Custom Order Form for Handmade Goods

Who this is for

Everything agreed before you start. The form records exactly what the customer wants, from measurements and colours to the wording of any personalisation, together with the price, the deposit and the date you have agreed to finish by.

Makers taking personalised, made-to-measure or one-off orders, in person, at a market or by message, who want the details written down and agreed before any material is cut.

What this helps you track

• Who the customer is and how to reach them
• The size, colours, materials and personalisation they asked for
• Which reference photos or samples they supplied
• What is being made, how many and at what price
• The deposit taken, the balance due and the agreed completion date

How to use it

1. Fill in the order number, the date the order was taken, and the customer's name with a phone number or email.
2. Work down the specification with the customer, writing their exact wording for any personalisation and checking the spelling back with them.
3. List each item with its quantity and price, and write the order total at the foot of the amount column.
4. Record the deposit paid and the balance still due in the header, and agree a completion date you can keep.
5. Tick each line of the specification as confirmed, then both sign; give the customer a copy or send them the browser version.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why write the personalisation out in full?

Because a name or date spelled wrong is the most common reason a custom piece has to be remade. Writing the exact wording, reading it back and having the customer sign the form puts the agreed spelling on paper.

How much deposit should I take?

That is your decision, and it may depend on how much of the material is bought specially for the order. The form records the deposit and balance you agree but does not suggest an amount.

What if the customer changes their mind part way?

Note the change in the notes area with the date, and agree any change in price or completion date there too. For bigger changes, start a new form and cross-refer the order number.

Is this the same as a quote?

No. A quote is sent before the customer decides; this form records the order once they have. The custom order quote sheet covers the pricing stage.