Metanotech Logo
Metanotech Logo

Have a project in mind? Let's talk.

Contact Us

Another quote rebuilt from an old file, with another clashing number

Every salesperson keeps their own quote folder. The same customer can get different prices, document numbers are set by hand, and nobody can answer how much quoted value is currently awaiting a decision.

Free Consultation

Why this happens

It is almost never a matter of effort. These are the patterns we keep running into.

Quotes are made by copying an old file

One old copy drags along the previous customer's prices, terms, and validity. Mistakes spread quietly because nobody rereads the whole thing.

Nobody knows a quote's status

Once sent, a quote drops out of view. Follow up depends on each salesperson's memory, and quotes awaiting a decision often expire unasked.

Orders and invoices get retyped from the quote

When a quote is accepted its contents are copied by hand into an order, then into an invoice. Every copy is a fresh chance to get the quantity, price, or tax wrong.

How we fix it

  1. 01

    Quotes come from a price list, not an old file

    Prices come from the list in force, including customer specific rates. Adjustments are still possible, but the starting point is always correct.

  2. 02

    One document that changes state

    An accepted quote becomes an order, then an invoice, with no retyping. Its change history stays attached to the same document.

  3. 03

    Numbering runs itself

    Document numbers are generated in sequence without intervention, so no more clashes and no skipped numbers.

  4. 04

    Pending quotes read as one list

    Every quote awaiting a decision appears in one list with its value and expiry date, so follow up no longer depends on memory.

What it looks like

A picture of the screen you would work in, not an illustration.

What this screen shows

  • Draft
  • Sent
  • Order
  • Invoice

Case study

Industrial equipment distribution

Situation

Six salespeople produced quotes from their own files. Document numbers clashed, and management never knew how much quoted value was awaiting customer decisions.

What we built

Quoting moved onto documents sourced from the live price list, numbering was automated, and accepted quotes were made to roll into orders then invoices with no retyping.

Result

  • Pending quote value reads as a single figure
  • Document numbers stopped clashing
  • The same customer now gets consistent pricing
  • Invoices are no longer retyped from orders

Packages

Pick the one closest to your situation. We tighten the scope in the first conversation.

Quote Flow Package

Quotes come from one price list, number themselves, and stay visible until decided.

Who it is for

Sales teams still producing quotes by copying an old file.

What you get

  • Quotes sourced from the price list in force
  • Customer specific pricing
  • Automatic document numbering
  • A pending quote list with expiry dates
Free Consultation

Order to Cash Package

An accepted quote runs through to invoice and payment with nothing retyped.

Who it is for

Companies whose orders and invoices are still hand copied from quotes.

What you get

  • Quote to order to invoice progression
  • Payment recording and outstanding balances
  • Reminders for invoices falling due
  • Everything in the Quote Flow Package
Free Consultation

Questions we get asked

Our quotes need a specific PDF layout.

The printed layout follows your existing letterhead, arrangement, and terms, including a bilingual version if needed. What changes is where the content comes from, not how it looks to a customer.

Our prices are often negotiated.

Line prices remain editable. What gets recorded is the variance against the price list, so management can see how often and how deeply discounts are given without blocking the sales team.

Can it connect to stock and purchasing?

Yes, and it is the most useful next step. An approved order can reduce stock directly or trigger purchasing when the item is unavailable, with no separate record keeping.

Our sales team is spread across cities.

Documents open from anywhere in a browser, including from a phone at a customer's site. Access is governed by role, not by location.

Problems that usually come together

Tell us the situation first

No long form. Send one message describing where you are now and we reply with a sensible next step, not a mass quote.

Free Consultation