Mar 28, 2025
March Update: Better Interior Design Financial Management and Supplier Communication
At thesheet, we’re constantly evolving our platform based on your feedback and client feedback. Two major themes have emerged from our conversations with interior designers: the need for better financial oversight throughout projects and simpler supplier communications.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce two significant changes: moving our margin tables to the project overview tab and launching our new “Asks” feature for streamlined supplier communication. These updates work together to give you more control and visibility at every project stage.
Financial control on each of your projects
A key part in any interior design project is the budget, which is why we've included basic budget tracking from the very beginning. But sometimes that doesn't cut it and if you're running a turn-key interior design business or just want more detail around costing, you could use something with a little bit more "oomph".
To take that longer step we've now created the project finances tab on thesheet. A single clear overview of all of the products in a project, with costs, trade pricing, margin calculations and much more. What's best is that you can edit any number in the table and everything else is calculated automatically.
Introducing 'Asks': an easier way to ask anything from your suppliers
We’re also making things a bit easier in supplier communication with our “Asks” feature. While we previously had separate sections for quotes and orders, we realised that supplier communications often extend beyond simple quoting. Strengthening client relationships through effective communication is crucial for business development and overall success.
With “Asks,” you can:
Send any type of inquiry to suppliers—not just quote requests
Keep all supplier communications organised in one place
Easily reference specific products in your messages
Track responses and follow-ups in a single view
Use multi-select in the sheet view to choose the products you want to ask about, then go to the Asks tab to send the supplier a message. Ask about price, fabrics, colour, delivery—whatever your heart may desire! The supplier will get your email with the list of products you’re asking about, so you know that they know exactly what you’re talking about without any tedious copy-and-pasting. And their reply comes straight to your inbox.
Asks – your supplier communication in one view
How to access your financial overview
Accessing your margin tables is now simpler than ever:
Open your project in thesheet
Navigate to the Overview tab
Click the Table View toggle button in the top right corner
Your complete margin table will appear, populated with all your product data
Keep track of everything
Easy-to-use financial features
The powerful margin table features give you an overview of your cash flow throughout your entire project lifecycle:
Automatic RRP population: The Recommended Retail Price is pulled directly from the sheet view
Trade price calculations: Enter either trade price or trade discount percentage, and we’ll calculate the rest
Custom markup flexibility: Adjust your markup strategy on a per-product basis
Profit visualisation: Instantly see how changes to pricing affect your bottom line
Comprehensive financial columns: Track everything from RRP to client savings in one view
Everything covered on the summary bar
Building margin tables that make sense for design projects
Setting up proper margin tables is essential for understanding the financial health of your design projects and optimising your business operations. In an industry where one misstep in a formula can mean the difference between making money or just breaking even, having a clear view of your pricing and effective financial management is crucial.
So what do you need to get started?
The beauty of working with thesheet? You don’t need all this information upfront. Use what you have, and thesheet will help you calculate the rest.
RRP (Recommended Retail Price): The price suggested by brands and resellers
Trade Discount (%): The discount you’ve negotiated as a trade professional
Trade Price: The actual discounted price you pay
Markup (%): The percentage you add to the trade price for your client
Cost: What the product costs you
Profit: Your earnings after deducting the cost from the client price
Client Price: The price you charge your client
Client Savings (%): How much your client saves compared to RRP
Export any products from the margin table to a simple PDF
Trade discounts and design fees made simple
For many interior designers, one of the simplest and most transparent ways to manage client pricing in the interior design industry is to pass on the full trade discount and charge separately for design fees. With thesheet’s margin tables now available throughout your project, you can easily:
Enter trade prices or trade discounts for each product in the margin table
Set markup to zero in the markup % column if you’re passing the trade price directly to the client
This method highlights the savings interior design clients get from your trade discounts while allowing you to focus on charging appropriately for your services.
It's time for the next step
Managing finances and supplier communications doesn’t have to be overwhelming anymore. With thesheet’s improved margin tables and new Asks feature, you can streamline your workflow from day one, ensuring your creative vision stays aligned with your business goals.
These updates represent a significant step forward in our mission to create the ultimate project management tool for interior designers. We’ve listened to your feedback and built solutions that address real workflow challenges. Key features such as the Clipper and easier client communication are essential tools that facilitate various aspects of interior design project management.
If you’d like more detailed information on using these new features, check out our comprehensive guide in the Knowledge Base.
