Collect supplier quotes, compare them side by side and turn the winner into an order in one click
Sighthem's supplier RFQ software ties pre-purchase quote collection to the end-to-end foreign trade flow, not to a separate spreadsheet and email chain. You create the request for quotation (RFQ), enter the line items and send them to suppliers; you gather the incoming quotes in one place and see the cheapest and fastest in a side-by-side comparison matrix. You turn the winning quote into a purchase order in one click, moving the decision from guesswork onto the record.
The RFQ card: line items and suppliers in one place
Quote comparison stays weak from the start if the request itself is scattered. Sighthem keeps the request for quotation (RFQ) on a single card; you manage the needed line items, quantities and the suppliers you will ask from the same record.
- Define the RFQ number, needed line items and quantities on a single request card, gathering the request into one record instead of emailing separately for each product
- Select the suppliers you will ask from your business partner records (type SUPPLIER), inviting more than one supplier for the same line in a single request
- Write the requested quantity, unit and delivery expectation per line, ensuring from the start that suppliers give comparable quotes
- Carry the GTIP and technical data from the product card into the request, telling the supplier exactly what you want from a single code
Recording incoming quotes: price and lead time on the record
The value of comparison depends on recording every incoming quote in the same structure. Sighthem records the quote returned from the supplier (SupplierQuote); it keeps the price, lead time and terms in the same format.
- Record each supplier's unit price, currency and total amount on the quote record, gathering the figures from scattered emails and PDFs into one structure
- Record the lead time and delivery term separately for each quote, keeping time comparable alongside price
- Gather multiple quotes for the same RFQ under one request, seeing which supplier quoted what for which line without mixing them up
- Record the quote validity date and payment term, so you do not turn an expired price into an order by mistake
Side-by-side comparison matrix: the cheapest and fastest highlighted
When quotes are read one by one, the best option slips by. Sighthem lines up the incoming quotes in a side-by-side comparison matrix; it marks the lowest price and the shortest lead time.
- See all quotes side by side in a single matrix, reading the cheapest quote and the fastest delivery (shortest lead time) already highlighted
- Evaluate price together with lead time, deciding by total cost and time rather than the lowest price alone
- Compare per line, seeing clearly the cases where different suppliers stand out for different items
- Record the matrix decision with its rationale, keeping which quote was chosen and why defensible at audit and within the team
The winning quote becomes a purchase order (PO) in one click
After choosing the right quote, re-entering the data by hand is both slow and error-prone. Sighthem turns the winning quote into a purchase order (PO) in one click; it carries the price, line and supplier data tied to the quote.
- Convert the quote you chose into a purchase order in one click, carrying the unit price, quantity and supplier to the PO without retyping them by hand
- Generate the order number tied to the RFQ (PO-<rfqNo>), always tracking which order came from which request for quotation
- The conversion is idempotent; even if you try to turn the same quote into an order twice, no duplicate PO is created, removing the double-order risk
- After sending the PO to the supplier, track delivery and stock entry on the same platform, keeping the quote-order-delivery chain unbroken
Supplier scorecard: past performance feeds the next decision
The cheapest quote is not always the best decision; late delivery and damage are hidden costs. Sighthem keeps past delivery performance with the supplier scorecard, feeding the next quote evaluation.
- Keep each supplier's past delivery performance, delay and damage rate on the scorecard, reading the quote matrix by reliability as well as price
- Track the on-time delivery rate, consciously evaluating a consistently late supplier even when it gives the cheapest quote
- Feed the scorecard from real delivery and entry records, building a supplier history based on the record rather than impressions
- Carry the past scorecard with you when inviting the same suppliers to the next RFQ, closing the purchasing loop
Role-based purchasing authority and approval: the right person opens, the right person approves
The people who request, process and approve purchasing data are different; not everyone needs to do everything. Sighthem opens the steps of creating a quote request, comparing and converting to an order to the right people with role-based access.
- Distribute the authority to open an RFQ, process quotes and approve a PO separately across the team with stackable permission presets, controlling who can do what
- Require an approval step on orders above a certain amount, preventing an unauthorized person from opening an order directly
- Keep the supplier as a business partner record in one place, managing the same supplier with a single identity rather than duplicate cards
- Keep purchasing data closed to your own team by preserving tenant isolation within a single workspace
End-to-end flow: from RFQ to order, from import to stock unbroken
Supplier RFQ is not an island on its own; it lives in the same flow as import, stock and cost. Sighthem places the quote process inside this chain, gathering fragmented tracking onto one platform.
- Tie the purchase order that comes out of the RFQ to the import operation and stock entry, leaving no quote-order-delivery chain in a spreadsheet
- Carry the accepted price into product cost, comparing the sales price against the real procurement cost
- Take the incoming item into stock by lot and warehouse at import, keeping clear which order corresponds to which quote and supplier
- See quotes coming from the field and orders awaiting approval instantly with the mobile PWA, so the purchasing decision is not tied to the desk
Manage quote collection as a discipline of structure and time. When you record each supplier's price and lead time in the same format under the same RFQ, the comparison matrix highlights the cheapest and fastest automatically; instead of collecting figures from email and PDF, you make the decision on a single screen.
When the request for quotation, comparison and order are tied to the same flow, you turn the winning quote into a purchase order in one click. Instead of re-entering price and line data by hand, the PO is fed from the quote itself; the duplicate-order risk is removed by the idempotent conversion, and the purchasing cycle speeds up.
The cheapest quote is not always the lowest cost. Overlooking the lead time and the delay and damage history makes the item you bought cheaply expensive through a late or damaged delivery. Do not choose a quote by price alone; include the lead time and the supplier scorecard in the comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the supplier RFQ software send the request to the supplier itself?
You create the request for quotation (RFQ) in Sighthem, enter the line items and send them to suppliers; you then record the incoming quotes in the system. In other words, Sighthem manages the flow of quote collection, side-by-side comparison and turning the winner into an order. It relays the request to the supplier and records the returned prices; it is the central platform of the process, not an agent that negotiates in the supplier's place.
How do I compare incoming quotes, does the system mark the cheapest?
You record each supplier's price, currency and lead time on the quote record; the system lines up all quotes in a side-by-side comparison matrix and highlights the lowest price and the shortest lead time. You evaluate price together with lead time, deciding by total cost and time rather than the lowest price alone. You record the decision with its rationale.
Do I re-enter the data when I turn the winning quote into an order?
No. You turn the winning quote into a purchase order (PO) in one click; the unit price, quantity and supplier data are carried to the PO tied to the quote. The order number is generated tied to the RFQ (PO-<rfqNo>), so you track which order came from which request for quotation. Because the conversion is idempotent, no duplicate PO is created even if you try to turn the same quote into an order twice.
What does the supplier scorecard measure, how does it affect the quote decision?
The supplier scorecard keeps each supplier's past delivery performance, delay and damage rate from real delivery records. When you compare quotes at the next RFQ, it carries the scorecard with you, so you see whether the supplier giving the cheapest quote has delivered late or damaged in the past. This way you decide by reliability as well as price, closing the loop on the record.
How do I move from scattered email and spreadsheets to this structure?
You can try Sighthem free for 14 days on the PRO plan, move your supplier, product and quote data in, and test it on a real RFQ flow. Once you gather the request for quotation on a single card and compare incoming quotes side by side, you bring the procurement quote process that was fragmented across email and spreadsheets onto a single platform. You can start with no card required.
Manage request for quotation, quote collection, side-by-side comparison and turning the winner into a purchase order on the same platform as the rest of your foreign trade. Try Sighthem free for 14 days on the PRO plan, no card required.
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