Live RFQ intake demo

An RFQ comes in. Here is what happens next.

It reads the request, ballparks every line against your rates, and hands your estimator the ones that actually need judgment. Nobody sends a firm number behind your back.

1 · The RFQ that just landed

From: dkowalski@mapleridgecab.example
To: quotes@yourshop.example
Subject: RFQ 2094 - bracket & misc parts, need pricing by Fri

Dave here at Maple Ridge Cabinet. Need a quote on the following, need by 8/15 if possible.
Ship to our Wixom dock.

1) MRC-118  Drawer slide bracket, 6061 aluminum, approx 4" x 2" x .75", qty 12
   STEP file attached (same as last time, no changes)

2) MRC-201  Hinge backplate, 304 stainless, 3 x 1.5 x .25 inch, qty 8
   print attached, the two mounting holes are +/- .001

3) T-nut insert, brass, 1/4-20, qty 200 - these are the little ones we buy from you
   every year, same as PO 1877

4) Weldment fixture plate - BIG one, roughly 32" x 18" x 1.5", material TBD probably
   steel. qty 1. No model yet, still designing but wanted budgetary $ for the AFE.

5) MRC-540 Spacer, delrin, .5 dia x .25 thk, qty 500

Let me know if you need anything else. Also what's your lead time looking like right now?

Thanks
Dave Kowalski
Purchasing, Maple Ridge Cabinet Co
(248) 555-0142

Nothing is stored. This sample hides a few traps on purpose: a material nobody called out, a part that busts the envelope, and a line with no print.

Try this

These change the shop's rules, not the demo. Every one reprices the lines above instantly and moves work between the automatic lane and your estimator. That boundary is the part you own.

Maple Ridge Cabinet Co · RFQ 2094

Dave Kowalski, dkowalski@mapleridgecab.example, (248) 555-0142 · needs by 2026-08-15

$13,389 to $19,993

Ballpark across 5 lines · about 14 business days

Example numbers, not a quote. Every figure here comes from the demo rates in Estimating rules. In your build these are your machine rate, your material costs, your margin and your review limits, so the numbers land where your shop actually prices.

0 ready to send 5 need you

• Estimated over your $5,000 ceiling, so the whole RFQ gets a human pass before anything goes out.

1. MRC-118 · Drawer slide bracket

Qty 12 · Aluminum 6061-T6 · ~102 x 51 x 19 mm · Moderate · 95% read

As machined · ±0.125 mm (±0.005") · our suggestion, nobody called it out

Repeat work· same as last time, no changes

The customer pointed at a job you have already run.

You: Pull the old job and confirm the price still holds at today's material cost.

STEP file attached

$1,080 to $1,461

$90 to $122 ea

Routed to your estimator

The email references an attached file that did not come through

The range above is internal only. It is what the system thinks, not what the customer sees.

Your price for this line

2. MRC-201 · Hinge backplate

Qty 8 · Stainless Steel 304 · ~76 x 38 x 6 mm · Simple · 95% read

As machined · ±0.025 mm (±0.001") · part asked for, part our suggestion

Described in the email

No model, no print. The size was inferred from how the customer worded it.

You: Sanity check the size. It stays a guess until a person confirms it.

Print attached. Two mounting holes +/- .001 inch tolerance (±0.0254 mm)

$853 to $1,043

$107 to $130 ea

Routed to your estimator

The email references an attached file that did not come through

The range above is internal only. It is what the system thinks, not what the customer sees.

Your price for this line

3. T-nut insert, 1/4-20

Qty 200 · Brass C360 · size unclear · Simple · 85% read

As machined · ±0.125 mm (±0.005") · our suggestion, nobody called it out

Repeat work· same as PO 1877

The customer pointed at a job you have already run.

You: Pull the old job and confirm the price still holds at today's material cost.

Standard recurring item, described as 'little ones'

No number yet

Routed to your estimator

Not enough detail to size the part
No model or print referenced, size is inferred from the description

Your price for this line

4. Weldment fixture plate

Qty 1 · Mild Steel 1018 · ~813 x 457 x 38 mm · Complex · 65% read

As machined · ±0.125 mm (±0.005") · our suggestion, nobody called it out

Described in the email

No model, no print. The size was inferred from how the customer worded it.

You: Sanity check the size. It stays a guess until a person confirms it.

Large plate, design still in progress. No model available yet. Budgetary estimate requested for AFE.

$9,729 to $15,378

$9,729 to $15,378 ea

Routed to your estimator

Geometry reads as complex, needs a real look
Only 65% sure this line was read correctly
Bigger than your 600 x 400 x 300 mm envelope
Above your $5,000 auto-quote ceiling
No model or print referenced, size is inferred from the description

The range above is internal only. It is what the system thinks, not what the customer sees.

Your price for this line

5. MRC-540 · Spacer

Qty 500 · Delrin (Acetal / POM) · ~13 x 13 x 6 mm · Simple · 90% read

As machined · ±0.125 mm (±0.005") · our suggestion, nobody called it out

Described in the email

No model, no print. The size was inferred from how the customer worded it.

You: Sanity check the size. It stays a guess until a person confirms it.

Cylindrical spacer, 0.5 diameter × 0.25 thickness

$1,727 to $2,111

$3 to $4 ea

Routed to your estimator

Quantity 500 is over your instant limit of 250
No model or print referenced, size is inferred from the description

The range above is internal only. It is what the system thinks, not what the customer sees.

Your price for this line

Also asked in the email

Customer asked about current lead times. Budget quote needed for AFE approval (line 4).

What goes out

3 · Chase what is missing

5 lines need something from Maple Ridge Cabinet Co before a firm number can go out. This is already written.

1. MRC-118 · Drawer slide bracket
- • The file you mentioned did not come through. Could you resend it?
- • You noted "same as last time, no changes". Can you confirm nothing changed? If the print was revised we will requote it.
2. MRC-201 · Hinge backplate
- • The file you mentioned did not come through. Could you resend it?
3. T-nut insert, 1/4-20
- • A model or print, or the finished dimensions if you do not have either yet.
- • You noted "same as PO 1877". Can you confirm nothing changed? If the print was revised we will requote it.
4. Weldment fixture plate
- • A model or print so we can measure it. We priced this off about 32 x 18 x 1.5 inch taken from your email, so confirm that is right if a file is not ready yet.
5. MRC-540 · Spacer
- • A model or print so we can measure it. We priced this off about 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.3 inch taken from your email, so confirm that is right if a file is not ready yet.

To: Dave Kowalski, dkowalski@mapleridgecab.example, (248) 555-0142

Subject: Quick questions on RFQ 2094

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the request on RFQ 2094. We are working through it now. A few things we need before we can put a firm number on the rest:

1. MRC-118 · Drawer slide bracket
   - The file you mentioned did not come through. Could you resend it?
   - You noted "same as last time, no changes". Can you confirm nothing changed? If the print was revised we will requote it.

2. MRC-201 · Hinge backplate
   - The file you mentioned did not come through. Could you resend it?

3. T-nut insert, 1/4-20
   - A model or print, or the finished dimensions if you do not have either yet.
   - You noted "same as PO 1877". Can you confirm nothing changed? If the print was revised we will requote it.

4. Weldment fixture plate
   - A model or print so we can measure it. We priced this off about 32 x 18 x 1.5 inch taken from your email, so confirm that is right if a file is not ready yet.

5. MRC-540 · Spacer
   - A model or print so we can measure it. We priced this off about 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.3 inch taken from your email, so confirm that is right if a file is not ready yet.

Send those over and we will have the full quote back to you well before your 2026-08-15 date.

Thanks,

Nothing is actually emailed from this demo.

4 · Send the quote back to Maple Ridge Cabinet Co

5 lines still open. Price them above, or send what is ready and follow up.

$0quote total

To: Dave Kowalski, dkowalski@mapleridgecab.example, (248) 555-0142

Subject: Quote for RFQ 2094 · 5 lines

Demo only, no email leaves this page. In production it sends from your address and writes the quote back to your ERP.

This is a showcase, not the product.

The rates, the materials, the review limits, what the customer is shown, how wide the range runs, which lines stop for a person, and the wording of both emails are all settings here, and all built around your shop in a real one. Nothing on this page is our opinion of what your work costs. It is a demonstration running on demo numbers.

Talk about what yours would do

Everything above ran on demo rates.

Yours runs on your machine rate, your material costs, your margins, and your own rules for what a person has to approve before a number leaves the building. Leave an email and I will send you the same thing built around your shop, plus an offer to run one of your real RFQs through it.

The rest of the shop toolkit

Same rules engine underneath. All of them are live, all of them take your own files.

Instant CNC Quoter

Upload a real part file. It measures the geometry and prices it against these same shop rates.

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AI Document Intake

Drop a PO or invoice, typed or photographed. It extracts the lines and recomputes the math.

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AI Receptionist

Train a chat widget on your shop in 30 seconds and watch it answer customers as you.

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