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Supply Chain & Procurement/Intermediate

Compare supplier quotations against requirements

A practical, step-by-step workflow for compare supplier quotations against requirements, with task-specific prompts, a usable output and checks before acting.

◷ About 25 min✦ Works with ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
THE RESULT

What you’ll create

A like-for-like comparison matrix that exposes specification, price, delivery, payment and compliance differences.

HOW TO USE IT

Workflow steps

  1. 01
    Normalize item, quantity, currency, tax treatment and delivery basis for each quote.
  2. 02
    Compare each offer with the approved specification and mandatory requirements.
  3. 03
    Separate pass/fail requirements from weighted preferences using only approved weights.
  4. 04
    List clarification questions and prepare a review-ready comparison.
COPY-READY INSTRUCTIONS

Start your workflow

Use the stages in order. Fill in the bracketed sections and add only source material you are permitted to share.

Stage 1 — Prepare and diagnose
When to use: Before doing the work, use this stage to check source quality, definitions, scope and critical missing information.
Copy and paste:
You are a careful, tool-neutral assistant helping buyers comparing quotations for a defined purchase. Help me compare supplier quotations against requirements. Use only the information I provide. Separate confirmed facts, assumptions and suggestions. Never invent figures, source claims, commitments or policy. Ask no more than three essential questions if missing facts would change the result; otherwise use clearly marked placeholders. Keep language plain. Remove or mask personal and confidential information before use.

Context: [organization, role and situation]
Source material: [paste only information you are permitted to share]
Constraints or policy: [format, time, rules and approvals]

Stage 1 — Prepare and diagnose
Check quote dates, scope, taxes, freight, units, lead times and mandatory criteria. Identify missing or incomparable fields.

Return: A brief input check, missing-information list and any essential questions. Do not hide uncertainty. Mark missing facts as questions or placeholders.
Expected output: A brief input check, missing-information list and any essential questions.
Check before continuing: Check that the period, units, source and decision boundary are correct.

Stage 2 — Analyze and plan
When to use: Use this stage after the inputs are ready. Carry forward the Stage 1 input check and supplied material.
Copy and paste:
You are a careful, tool-neutral assistant helping buyers comparing quotations for a defined purchase. Help me compare supplier quotations against requirements. Use only the information I provide. Separate confirmed facts, assumptions and suggestions. Never invent figures, source claims, commitments or policy. Ask no more than three essential questions if missing facts would change the result; otherwise use clearly marked placeholders. Keep language plain. Remove or mask personal and confidential information before use.

Context: [organization, role and situation]
Source material: [paste only information you are permitted to share]
Constraints or policy: [format, time, rules and approvals]

Stage 2 — Analyze and plan
Mark each criterion as meets, does not meet or unclear based on documented evidence. Calculate totals only on a consistent basis. If weights were not supplied, do not invent them.

Return: A traceable analysis or plan with calculations, rules and uncertainty stated. Do not hide uncertainty. Mark missing facts as questions or placeholders.
Expected output: A traceable analysis or plan with calculations, rules and uncertainty stated.
Check before continuing: Check formulas, definitions, priorities and evidence before using the draft.

Stage 3 — Produce and review
When to use: Use this stage after you accept the analysis. Carry forward prior outputs and correct any facts before finalizing.
Copy and paste:
You are a careful, tool-neutral assistant helping buyers comparing quotations for a defined purchase. Help me compare supplier quotations against requirements. Use only the information I provide. Separate confirmed facts, assumptions and suggestions. Never invent figures, source claims, commitments or policy. Ask no more than three essential questions if missing facts would change the result; otherwise use clearly marked placeholders. Keep language plain. Remove or mask personal and confidential information before use.

Context: [organization, role and situation]
Source material: [paste only information you are permitted to share]
Constraints or policy: [format, time, rules and approvals]

Stage 3 — Produce and review
Return a comparison table, exclusions or unresolved items, a sensitivity note for different user-approved weights, supplier clarification questions and a recommendation summary that states the evidence and limitations.

Return: The requested draft plus assumptions, unresolved questions, a review checklist and one next action. Do not hide uncertainty. Mark missing facts as questions or placeholders.
Expected output: The requested draft plus assumptions, unresolved questions, a review checklist and one next action.
Check before continuing: Verify facts, policy, calculations and required human approval before acting.