Example project · RFQ preparation - Emailed RFQs into a review queue, then a quote
Inside sales re-keys every RFQ line by hand. We build intake that reads the email and attachments, matches lines to the catalog, and gives the salesperson a quote draft with the exceptions ready to review.
Northfield Bearing & Supply. 35 people, bearings and power transmission, roughly 40 emailed RFQs a day.
The situation
RFQs arrive as emails, PDFs, and spreadsheets. Two inside-sales people spend the first hour of each day typing part numbers and quantities into the ERP quote screen.
Customer part numbers, competitor cross-references, and inconsistent units slow the work down. “Same seal as last time” sends someone searching through old orders. The team knows quoting takes too long, but nobody measures where that time goes.
What we build
- A shared-inbox rule routes incoming RFQs into an intake service that reads the email, PDF, and spreadsheet line items.
- Catalog and customer cross-references connect requested items to candidate parts. Each line shows the source record and the reason for the match.
- A review queue puts missing units, ambiguous items, and conflicting specifications at the top. The salesperson can open the original request, correct a line, or use a prepared clarification email to ask the customer.
- Approved lines become a quote draft in the team’s normal format: a quote document, an import file, or an ERP draft through a supported integration. The salesperson confirms products, pricing, and delivery before sending.
Twelve lines in. Two questions to resolve.
Oak Mill Manufacturing emails Northfield a 12-line RFQ. Ten lines match catalog candidates. One asks for 80 of a tubing item without a unit; another says “same seal as last time.” The queue brings those two questions to the front, with the original request alongside the draft. Inside sales reviews the matches and sends a clarification for the missing details.
Explore the sample cases below to see how the queue handles clear requests, missing information, and conflicting sources.
Follow a request from the customer’s email to the salesperson’s review queue. Each case shows the source, the match, and the next action.
Complete part number · Needs review
Original request
Please quote 24 EA of SAMPLE-MFG BRG-204 bearings. Required date: October 6.
Catalog and source records
- C-001
Catalog v1: manufacturer SAMPLE-MFG; part BRG-204; description bearing; ordering unit EA.
Prepared review
- Requested item
- SAMPLE-MFG BRG-204 bearing
- Quantity
- 24
- Unit
- EA
- Candidate reference
- C-001 · BRG-204
- Review status
- Needs review
- Missing information
- All requested item fields are present.
Why this result: The manufacturer and full part number match catalog entry C-001, and the requested unit is EA. The line is ready for the salesperson to review.
Next step for inside sales
Check the catalog match, confirm the application and availability, and add pricing to the quote draft.
Northfield sample RFQs and catalog records · Updated 2026-09-21. Five common cases from the quote desk.
Try the review yourself
Pick the questions that need answering, prepare a clarification email, and keep an editable review table. The kit is free to use and download.
Bring this workflow to your team
We start with your RFQs, your catalog, and the person who prepares your quotes. The first project tests match accuracy, exception handling, and time saved before planning the rollout.
Example project timeline - What lands on your desk, and when.
Week 1 · Scope
We map the current process with the sales lead, gather 200 past RFQs and the catalog cross-reference data, and agree what counts as a correct match or an exception.
Weeks 2–3 · Validation
A working review queue using those samples. Your sales lead checks 50 extracted RFQs, marking lines correct, incorrect, or needing clarification. We compare preparation time and agree the production pilot scope.
Week 4 · Pilot
One salesperson handles live RFQs through the queue alongside the existing process. We review corrections and exceptions together each day.
Weeks 5–6 · Rollout
The rest of the team starts using the queue. A daily summary shows matched, flagged, and corrected lines. Your named owner receives the guide, monitoring setup, and handover.
What you get
- The RFQ intake service and review queue, documented and handed over to a named owner.
- A cleaned-up cross-reference table and a straightforward process for adding customer part numbers.
- A clarification email draft for each request with missing information, ready for the salesperson to review and send.
- A weekly report on RFQ volume, match accuracy, exceptions, and time to quote.
What you don’t get
- Automatic quote sending. The salesperson approves the final quote.
- Guessed part numbers or substitutions. Unclear requests go to manual review with the question that needs answering.
- Changes to your pricing or discount policy. Quote preparation uses the rules your team approves.
How we measure performance
- Minutes from RFQ received to quote sent, before and after, including review and correction time.
- Share of lines matched correctly without a correction, and share of unclear lines routed to review.
- Quote errors caught by customers per month.
Let’s start with one thing.
Give your team more time for the work that needs them.
Show us the quoting, order-entry, or follow-up work that keeps piling up. We’ll map it with you and find a practical place to start.
Start with a free workflow conversation with Alex.