Quotation Management

This process is used to create a sales quotation, which is a statement of prices, terms of sale, and description of goods/services offered to a prospective customer.

The information specified in the quotation forms the basis for resulting customer orders.

Before you start

A customer must have an inquiry.
A customer order type must be defined with customer order category 4.

Note: A quotation entry is performed mainly in the same way and in the same program as you specify a customer order.

Both required and optional checks are performed while specifying a customer order.

Follow these steps

Entering quotation header

Quotation headers are specified manually in 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100) by copying a customer order type with customer order category 4 (Quotation).

A quotation can also be copied from a previous quotation or customer order. These do not need to be for the same customer as for the quotation created, so a quotation for customer A can be copied from a quotation or order from customer B.

Each quotation is identified by a unique quotation number. If the number is left blank when the quotation is created, it is assigned the next available number from the number series specified in the customer order type.

The quotation header is automatically checked so that terms, currency, discount model, price lists, references, etc. can be changed. Most of this information is entered by default from the customer order type.
- Entering control parameters
  The following control parameters are specified in panel 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/E).
  
  When the customer requesting the quotation is not the payer, the resulting customer order is invoiced to the payer. Any credit checks are made against the payer's credit limits and the payer receives any credits. The payer can also be specified in panel 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/A).
  
  If the invoice recipient is not the payer, this ID is retrieved from the customer file. The recipient can then be changed in each quotation in panel 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/E). Note that credits are always made to the payer.
  
  If the 'Requested delivery' field is left blank in 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/A), a delivery date is entered by default and displayed in the E panel. The customer order type regulates how long after the entry date the default delivery date can be.
- Entering terms
  The terms for the quotation are specified in panel 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/F). These can be payment terms, delivery terms, or delivery method. Default values are retrieved from the customer file.
Entering quotation lines

Quotation lines can be specified manually or copied from another quotation or customer order.
- Entering references
  References for the quotation are specified in 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/G). These can be Our reference, Your reference, project number, etc.
  
  Statistics IDs from the customer quotation header update the statistics according to the customer order type. Default values can be changed in the header. Examples of IDs are salesperson, district, customer group or optional statistics fields.
  
  Statistics IDs 1 and 2 are optional selection IDs. They are used to sort information such as temporary customers. They are entered per customer in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/H), and are retrieved as default values during quotation entry. Statistics ID 1 can be changed.
- Entering pricing information
  Pricing information for the quotation such as VAT duty and VAT code are specified in 'Customer Order. Open' (OIS100/H).
  
  The currency is specified as a three-character abbreviation according to ISO standards. The exchange rate can be entered as a fixed rate with six decimals. If this field is left blank, the rate is retrieved from the rate table according to the customer order type.
  
  To use the currency, the calculation method currency must be specified in 'Company. Connect Division' (MNS100).
  
  A discount model must be specified for the quotation in order for discounts to be made. This is so even if manual discounting is used.
- Supplement customer addresses
  Normally the delivery address for the quotation is retrieved from the customer file. It can be changed for each quotation in 'Customer Order. Connect Address' (OIS102/H).
- Entering quotation charges
  During quotation entry, normal order charges are retrieved from the customer and customer order type of the quotation, as specified in the customer order type.
  
  Quotation charges can also be specified in 'Customer Order. Connect Charges' (OIS103). The charges are calculated in different ways.
- Entering documents per quotation
  A quotation document can be connected to each quotation in 'Customer Order. Connect Documents' (OIS104). A normal set of documents is connected to the quotation during entry. The documents are retrieved from the customer order type, and can be changed for each quotation
- Entering quotation comments
  Optional introductory or closing comments can be specified in all quotations.
Displaying customer order totals

A compilation of the quotations is displayed in 'Customer Order. Simulate Totals' (OIS110). Charges, costs, discounts, round-offs, gross order total, etc. are all displayed.

If a discount number is defined as an order total discount in the discount model, then fields Order total discount, Total price, Percent order total discount and Percent contribution margin can be changed.
Entering quotation information

When specifying a quotation, 'Sales Quotation. Open Information' (QPS115) is always displayed. The information specific to a sales quotation is specified here, such as status, quotation reason, and IDs for tracking and follow-up. The 'Valid to' field is required.

The user-defined fields can be used to enter optional information, such as search keys for query reports.
- Entering reference object
  Reference objects are optional search keys that can be specified in 'Quotation Reference Object. Open' (CRS270). They can then be specified for a quotation in 'Sales Quotation. Open Information' (QPS115).
  
  When reference objects are used, it is possible to keep several quotations together if they are part of the same project, for example.
- Entering quotation reason
  The 'Quotation reason' field can be used to specify a user-defined code representing the reason a quotation was submitted to a customer. For example, the reason might be an inquiry or response to a campaign. The reason is then used as a key for tracking the quotation.
  
  Quotation reasons are specified in 'Quotation Reason. Open' (CRS260).
- Entering monitoring dates and activities
  Two monitoring dates can be specified for a quotation. These dates are used to track quotations in 'Sales Quotation. Open Information' (QPS115).
  
  A general tracking activity is connect to each date, defining the action to be taken on that date. The activities are specified in 'Quotation Monitoring Activity. Open' (CRS265).
  
  Example
  
  The last validity date for a quotation is 30th of April. Monitoring date 1 is entered as 31st of March along with activity Letter. Monitoring date 2 is entered as 15th of April along with activity Call. This means that the customer should be sent a reminder letter on the 31st of March and then called on the 15th of April.
Printing quotation

Quotations are printed from 'Sales Quotation. Print' (QPS600). They can only be printed once as an original, after which copies can be printed.

Quotations can be printed on paper, electronically via EDI, as a network file on the AS/400 or as a fax. The method is specified in the 'Communication code' field for each document and partner in 'Document. Connect Partner Reference' (CRS945).
Track and follow up quotation

Entered quotations are tracked and followed up in 'Sales Quotation. Open Information' (QPS115). The monitoring date, validity date, reference object, etc. can all be specified and then used as search keys to keep track of the activities to be carried out, the dates to contact a customer, etc.