CUSTOMER PDFS, READ LINE BY LINE
Turn a customer’s PDF request into a draft quote
A PDF is how most serious requests arrive: a purchase request exported from a plant’s system, a material list from a contractor’s estimating software, a scanned order form, a fax that someone scanned. It is also the format where copying lines into a quote by hand is the slowest.
Qotora AI reads the PDF, finds every line in your own catalogue, applies your own price rules and prepares a draft quote. A person on your team checks it against the original before anything is sent.
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Which PDFs it reads
- PDFs exported from another system: purchase requests, RFQs and material lists with a table of item number, description, quantity and unit.
- Scanned PDFs: a paper order that was scanned, or a page photographed and saved as a PDF.
- Long lists over several pages, with repeated headers and footers.
- Letters and emails saved as PDF, where the products are described in running text.
- Several files in one request, for example a PDF and a photo of a page added by hand.
The file is read as itself, not as text copied out of it, so the layout (columns, tables, page order) is part of what is read.
What happens to the PDF, step by step
- Drop the PDF into a new request in the web app, or attach it. The original is stored first, so if anything goes wrong the file is still there.
- Qotora lists the lines. For every product the customer asked for, it copies their words exactly as written, with the quantity and the unit as written. It does not convert units, name a price or invent a quantity that is not on the page.
- Everything that is not a product is kept as a note: the greeting, the ship-to address, the delivery date, the payment terms. None of it becomes a line, and a request is flagged Urgent only if the customer said so.
- Each line is looked up in your catalogue: first an exact hit on a part number or on words your team has matched before, then a narrower search by what the line says. When more than one product fits, a person chooses.
- Quantities and prices are applied from your rules. Your packaging rules turn “2 cases” into the unit you sell, and the customer’s tier, discounts and margins set the price. A price printed on the customer’s PDF is the customer’s own number; the price on your quote comes from your catalogue and your rules.
- A person reviews. The quote opens with a pre-send review list, and each line shows what was read in the file beside it. Nothing goes out until a person sends it.
What the PDF says
- 3 EA — Condensate pump, 120V
- 6 EA — Line set 3/8 x 3/4, 25 ft
- 10 EA — Capacitor, dual run, 45/5 MFD 440V
- 2 CS — Filter 20x25x1 MERV 8
The quote, ready to check
| Description / part no. | Qty | Unit price | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condensate pump, 120V — CP-120 | 3 | $62.50 | $187.50 |
| Line set, 3/8 × 3/4 in, 25 ft, insulated — LS-3834-25 | 6 | $138.00 | $828.00 |
| Dual run capacitor 45/5 MFD, 440V — CAP-455-440 | 10 | $9.20 | $92.00 |
| Pleated filter 20 × 25 × 1, MERV 8, case of 12 — FLT-202501-M8 | 2 cases (24) | $54.00 | $108.00 |
| Total (sample) | $1,215.50 | ||
Illustration with sample products and prices. In your own account, part numbers and prices come from your catalogue and your price rules, and a person on your team reviews the quote before it is sent.
What can go wrong, and what Qotora does about it
Real PDFs are untidy. Here is what a skeptical counter manager would ask, and the answer.
| What the PDF looks like | What Qotora does |
|---|---|
| A scan that is skewed, faint or faxed | Lines read with low confidence are flagged “to verify”, with the text it read next to the original. If no product line can be found at all, Qotora says so and suggests a clearer file or pasted text, instead of building a quote from nothing. |
| The customer’s own item numbers, not yours | Matched when your catalogue holds the number or your team has matched it before. Otherwise the line is flagged, a person picks the product, and the choice is kept for the next request. |
| A quantity with no unit, or no quantity at all | The line shows “Quantity needed” and stays open. Qotora never invents a quantity. |
| A line that fits several of your products | The line is held with the candidates and one question. The price follows once a person picks. |
| Terms and conditions, addresses, a cover letter | Kept as notes, not turned into product lines. |
| A file Qotora cannot open | The file is reported by name as unreadable, the rest of the request still goes through, and you are advised to paste the text instead. |
Quantities, units and prices are never guessed. A human reviews every quote before it is sent.
Speed, and what stays in your hands
A typical request takes seconds to under a minute to prepare once your data is connected. A long PDF depends on its length and its quality, and we do not give a time for it; your team’s review time is on top.
- Your catalogue and stock: lines are matched against your own products.
- Your price rules: tiers, discounts and margins are the ones you set. Qotora never invents a price or a margin.
- Read-only on your system: Qotora never writes into the software you use.
- A human decides: every quote is reviewed before it is sent, and there is no automatic sending.
Getting started
The Counter plan is US$49 for the first month, then US$149 a month, for up to 150 quotes sent per month and unlimited users. Setup is included: our team connects Qotora to your software or imports your catalogue, stock and prices. You have a 7-day money-back guarantee, counted from the first quote you send with Qotora.
Frequently asked questions
Can it read a scanned PDF, or only PDFs with selectable text?
Both. A PDF exported from another system and a scan are read as documents. A faint or skewed scan is harder: lines read with low confidence are flagged for a person to verify against the original.
Does it handle tables and PDFs of many pages?
Yes. The layout is part of what is read, so a table of item number, description, quantity and unit comes out as lines. On a long list, compare the number of lines detected with what you expect, and check the originals shown beside the lines.
What if the PDF mixes languages?
Requests in English, French, Arabic or Darija are read, and the customer’s own words are kept on every line.
How many files can I add to one request?
Up to 20 files per request, up to 20 MB each. A request can mix file types, for example a PDF, a photo and a voice note.
Does it use the customer’s prices from the PDF?
No. A price on the customer’s PDF is the customer’s own number. Your quote is priced from your own catalogue data and your price rules.
Can it send the quote by itself?
No. Every quote is reviewed by a person on your team before it is sent. There is no automatic sending.
Does it work with the software I already use?
Qotora works with whatever software you use: we connect it, or import your catalogue, stock and prices. It reads your data and never writes into your software.
What does it cost?
US$49 for the first month, then US$149 a month on the Counter plan (up to 150 quotes sent per month, unlimited users). Setup is included, with a 7-day money-back guarantee counted from your first quote sent. Team and Network plans cover higher volumes.