Field guide / Email and document intake
An email RFQ workflow connects each request with its attachments, prepares fields for estimating, validates what is present, and sends gaps or conflicts to a person for review.
01 / INCOMING RFQ
An estimator receives a customer email asking for a quote. The message includes a PDF drawing, a spreadsheet BOM, and a note that refers to a revised part list. In other businesses the inputs may instead include portal exports, scanned documents, or CAD files.
These are examples of possible inputs, not a claim that every format or drawing is automatically supported. Confirm actual formats and layouts against samples before choosing extraction rules.
02 / KEEP SOURCES TOGETHER
Create one request record with links or references to the original email and its files. Track document names, revisions, and the source of each extracted value. If the attachment set changes, mark the request as revised instead of silently replacing the earlier version.
03 / EXTRACT FIELDS
| Field group | Example values |
|---|---|
| Customer and contact | Sender, customer account reference, and request thread |
| Part and revision | Part number, part description, and revision stated in the request |
| Quantity | Requested amount and any explicit quantity breaks |
| Material and finish | Values found in the email, BOM, or drawing, with source location |
| Schedule | Requested delivery date or stated lead-time requirement |
| Technical notes | Tolerance, standard, inspection, packaging, and other stated requirements |
Store extracted values as preparation data with their source references. Preserve original units and wording until normalization rules are agreed and reviewable.
04 / COMPLETENESS AND EXCEPTIONS
Check presence against rules for that RFQ type or customer.
Surface differences between email, drawing, and BOM with source references.
Route uncertain extraction or a low-quality scan to a reviewer.
Flag absent material, quantity, revision, tolerance, or deadline where required.
Keep previous request context and identify changed files or fields.
Prepare a clarification draft for a person to review and send.
05 / HUMAN REVIEW
A person resolves exceptions, judges manufacturability, interprets unusual specifications, and decides price and commercial terms. Extraction and validation support that review; they do not replace it.
06 / EXISTING TOOLS
After review, pass the agreed structured fields and source links to the current quoting or ERP process using an approved handoff. Keep existing tools as system of record unless a separate project establishes a reason to change them.
07 / OPERATING SAFELY
Describe one repetitive workflow. We'll map what can be prepared and what should stay human-reviewed. No call required.