How to Make Items Optional
Learn how to mark a line item as optional in Bolster, choose between customer-approved, optional, or internal optional types, and set default inclusion to give clients more flexibility.
Overview
Making items optional in a proposal can enhance customer flexibility and increase booking rates by allowing clients to customize their projects according to their budget. Optional add-ons can also boost perceived value and encourage higher spending.
Before You Begin
- Open the proposal or estimate containing the item you want to make optional.
1. Find the item you want to make optional and click on its cube/item icon (in this example, Countertop).
2. In the item settings, go to Sales, then Optionality and Upgrades.
3. Click into Optionality and Upgrades. By default, the item is not optional.
4. Click to make the item optional.
5. Choose the type of optional item: Optional Customer Approved Item, Optional Item, or Internal Optional Item.
6. Choose whether the item is Included by Default or Excluded by Default. This determines whether the item automatically shows up in the proposal or whether the customer has to add it manually.
7. Once you've made your selections, exit the item settings. The item is now optional in the proposal.
8. Save your estimate changes.
Tips & Best Practices
- Choose the Right Optional Type: Use Optional Customer Approved Item when you want the client to explicitly approve the add-on, Optional Item for general flexibility, or Internal Optional Item to keep it visible only to your team.
- Set Defaults Intentionally: Decide whether an item should be included or excluded by default based on whether you want it to be the standard expectation or an upsell the customer opts into.
Why This Matters
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Gives customers flexibility to customize their project according to their budget, which can increase booking rates.
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Optional add-ons can boost perceived value and encourage higher spending.
Summary
To make a line item optional, open its item settings, go to Sales, then Optionality and Upgrades, mark it optional, choose whether it's a customer-approved, optional, or internal optional item, and set whether it's included or excluded by default.