“Quotation” can mean two different things in Microsoft Word. Writers usually mean quoting someone else’s words: adding quotation marks, setting off a long passage as a block quote, or citing a source. Business owners usually mean a price quotation: a document that lists products or services and what they’ll cost. Word handles both well, and this guide covers each.
Part 1: Quoting Text in Word
Add quotation marks
Type the double quote key (Shift + ‘) before and after the quoted words. By default, Word converts straight quotes (“) into curly “smart quotes” automatically. If you prefer straight quotes, go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options, open the AutoFormat As You Type tab, and uncheck “Straight quotes” with “smart quotes”. On a Mac, the same setting is under Word > Preferences > AutoCorrect.
For a quote inside a quote, use single quotation marks around the inner quote, following your style guide.
Create a block quote
Most style guides (such as APA and MLA) set off long quotations as indented blocks without quotation marks. To create one:
- Put the quoted passage in its own paragraph by pressing Enter before and after it.
- Click in the paragraph.
- On the Layout tab, set Indent Left to 0.5″. Some styles also indent the right side; set Indent Right if needed.
- Remove the quotation marks around the passage, and keep the same line spacing as the rest of your paper unless your style guide says otherwise.
You can also press Ctrl + M on Windows to increase the left indent quickly. For more indent options, see how to indent on both sides in Word.
Use Word’s Quote styles
For reports and newsletters, Word includes built-in Quote and Intense Quote styles. Click in the paragraph and choose one from the Styles gallery on the Home tab. These styles add italics, color, or borders, so they’re better for design than for academic papers.
Add a pull quote
A pull quote highlights a key line in large text, like in a magazine. Go to Insert > Text Box and choose one of the built-in quote designs, then type or paste your text.
Cite the source of a quote
To credit a source, click after the quote, go to References > Insert Citation > Add New Source, fill in the details, and click OK. Choose your style (APA, MLA, Chicago, and others) from the Style list in the Citations & Bibliography group. When you’re done, insert a Bibliography from the same tab. See how to update a bibliography in Word.
Part 2: Making a Price Quotation in Word
A business quotation (or quote, or estimate) tells a customer what you’ll charge before they commit.
Step 1: Start from a template
Go to File > New and search for “quote” or “estimate.” Choose a template and click Create. Templates already include a layout, table, and totals area. You can also start with a blank document.
Step 2: Add your business details
Put your business name, logo, address, phone number, and email at the top. Add a quote number and the date.
Step 3: Add the customer’s details
Include the customer’s name, company, and contact information, plus a short description of the job.
Step 4: List items in a table
Go to Insert > Table and create columns for Description, Quantity, Unit Price, and Amount. Add a row for each item. See how to create a table in Word.
Step 5: Add totals
Below the table, add Subtotal, Tax, and Total lines. Word tables can do basic math: click in a cell, go to Table Layout > Formula, and use a formula like =SUM(ABOVE). Double-check totals, since Word formulas don’t update automatically when numbers change; right-click and choose Update Field.
Step 6: Add terms and an expiry date
Note how long the quote is valid, payment terms, and anything not included.
Step 7: Save and send
Save a copy as a template for next time (File > Save As > Word Template), then use File > Save As > PDF to send a version customers can’t easily edit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a quote be to become a block quote?
It depends on the style guide. APA uses 40 words or more; MLA uses more than four lines of prose. Check your guide.
Why does Word change my quotation marks?
That’s the smart quotes AutoFormat option. Turn it off in AutoCorrect Options if you want straight quotes.
Summary
To quote text in Word, use quotation marks for short quotes, indent long passages 0.5″ as block quotes, and cite sources with References > Insert Citation. To make a price quotation, start from a quote template under File > New, add your details and a line-item table, total it up, and save it as a PDF.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.