5 ERP Features Which Will Improve Your Quoting

You can produce a quote in most ERP systems very easily. Imagine using a table napkin and jotting down a quick bill of materials and the key operations required. Then multiply the results by your educated guess of a winning rate and you have a quote. You can take the same steps electronically when quoting in ERP – in other words, it can be done with little or no data loaded in the database.

If you want to save the quote you will need some type of project or quote name. Probably you will want the name of your prospect too.

ERP Materials Costing

You can take the same steps when quoting in ERP with a bit more rigor and will likely achieve better results over time. The materials you used in the quote are probably already in your ERP. You know the cost for those you recently purchased and you know the most recent amount your supplier quoted for other materials. You can document any new materials under the selected supplier for reference at a later date.

ERP Materials Supply

Your ERP will remind you of material dependencies too. If you used a machine screw, you probably will need a washer and a nut at the same time. Materials already in inventory or on order are known when quoting in ERP because you are linked to real time system data. There is no need to pad the lead time on the quote for delivery of material you already have.

ERP Production History

You have production history in your ERP. Your equipment is already listed along with the most recent cost per time or per production unit. If this quote will result in improved efficiency if won, you can easily substitute a lower rate.

ERP Quote History

Your ERP is already tracking each customer and prospect. You know which quotes have turned into orders and how profitable those orders were. This allows you to fine tune every quote based on facts and not hopes or expectations. You are tracking the pipeline of previous quotes too, allowing you to get smarter about your forecasting. You know the likelihood that last week’s quote will become an order and you cushion today’s quote to avoid any over commitment.

ERP Template Quotes

In your business, there are quotes that are similar so you set up quote templates in your ERP. Now there is no need to start from scratch with each quote. Use a template and make a few changes to meet the specifics and you will have quotes completed much faster. For some of us, the more quotes we produce, the more chance one of them will become an order. And when it does, our ERP can easily copy the quote data into our engineering files to be used as often as needed.