    The proof and the price approved with one signature, and a 30% deposit through PayPal, with a certificate of authenticity.

    Accept, sign and pay

    Marcus Vale · Operations manager, Fernhollow Tea Co.

    Signed online · Thu 12 Nov, 3:40 pm

    Deposit on signing (30%)

    $766.59

    Paid via PayPalPay with card or PayPal

    Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

The dieline and its questions, in one place

Juno attaches the dieline and artwork as a proof block, with the checks Marcus must confirm: wording and barcode area, flaps and glue tab, and that colours on screen are a guide.

Marcus asks in the comments whether the barcode can go on the base flap; Juno answers there, with the notes the press team needs. When he's happy he approves the proof and signs the quote in one step.

  • The proof as an image or PDF block (Starter and up)
  • Comments and replies kept with the quote
  • Approved with the same signature as the price
Artwork proofs & sign-off
Morrowgate Print & SignsPrinted carton quote MP-P-3108 Sample · fictional business

Dieline & artwork proof Proof 1

FERNHOLLOW FERNHOLLOW 240
Size 240 × 160 × 90 mm, regular slotted carton Stock Kraft board Colours 2 inks: forest green and black Cut line Crease
Before you approve, please check
Wording, barcode area and panel order are right
Flaps and glue tab are where I expect
I understand colours on screen are a guide only

Colours on screen are a guide only, and ink on kraft prints darker than it looks here. We can run a press proof on request.

Awaiting the client's approval · Proof 1

Proof notes

  • Barcode area on the base flap, 40 × 25 mm, white knocked out of the green.
  • Two inks, forest green and black; no varnish on kraft.
  • A press proof on the kraft board is available before the run, on request.

Marcus ValeCan the barcode go on the base flap? That's where our scanners read it.

Juno, MorrowgateYes: Proof 1 has the barcode area on the base flap, 40 × 25 mm.

Shippers, labels and gift boxes, the same way

Each kind of packaging gets its own template, with its own run lengths, tooling and notes.

Morrowgate Print & SignsShipper carton quote MP-P-3115 Sample · fictional business

Your request

EmailMarcus Vale, Fernhollow Tea Co. · Tue 10 Nov, 9:20 am
We'll need shippers for the gift range too: twelve cartons to a shipper, our logo on two sides. Maybe 1,000?
Holds
12 gift cartons
Size
500 × 340 × 260 mm
Print
1 colour, 2 sides
Quantity
About 1,000

Your shipper cartons

Shippers · choose a quantityChoose one

500 $1.42 $710.00
1,000 $1.08 $1,080.00
2,000 $0.94 $1,880.00

One-off

Cutting formeKept on file for reorders
1 $520.00 $520.00
Pallet delivery to NorthgateOne drop, tail-lift
1 $95.00 $95.00
Subtotal
$1,695.00
Tax (10%)
$169.50
Total
$1,864.50
Deposit on signing (30%)
$559.35

Shippers for the gift-range launch

Marcus thinks he needs about 1,000. The quote offers 500, 1,000 and 2,000 as one choice, with the forme as a one-off line kept on file for reorders.

  • Run lengths from the run sheet
  • Forme kept on file
  • 30% deposit on signing
Morrowgate Print & SignsLabel quote MP-P-3121 Sample · fictional business

Your request

Phone callMarcus Vale, noted by Saoirse Lund · Wed 11 Nov, 10:05 am
Labels for the tins: 70 × 40 mm, full colour, gloss, on rolls for the applicator. Wants prices at 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000.
Size
70 × 40 mm
Material
White gloss film
Print
4 colours
Rolls
76 mm core, 3 across
Quantities
2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000

Your labels

Labels · choose a quantityChoose one

2,000 $0.21 $420.00
5,000 $0.14 $700.00
10,000 $0.11 $1,100.00

One-off

Label cutterKept on file for reorders
1 $240.00 $240.00
Courier to NorthgateBoxed rolls
1 $45.00 $45.00
Subtotal
$985.00
Tax (10%)
$98.50
Total
$1,083.50
Deposit on signing (30%)
$325.05

Tin labels at 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000

Saoirse types up Marcus's call; the label template carries the size, film, core and wind as data items, and the three quantities as one choice.

  • Phone notes kept with the quote
  • Label cutter kept on file
  • Courier as a one-off line
Morrowgate Print & SignsGift box quote MP-P-3137 Sample · fictional business

Your gift boxes

Gift boxes · choose a quantityChoose one

300 $6.40 $1,920.00
600 $5.20 $3,120.00
1,000 $4.60 $4,600.00

One-off

Foil-blocking dieKept on file for reorders
1 $210.00 $210.00
Pallet delivery to NorthgateOne drop, tail-lift
1 $95.00 $95.00

OptionsTick to add

1 $150.00 $150.00
Subtotal
$3,425.00
Tax (10%)
$342.50
Total
$3,767.50
Deposit on signing (30%)
$1,130.25

Box notes

  • The foil colour is matched by eye to your copper reference: foil on screen is a guide only.
  • Sample boxes take five working days; the run starts when you approve them.
  • The foil die is kept on file, so a reorder has no die charge.

Rigid boxes for the tea sets

Lid-and-base boxes at 300, 600 or 1,000, the foil-blocking die as a one-off line, and five sample boxes as an option Marcus can tick before the run.

  • Samples as an optional line
  • Foil colour is a guide on screen
  • Die kept on file for reorders

Send your next carton quote with the dieline inside

Free for 14 days, no credit card required. We'll convert one of your packaging quote templates for you during the trial.

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Reorders with the forme already on file

A year later Marcus asks for the same shippers again. The reorder carries last November's lines and artwork at this year's prices, and the cutting forme goes in at $0 with an "On file" tag, so he sees it's included.

Rafe checks the board price and the delivery date, sends it, and Marcus signs it in a minute.

  • Built from the last job: duplicated, or drafted through MCP
  • Tooling on file as a $0 line
  • Unchanged artwork: no new proof round
Reorders & repeat jobs
Morrowgate Print & SignsReorder quote MP-P-3240 Sample · fictional business

Your request

Reorder requestMarcus Vale, Fernhollow Tea Co. · Mon 9 Nov, 8:05 am
Hi Rafe, same shipper cartons as last November please, 2,500 again. Can they land before the 20th? Marcus
Last job
MP-P-2711 · Nov 2025
Quantity
2,500
Artwork
No changes
Needed by
Before the 20th

Your reorder

Cartons

2,500 shipper cartons, 300 × 200 × 200 mmKraft board, 1 colour, as MP-P-2711
2,500 $0.96 $2,400.00
Cutting forme On fileOn file from MP-P-2711
1 $0.00 $0.00
Pallet delivery to NorthgateOne drop, tail-lift
1 $95.00 $95.00
Subtotal
$2,495.00
Tax (10%)
$249.50
Total
$2,744.50

Accept and sign

Marcus Vale · Operations manager, Fernhollow Tea Co.

Signed online · Mon 9 Nov, 11:20 am

Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

Quote packaging in five steps

From the buyer's spec to a signed carton order.

  1. Capture the spec

    Size, board, colours, quantity and delivery as data items.

  2. Price the runs

    Your run sheet sets each run length's unit price.

  3. Add the tooling

    Forme or cutter as a one-off line, kept on file.

  4. Attach the dieline

    The proof block with the checks the buyer confirms.

  5. Approved and paid

    The buyer picks a run, approves, signs and pays.

Packaging quote questions, answered

Can I put the dieline proof inside a packaging quote?

Yes. Add the dieline and artwork as an image or PDF block (Starter and up), with the checks you want the buyer to confirm. The buyer comments, then approves the proof and signs the quote in one step, and the signed document carries a certificate of authenticity.

Does QuoteCloud create dielines or check artwork files?

No. Structural design, dieline drawing, preflight and colour matching stay with your design and prepress team. QuoteCloud carries the proof you attach, the buyer's comments and approval, the price and the signature.

How do I quote tooling such as a cutting forme?

Add it as a one-off line beside the run lengths. On a reorder, put it in at $0 with a note that it's on file, so the buyer sees it's included.

Can I enforce minimum order quantities?

Offer only the run lengths you'll accept as a single choice, and state your minimums and supply terms in the quote. QuoteCloud doesn't enforce order rules; the lines you offer are the choices the buyer has.

Can a packaging spec email become a quote automatically?

An AI assistant connected through QuoteCloud's MCP service (Essentials and up) can be set up to turn a spec email into a draft from your carton template and product library. It stays a draft until your estimator checks it, attaches the dieline and sends it.

More questions from sign makers and printers

Everything a sign and print business sends

From the spec in the inbox to the signed-off proof.

Your next packaging quote, with the dieline inside

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