Glass Pricing Calculator - Quotation Process Automation
The Challenge
Multi-hour quotation creation process in Excel
The company struggled with an inefficient process for creating price quotes for glass products. Sales representatives spent hours on manual calculations in Excel, generating errors and delays.
Key challenges:
- Creating a single quote took 2-4 hours due to complex pricing calculations
- High error rate in quotations (15% of quotes required corrections)
- Lack of standardization - each sales rep had their own version of the Excel calculator
- Inability to control margins and profitability in real time
- Difficulty updating raw material prices and process costs across multiple Excel files
- Problems generating professional quotes in multiple language versions
- Lack of consistency in target product configuration between departments
The Solution Process
Quotation process transformation
Design and implementation of an advanced pricing calculator in AppSheet that automates the entire process - from entering product parameters, through calculating costs for all production processes, to generating a professional quote in the selected language version.
Formula analysis and mapping
Detailed analysis of all Excel calculators, extraction of pricing formulas, mapping of dependencies between production processes (cutting, tempering, lamination, insulating, bending) and identification of all variables affecting the final price.
3 weeksDatabase construction
Creation of centralized databases: raw materials (glass types, films, spacers, sealants), process sequences, auxiliary materials, machine depreciation, utilities and labor rates, product codes, and standard formats with reference prices.
2 weeksCalculation engine implementation
Migration of all formulas to AppSheet while maintaining result accuracy, implementation of calculations for each process (DPC and TPC), automatic population of profitability thresholds, handling of exceptions (oversized formats, non-standard templates).
5 weeksViews and automations
Creation of intuitive working views: CSV panel for quick addition of glass formats, 3- and 6-format views, automatic parameter copying, process buttons with instant calculation, quote version management panel.
2 weeksQuote generator
Automated generation of quote documents in three versions (PL, EN, LAD - for Lady Glass) with automatic retrieval of client data, target product configuration, prices in multiple currencies, and additional terms (transport, packaging).
3 weeksTesting and deployment
Comparative testing against Excel on a sample of 50 real quotes, sales rep training, phased rollout (pilot first, then full migration), process documentation and creation of training materials.
3 weeksActions Taken
Centralization of pricing databases
Unified databases were created containing current raw material prices (glass, films, spacers), production process costs, utility rates and labor costs. Every price change is entered in one place and automatically updates all quotes.
Automation of process calculations
Advanced calculation formulas were implemented for all processes: cutting with coating consideration, drilling with various diameters, edge processing (polishing, matte, seaming), tempering (ESG/TVG), lamination, insulating unit assembly, gravity bending, CNC, painting. Each process automatically calculates DPC (Direct Production Cost) and TPC (Total Production Cost) with profitability thresholds.
Version management and template system
A system was implemented for creating multiple quote versions for a single client (different variants, discounts, margins) with the ability to compare and select the best option. Three quote templates: Polish (standard), English (export) and LAD (for Lady Glass) with automatic adjustment of currencies, units and target product configuration.
Quick entry panel (CSV)
A dedicated panel was created for bulk addition of glass formats - the sales rep selects basic parameters (glass code, thickness, tempering, films, edge finish) and the system automatically generates complete quotes for multiple line items simultaneously. 'Apply to all formats' function for recurring processes.
Margin and profitability control
Automatic margin monitoring was implemented - the system calculates production cost, percentage margin (editable by the sales rep) and sales value. Blocks prevent granting margins below the minimum, alerts trigger at low margins, and profitability is visible in real time.
Automatic document generation
Automated generation of PDF/DOCX quotes was implemented with full personalization - client data, detailed product configuration, pricing tables, delivery terms, transport and packaging. Quotes are generated with a single click in the selected language version with automatic exchange rate updates.
Results Achieved
Key metrics
Quote creation time
Errors in quotations
Average margin
Price update time
Quotes/sales rep
Quote conversion rate
Business benefits
- Radical acceleration of the quotation process - from 2-4h to 15-20 min per quote
- Elimination of calculation errors - error rate reduced from 15% to 0.5%
- Increased sales rep productivity - output up from 25 to 95 quotes per month
- Improved profitability - average margin increased by 4.2 percentage points
- Centralized price control - price updates in 5 minutes instead of 2-3 days
- Professionalized quotes - uniform standard across all language versions
- Better business control - real-time view of margins and quote profitability
- Faster response to inquiries - clients receive quotes the same day
- Flexibility in negotiations - easy creation of pricing variants
- Easier onboarding - new sales reps are productive from their first week
The AppSheet calculator is a revolution in our sales process. Before, creating a single quote was grueling - hours in Excel, verifying formulas, making corrections. Now I enter the parameters, the system calculates everything automatically and generates a professional quote in 15 minutes. I can focus on the client instead of the calculations. It's a game-changer!
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