How to use ClearQuoter

ClearQuoter accepts PDFs, images (JPG, PNG), spreadsheets (XLSX, CSV), and pasted text. For the best results, upload the quote exactly as you received it from the vendor.

What makes a good upload

The AI extractor reads line items, quantities, unit prices, and descriptions. Quotes that include clear line-item descriptions and per-unit pricing produce the most accurate audits. Multi-page PDFs and spreadsheets with multiple tabs are supported.

Common issues

Scanned quotes with handwritten annotations may extract poorly — if possible, request a typed version from your vendor. Files over 12 MB are rejected; export a smaller copy or split the quote into sections. Password-protected files must be unlocked before upload.

A “no match” result means the line item didn’t correspond to anything in the current catalog. This happens for a few reasons:

• The item is a custom or one-off product that ClearQuoter doesn’t track yet.
• The vendor’s description is too vague for the matching engine to identify the product category.
• The line item is a service (design, freight, setup) rather than a physical product — services are being added over time.

Unmatched items still appear in your report. If you believe a match exists, use the “Wrong match?” button to search the catalog manually and correct the assignment.

Every benchmarked item in the catalog carries a confidence tier — HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW — based on how many independent vendor prices back the benchmark.

Tier thresholds

• HIGH — 10 or more independent vendors. The market range is well-established.
• MEDIUM — 6 to 9 independent vendors. Reliable for most decisions, but narrower coverage.
• LOW — 3 to 5 independent vendors. The minimum required to publish a range. Treat as directional.

Items with fewer than three independent vendor prices do not receive a benchmark at all — ClearQuoter does not publish a range it can’t stand behind.

The negotiation brief is a summary included with Pro reports that highlights line items where the quoted price exceeds the observed market range.

How to use it

Share the brief internally with your team or use it as a reference when responding to the vendor. The brief identifies the total potential savings and breaks down each flagged line item with a target price based on the median of observed vendor prices.

What it is not

The brief is not a demand letter. It is a data-backed starting point for a conversation. Vendors may have valid reasons for pricing above the market range — rush timelines, custom specs, or premium materials. The goal is to verify, not to dictate.

An audit report scores each line item in your quote against independent market data. Here’s what each section means:

Summary

The top-level summary shows total line items, how many matched to catalog entries, how many were flagged for pricing above the market range, and the estimated total savings if flagged items were negotiated to the median.

Line-by-line results

Each line shows the quoted price, the market range (floor to ceiling), where the quoted price falls within that range, and any flags. Items within the range show no flag. Items above the ceiling are flagged with the variance percentage.

Unmatched items

Line items that did not match a catalog entry appear without market data. They are included so you have a complete picture of the quote. You can correct matches using the “Wrong match?” button.

Auditing your own quotes is free with an account — full verdicts, in trade for anonymized contribution. Pro starts with a free 14-day trial, no credit card needed.

After the trial

Nothing is charged automatically because no card is collected upfront. When the trial ends, you choose whether to subscribe at the founding rate. That rate is locked for as long as you stay continuously subscribed.

Cancelling

Cancel anytime from the billing portal — self-serve, no email required. Your saved audits and history are retained and reopen if you resubscribe; your account continues on the free tier meanwhile. If you resubscribe later, you rejoin at whatever the current rate is.

For billing details, invoices, and tier comparisons, see the pricing page.

ClearQuoter processes your quote data to run the audit and returns your results. What happens next depends on how you use the tool:

Anonymous audits

If you are not signed in, your quote is processed and discarded after the audit completes. Nothing is stored.

Saved audits (Pro)

Pro users can save results. Saved audits are stored in your account and are not shared, sold, or used for marketing. You can delete saved audits at any time.

Contribution

If you opt in to contributing pricing data, your observations are anonymized before they enter the benchmark pool — vendor identities are preserved, but your identity as the submitter is not attached. Contribution is opt-in and governed by the contribution terms.

For full details, see data practices and the privacy policy.

Your audit report is a starting point, not an ending point. Here’s a practical sequence for acting on the results:

1. Review flagged items. Look at each line item flagged above the market range. Check whether the variance is explained by custom specs, rush timelines, or premium materials.
2. Correct any mismatches.If a line item matched the wrong catalog entry, use “Wrong match?” to reassign it. This updates the variance calculation.
3. Share the negotiation brief. For items where the variance is genuine, use the brief as a reference point when discussing pricing with your vendor.
4. Save or export. Pro users can save the report to their account and export a PDF for internal distribution or approval workflows.
5. Re-audit after negotiation. After your vendor responds with revised pricing, run a second audit to verify the new numbers against the market range.