Why can’t I send business proposals as email attachments?
A one-page quote may fit in an email. Add facade photos, specifications, and a presentation, and it won’t. Gmail does not accept attachments over 25 MB, and Outlook does not accept attachments over about 20 MB.
An incomplete package can cause misunderstandings. Send only the PDF, and the pricing breakdown is missing. Send only the Excel file, and the scope is missing. Splitting the files across several emails can also leave an attachment stuck in the spam folder. The client may confuse the old pricing with the new scope.
The files your client opens should be the complete set you sent.
| Delivery method | What happens | For pricing and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB won’t send | Short text fits, the package doesn’t |
| PDF only | Readable, but the spreadsheet is missing | Not enough |
| Split across several emails | One may be missing | Not suitable |
| Shared drive | Requires an account; old versions may cause confusion | Use with care |
| SendGB link | Files stay unchanged; no account needed | Suitable for delivery |
The example above is a business proposal: a facade image, presentation, specifications, proposal PDF, and pricing breakdown. For more on sending spreadsheets, see how to send Excel files.
Should I send just the PDF or all supporting files?
The PDF is the copy your client reads. If the pricing formulas are in Excel, that file should go too. The presentation lays out the meeting content in order. The specifications describe how the work will be done. We don’t create these documents.
| File | Purpose | If it’s missing |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal PDF | Readable copy of the scope and price | The client cannot see what is being proposed |
| Pricing breakdown | Itemized calculations | Only the total remains |
| Specifications | How the work will be done | The scope is only described verbally |
| Presentation | Meeting sequence | The explanation lacks structure |
| Images | Visuals of what will be delivered | The work remains abstract |
PDF and JPG files can be opened on the download page. Excel files and presentations cannot. For more on presentations, see how to send presentations. For PDFs, see how to send PDF files.
A download is not acceptance. The client may not even have viewed the file. They send their response to you. We don’t record it.
Send the version and pricing together
If the same folder contains two proposals, both are downloaded. We don’t choose the current one. Include the version in the filename. In your note, write “the current file is proposal-v3.”
| Item | Where it belongs | If it’s missing |
|---|---|---|
| Current proposal | Main PDF | The client reads the old price |
| Pricing spreadsheet | In the same folder | Line items are not visible |
| Old version | Included if you added it | We don’t delete it |
| Specifications | Separate PDF | The scope is incomplete |
| Image | In the images folder | The visual is not included |
Folder names are preserved when the recipient downloads the entire transfer. Clicking a single photo downloads only that file. If you have many images, the free limit is 500 files. For details, see how to send folders.
Don’t make your pricing public. Add a password. Send the password separately from the link. If the file has its own password, that stays in place too.
Is 5 GB enough for a business proposal?
For text, a spreadsheet, and a few images, 5 GB is often enough. It may not be enough for all the bid drawings and a photo archive. The limit is based on total size and file count, not page count. We don’t guarantee how many files will fit.
| What you’re sending | In practice | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| Short quote | Often a few MB | Free, no sign-up, up to 90 days |
| Proposal, spreadsheet, and specifications | Tens of MB | Free |
| Package with images and a presentation | May be around 1 GB | Free if it fits |
| Bid drawings | May be tens of GB | SendGB Extra, 500 GB per transfer |
| File over 500 GB | One-time transfer | SendGB Exceed, up to 1 TB |
SendGB Extra starts at €29.90 per year. It includes 2,500 files and 1 TB of storage. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. It suits offices that frequently send large files.
SendGB Exceed requires no membership. A 1 TB transfer costs €9.99. You can send 2,500 files. The code can be used once and is valid for 1 year. SendGB Exceed transfers stay available for 7 days. It is enough for the occasional very large bid document.
If you entered your email address, you receive one notification when downloading starts. With email delivery, you are notified once per recipient. With link delivery, you are notified once per transfer. If the same person downloads again, no new email is sent. The notification does not mean the proposal has been accepted.
How to send
- 1
Add your files
Put the proposal PDF, pricing spreadsheet, specifications, and images in the same folder. Add the folder to the upload box. The free limit is 5 GB in total.
- 2
Send the link
Email the link to your client or copy and paste it into a message. Add a password to protect your pricing. Send the password separately from the link. If you enter your own email address, you receive one notification when downloading starts.
- 3
The recipient downloads
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. PDF and JPG files can be opened on the download page. Excel files and presentations cannot. The recipient opens those files in their own software. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days. Free transfers over 250 MB stay available for 7 days. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year.
What happens to your file?
- We leave your files untouched. Pricing, scope, and specifications stay unchanged.
- PDFs, Excel files, presentations, and images go in the same transfer.
- Names are preserved when the entire folder is downloaded. Clicking a single file does not recreate the folder structure.
- If you entered your email address, you receive one notification when someone starts downloading.
What we don’t do
- We don’t write your proposal. We don’t calculate prices, sign it, or turn it into a contract.
- A download does not mean the proposal has been accepted.
- Excel files and presentations cannot be opened on the download page. PDF and JPG files can be viewed.
- We don’t remove old versions. You specify which file is current.
Frequently asked questions
Will my proposal change during transfer?
No. We don’t open the file. The price, scope, and date stay unchanged. We don’t enter or correct any figures.
Is sending just a PDF enough?
It is often enough for reading. If the pricing calculations are in Excel, send that file too. If the specifications are in a separate document, include it. We don’t create the PDF.
Does a download mean the proposal was accepted?
No. A download does not even confirm that the file has been viewed. The notification only tells you that downloading has started. The client sends you an acceptance, rejection, or revision request. We don’t record that response.
Could multiple versions cause confusion?
Every file you put in the folder is sent. We don’t delete old versions. Name the current file in your note so the client doesn’t open the wrong version.
Will my pricing spreadsheet stay intact?
Yes. We don’t open Excel files or calculate formulas. Cell formulas stay intact. Don’t delete sheets to make the file smaller. The details are in the Excel sheet. Here, you send the pricing file along with the proposal.
Can I send specifications and images together?
Yes, if you put them in the same folder. Specifications describe how the work will be done. We don’t write them. The folder structure stays intact when the recipient downloads the entire transfer. Clicking a single image downloads only that file.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Don’t attach the proposal to your email. A facade photo and presentation exceed this limit. A short text document may fit. Create the transfer and paste the short link. The file is not included in the message.
Who can see the pricing?
Anyone who has the link and knows the password can download. Send the password separately from the link. If the file has its own password for opening it, that stays in place too. We don’t remove it.
Why is the file so large?
The written proposal is small. High-resolution images, presentations, and lengthy specifications make it larger. A set of facade images can exceed 1 GB. We don’t guarantee how many files will fit. The free transfer limit is 5 GB and 500 files.
Which option should I choose if 5 GB isn’t enough?
A single proposal package often fits within 5 GB. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days. Free transfers over 250 MB stay available for 7 days. A full set of bid drawings requires SendGB Extra: 500 GB per transfer, 2,500 files, 1 TB of storage, starting at €29.90 per year, with files kept for up to 1 year. For a single file over 500 GB, SendGB Exceed is enough: no membership, €9.99 for a 1 TB transfer, 2,500 files, and a single-use code valid for 1 year. SendGB Exceed transfers stay available for 7 days.
Send a download link, not an email attachment
A proposal with images may fit within 5 GB. Send large sets of drawings and photos up to 500 GB with SendGB Extra, or up to 1 TB in a single transfer with SendGB Exceed.
Start sending