Request for Quotation in Odoo 18

Procurement manager sourcing office furniture creates vendor selection disaster: needing 50 desks chairs filing cabinets sending individual RFQ emails to 5 suppliers manually copying product specifications quantities into each email consuming 4 hours, no vendor comparison receiving prices from Vendor A 8500 dollars Vendor B 7200 dollars Vendor C 8900 dollars manually creating comparison spreadsheet calculating totals separately losing 2 hours, missing cost savings purchasing all from Vendor A despite Vendor B offering 1300 dollars lower total because forgot calculate combined totals, duplicate RFQ management creating separate RFQ for chairs then discovering desk vendor also sells chairs requiring second request same supplier creating confusion, and no alternative tracking unable linking related RFQs losing visibility which suppliers quoted which products—generating procurement inefficiency cost overruns administrative burden supplier confusion and missed savings opportunities from manual RFQ creation without vendor comparison alternative linking and automated selection requiring streamlined multi-vendor quotation request system.

Odoo 18 Request for Quotation Management enables efficient procurement through RFQ creation sending requests to vendors, vendor selection choosing from configured supplier database, product catalog integration adding items from predefined products, alternative RFQ creation generating multiple quotes for same products different vendors, link existing RFQs connecting related quotations for comparison, compare product lines side-by-side vendor pricing analysis, automatic calculation computing totals per vendor, email integration sending RFQs directly to suppliers, purchase order conversion confirming selected vendor quote, and starred prioritization marking urgent RFQs—reducing RFQ creation time 75 percent through catalog integration eliminating missed savings through automatic comparison preventing duplicate requests via alternative linking enabling data-driven vendor selection through side-by-side analysis and streamlining procurement workflow from quotation request to purchase order confirmation achieving cost optimization through systematic multi-vendor comparison.

RFQ Dashboard Overview

Purchase module RFQ management:

Accessing RFQs:

1. Go to Purchase → Orders → Requests for Quotation
2. Dashboard displays overview

Dashboard Metrics:

RFQ List View Columns:

Starred Priority:

Click star icon next to RFQ marking urgent or important quotations. Starred RFQs appear at top enabling quick identification priority processing.

Views and Filtering

Available Views:

Predefined Filters:

Group By Options:

• Vendor: Group RFQs by supplier
• Purchase Representative: Group by buyer
• Order Date: Group chronologically
• Custom Group: Define own grouping

Creating New RFQ

RFQ Creation Steps:

1. From RFQ list click New
2. RFQ form opens
3. Select Vendor from dropdown
4. Configure delivery details:
   • Deliver To: Receiving location
   • Operation Type: Incoming shipment type
   • Project: Associated project (optional)

Vendor Selection:

Products Tab

Adding items to RFQ:

Adding Products:

Product Line Organization:

Other Information Tab

Additional RFQ Details:

Alternatives Tab

Multi-vendor comparison capability:

Create Alternative RFQ:

Link Existing RFQ:

Compare Product Lines

Side-by-side vendor analysis:

Accessing Comparison:

1. After creating linking alternative RFQs
2. Click Compare Product Lines button
3. Comparison view opens

Comparison View Shows:

Example Comparison:

Sending RFQ

Email Integration:

1. In RFQ click Send by Email
2. Email composer opens
3. Pre-filled template with RFQ details
4. Configure email:
   • To: Vendor email auto-filled or add recipients
   • Subject: RFQ reference number
   • Body: Customize message
   • Attachments: RFQ PDF auto-attached add more if needed
5. Click Send
6. Email sent to vendor
7. RFQ status changes to RFQ Sent

Print RFQ:

Click Print RFQ generating PDF document. Use for physical mailing record-keeping or manual faxing to vendors without email.

Confirming Purchase Order

Converting RFQ to PO:

1. After vendor responds with pricing
2. Update RFQ with vendor-confirmed prices
3. Click Confirm Order
4. RFQ converts to Purchase Order
5. Status changes to Purchase Order
6. PO number generated
7. Receipt and invoice processes enabled

Cancel Option:

Click Cancel button terminating RFQ process. RFQ marked cancelled. Use when vendor unavailable pricing unacceptable or requirements changed.

RFQ Workflow Example

Best Practices

Always Create Alternative RFQs Before Sending to Enable Fair Comparison: Sending individual RFQs different vendors separately equals difficult comparison requiring manual spreadsheet compilation. Create alternatives from single RFQ linking all quotes enabling automatic comparison view. Send all simultaneously ensuring vendors quote same specifications quantities preventing apple-orange comparisons.

Use Starred Feature for High-Priority or Time-Sensitive RFQs: Urgent procurement 100 RFQs needing immediate attention lost in list equals missed deadlines. Star critical RFQs appearing at top filtered via Starred filter. Daily starred RFQ review ensures priority items receive immediate attention preventing business disruption from delayed procurement.

Leverage Compare Product Lines for Data-Driven Vendor Selection Beyond Price: Choosing vendor solely on lowest unit price ignoring totals delivery terms equals suboptimal decision. Compare view shows total costs per vendor. Consider delivery dates minimum orders payment terms alongside pricing. Vendor offering slightly higher unit price with better payment terms faster delivery may provide superior total value through cash flow working capital optimization.

Conclusion

Odoo 18 Request for Quotation Management enables efficient procurement through RFQ creation vendor selection product catalog integration alternative RFQ generation existing RFQ linking side-by-side comparison email integration purchase order conversion and priority tracking. Reduce RFQ creation time 75 percent through catalog integration eliminating missed savings through automatic comparison preventing duplicate requests via alternative linking enabling data-driven vendor selection through comparative analysis streamlining procurement workflow from quotation request to purchase order confirmation achieving cost optimization through systematic multi-vendor comparison supporting strategic sourcing through comprehensive vendor analysis and maintaining procurement efficiency through organized RFQ management achieving optimal purchasing decisions through transparent vendor comparison.