Improve Quote-to-Cash Performance

iQuote®, Sales Quote Management System, is a web-based solution, built to be fully compatible with all mobile devices, smartphones and tablets for professionals on-the-go allowing users immediate access to critical information whether they’re in or out of the office.

Productivity is greatly enhanced by allowing users access to functions as if they were at their desk. For example; quotes can be reviewed, edited and approved, via a mobile device, which reduces quote turnaround time from days to hours.

iQuote includes real-time ‘out-of-the-box’ integration with all versions of QAD ERP, either on-premise or Cloud, beginning with v.7 released in the early 90’s through the very latest version of Enterprise Applications. iQuote™ utilizes the ISS Group AART™ technology for routing of Customer sales quotes and creates ERP Sales Orders and/or Customer Price Lists upon quote acceptance by Customer. IQuote can handle the most complex quoting functions, such as, multi-line sales quotes and volume discounting. Creating new quotes from quote history and templates makes generating a quote even faster, turning prospects into customers.

With iQuote Companies Achieve Saving Through Four Key Factors

Key Product Features

Purchase Requisitions Simplified

Evolve your sales process so you can sell more, faster, and easier

Cloud-Based Solution Requiring Only a Web Browser

Allows a user of iQuote to access the system using only a web browser making deployment to hundreds of users quick and simple, as well as ongoing maintenance/upgrades extremely efficient. Because iQuote has been developed as a Web 2.0 application, utilization of the application is very fast leading to a rapid ROI.

Mobile Functionality

Because iQuote™ can be implemented as cloud based application it can be accessed by any smartphone or tablet device, powered by Android, or Windows. By providing mobile access, quotes can be reviewed and approved by the required people who may be out of the office which reduces the quote to sales order turnaround time from days to hours. By significantly reducing the ‘quote to order’ cycle time, cash flow and ultimately net profit are positively affected.

Integrates with most leading ERP solutions, and includes integration with QAD EA in ‘Real-Time’ Without Any Data Replication

iQuote reads the ERP Customer Master table, the Item Master table, etc. in real time, as well as writes to the ERP Sales Order table in real-time, eliminating the need for redundant data entry, which in turn reduces human error and improves productivity. Master file data is maintained in one place, your ERP system.

Allows Quote to be Created for Existing as well as New Customer and Items not in ERP EA Master File

iQuote can create quotes for new Customers and for items that are not in the ERP database, or for existing Customer and Items that are already setup in ERP system. This functionality eliminates the need to clutter up the Customer Master file with ‘Prospects’ who may not turn into Customers. Once a Prospect accepts a quote, the Customer is then setup in the ERP system so that a Sales Order can be created directly from iQuote once the quote has been accepted by the Prospect.

Maintains Unlimited Contacts per Customer, and Allows for Customer Search by Contact

iQuote allows you to maintain a list of all contacts that are associated with your Customer list. Quotes can be created using a contact name associated with a Customer, making the data entry to create a quote extremely intuitive and eliminating the need for a user to search for a Customer while they may be on the phone with the contact.

Routes Sales Quotes for Internal Review and Approval via User Configurable Approval Routing Engine (AART™); Tracks Approvals/Rejections for Audit Purposes

iQuote™ uses the AART™ rules-based approval routing engine that allows the end-user organization to easily configure/create the most challenging, or simple approval routing rules. There is NO limit to the number of approval routing rules which can be created, or the number of conditions (and’s & or’s) in a given approval routing rule. The AART™ approval routing engine provides for rules to be created using any or all of the data within the quote, for simultaneous as well as sequential approvals, for group approvals, for approval re-routing based on changes made to a quote, for retracting of a quote by the originator and re-submission of a quote for multiple approval attempts, and more.

Allows Multiple Quantities/Prices per Quote Line Item (i.e. Volume Breaks)

iQuote™ offers advanced pricing functionality utilizing the QAD ‘best-pricing’ and volume discounting logic but also offering additional pricing features such as Item Group Pricing and categorizing quote types for creating QAD Customer Price Lists upon quote approval.

Maintains a Centralized Repository of Sales Quotes for Global Visibility, Audit Trail Purposes, and Historical Research – Even After the Sales Order has been Created

The iQuote centralized repository allows users access to all sales quotes within the system based on their security privileges. For organizations with multiple locations around the globe, this functionality has proven to be invaluable when negotiating with global Customers who may be working with different locations. In addition, by archiving all quotes, new quotes can be created from historical quotes making the creation of a new quote extremely efficient and pricing more accurate.

Automatically send eMail or SMS Alerts to Quote Approvers and Originator

iQuote sends out emails automatically to the required approvers based on the approval routing rules that were created. This functionality expedites the approval process so a sales order can be created in QAD quickly and accurately upon quote acceptance by the Customer.

Create New Quotes from Historical Quotes and/or Create and Track Multiple Quote Revisions

A user can clone/copy a Quote that has already been created in iQuote. Once a new quote is created, any number of revisions will be tracked.

Provides Robust Quote Search and Query Capabilities

Built within iQuote is a powerful query tool which allows a user to find any number of quotes based on the criteria entered and the user’s security privileges.

Detailed Query for QAD EA Order(s) and Invoice(s) Created from Quote

iQuote provides inquiry to QAD orders and invoices that were created from a sales quote. This allows the user to track the entire sales process from quote to invoice.

Integrated with Microsoft® Excel

Data which is retrieved by the iQuote Query tool can be downloaded into MS Excel for analytical and reporting purposes.

Sales Quote Management Efficiency

Supplier Relationship Improvement

When you have sound and efficient supplier relationships, you get the supplies and services that you need quickly and at the lowest cost.

Key factors for improving Supplier Relationships include:

1. Pay invoices in a timely manner. Many suppliers will offer discounts if you can provide faster payment. By having better pricing and faster turnaround, you can also start to speed up the quote-to-cash process. Some of the savings that you acquire from suppliers can also be passed to your clients. This will allow you to turn more quotes into cash, having a direct impact on your bottom line.
2. Create channels for consistent communication. Communication is the key to any healthy relationship, and it’s a good point to keep this in mind when dealing with suppliers. Communication will create transparency on both sides of the channel and prevent hiccups or missteps, like incorrect inventory count or missing purchase orders. Having the right tools in place that allow both internal and external teams to quickly communicate and share documents and other information will help facilitate a more transparent, even-sided conversation.
3. Dish out blame evenly. Pointing fingers during a dispute is instinctual, but it’s important to distribute blame on all sides. An easy way to ruin a relationship with a supplier is to place all the blame on their processes when things go awry. When communication isn’t clear and dilemmas occur, it’s important to look at the situation from both sides of the transaction critically. Opening the floor to a conversation around the issue and realizing that both sides are likely at fault shows respect, translating to a better relationship and smoother future processes.
4. Create transparency through technology. Trust is critical for a constructive buyer-supplier relationship, and the best way to build trust is to establish transparency. By using a fully integrated procure-to-pay system, procurement is able to access real-time information that they would typically have to request from their supplier. This also saves time, as procurement no longer has to try to contact a supplier by phone or email. By simply logging into a platform, they can get what they need right then and there. Technology also simplifies basic tasks like ordering more supplies and renewing contracts. Digitizing key processes like these eliminates the chance of error and creates a satisfactory transaction system for both parties.

ISS Group offers an integrated set of solutions called Supplier Relationship Improvement (SRI). Our on-premise or cloud based solutions digitize your business processes providing your organization with the right tools for global process standardization, practicing consistent communication, responsibility and patience and reduction in the process cycle time allowing buy-side organizations to create more effective relationships with their suppliers and well-run operations.

The Supplier Relationship Improvement Solutions include iApprove, iPurchase, iManagePOs and iVoucher.