Compare the scope
before you compare the price.

1. Define the baseline requirements

List required items with target quantities, reference units, physical specifications and expected fee coverage. In our synthetic furniture example, the baseline requires 24 chairs, 4 desks (1200 × 600 mm), 8 shelves and 8 drawers, with delivery and installation. Tax basis is unestablished. Two quotes with matching totals are not equivalent if they fulfill different portions of this baseline.

2. Step-by-step synthetic quote walkthrough

Using three synthetic quotes (Alpha, Beta, Gamma), here is the step-by-step review workflow supported locally in QuoteCheck:

1. Input and extract: Add quote files or text. Review extracted rows directly against original files without uploading them to any remote server.
2. Align units and packaging: Alpha quotes chairs in cartons ($180/carton). Supplier text states 1 carton = 4 chairs, converting to $45/chair for 6 cartons (24 chairs). Beta quotes a storage kit ($840) containing both shelves and drawers; keep the whole kit price rather than inventing separate component prices.
3. Expose scope omissions: Gamma quotes desks with non-matching dimensions (1400 × 700 mm) and omits drawers entirely. Alpha explicitly excludes installation. Note these scope gaps before comparing totals.
4. Keep unknown fees visible: Beta states freight is "pending confirmation". Do not replace missing freight with zero. Keep it visibly pending.
5. Detect arithmetic contradictions: Gamma’s stated subtotal is $2,260, but recalculating its priced lines yields $2,360 ($100 discrepancy). Flag the difference.
6. Attach source evidence: Link each confirmed unit rate, scope exclusion, and fee status to verbatim excerpts from the source document.
7. Export a structured handoff: Export confirmed quantities, known amounts and remaining questions into an Excel, CSV or printable HTML summary.

The five critical quote traps

• Units trap: Quotes mixing pieces, cartons, or kits. Never divide kit prices or extrapolate unit rates without written supplier evidence.
• Scope trap: Missing secondary components, unquoted accessories, or mismatched dimensions (e.g. Gamma's oversized desk).
• Freight trap: Delivery marked as "to be confirmed" or omitted. Unknown freight is not free shipping ($0.00).
• Tax trap: Unspecified sales tax or VAT is not tax-exempt. Tax basis must be confirmed before comparing totals.
• Commercial terms trap: Delivery lead times (such as "4–6 weeks after deposit"), quote validity windows, payment schedules, and warranty limits. Preserve terms as text notes; they do not alter row math or provide legal conclusions.

Downloadable inspection checklist

Download the quote review checklist (plain text) ↓

Notice: This checklist is an offline reading and inspection guide only. It is not an importable quote TSV and cannot be imported into the workspace.

Boundaries and limitations

QuoteCheck supports up to 3 suppliers and 20 priced lines per supplier in a single selected currency (USD, MXN, BRL, TWD, or HKD). It does not compute landed cost, does not guarantee lowest complete cost, and does not provide legal, tax, or professional procurement advice. For structured tracking in a spreadsheet, see our quote comparison template. To run this verification locally in your browser, open the supplier quote comparison tool.

See the full synthetic example →

From quote review to procurement handoff

After checking extraction and mappings, separate internal corrections from questions a supplier can answer. For each supplier, write a precise clarification question, keep the original reply and record your interpretation separately. You send any message yourself; copying or exporting does not mark it as asked.

Keep supplier-specific questions, original replies and your confirmed notes separate. Record communication manually as open, asked, answered or dismissed: answered does not mean resolved. Optional commercial terms do not change prices or comparison eligibility.

Open the local workspace · Read local data limits