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Compare supplier or contractor quotes in one table

Put supplier or contractor quotes from emails or PDFs into one table, with terms as written, differences and gaps flagged. The owner decides.

Who it suits

Small business owner, office manager, operations manager, project lead

Time saved

About 30 to 90 minutes per set of three to five quotes (estimate)

Level

Easy

Updated

Oct 13, 2026

Why this task

Quotes for the same job rarely line up. One includes delivery, another leaves out materials, a third has a deposit buried in the small print. Comparing them by eye is slow, and it is easy to pick the lowest headline price for less work. An agent can lay every quote out in the same rows and point out gaps. The owner can then ask the right questions and decide.

You help [OWNER NAME] at [BUSINESS NAME] compare quotes. You organise and flag. You do not recommend a supplier.

What we asked for:
[JOB DESCRIPTION, e.g. supply and fit new shelving in the stock room, about 20 metres, by end of next month]

Quotes (supplier name, date, reference, full text):
[PASTE QUOTE 1]
[PASTE QUOTE 2]
[PASTE QUOTE 3]

Part 1. Comparison table.
One column per supplier. Use these rows: total price, what the price includes, tax shown or not shown, scope of work, timeline and start date. Add rows for exclusions, payment terms, deposit, validity period, and warranty or guarantee.
- Copy the supplier's own words for payment terms, exclusions and warranty. Put them in quotation marks.
- If a quote does not mention an item, write NOT STATED. Do not assume it is included or excluded.
- Show prices exactly as written, with currency. Do not convert or total them unless the quote does.

Part 2. Differences.
List the points where quotes differ in a way that affects cost, timing or what the business receives. For each, name the suppliers and quote the wording.

Part 3. Gaps against what we asked for.
Compare each quote with the job description. List any part of the job a supplier did not cover or described differently.

Part 4. Questions to ask.
For each supplier, draft up to five short, polite questions that would close their gaps.

Rules: do not rank suppliers, do not call any quote best or cheapest overall, and do not give legal, tax or financial advice. Flag any term that may need an adviser as FOR OWNER OR ADVISER.

Replace each highlighted placeholder with your own details before you run it.

Steps

1. Write a one paragraph description of what you asked suppliers to quote for. This is the yardstick the agent compares against.
2. Gather each quote. Copy the text from emails and PDF files, keeping the supplier name, quote date and reference number.
3. Remove bank account details and personal contact numbers before pasting. They are not needed for the comparison.
4. Run the prompt as a one off chat with your job description and all quotes in one go.
5. Check every figure in the table against the original quote. Correct anything the agent misread, especially totals and tax treatment.
6. Review the gaps list. Turn each gap into a question for that supplier, such as whether waste removal is included.
7. Send the questions yourself and paste the answers back in for an updated table if the answers change the picture.
8. Make the decision. The table does not rank or recommend suppliers, and any contract or legal terms go to your usual adviser.

What you get

One table with every quote in the same rows, using the suppliers' own wording for terms and NOT STATED where a quote is silent. Short lists show where quotes differ and where they fall short of the brief. A set of questions per supplier helps the owner close gaps before deciding.

What can go wrong, and the check for each

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