HANDWRITTEN LISTS, READ FROM A PHOTO
A photo of a handwritten list, turned into a draft quote
Plenty of trade customers still write the order down: on a delivery slip, the back of a cut list, a notepad on the dash, a whiteboard in the shop. Then they photograph it and send it. At your counter, someone squints at the picture and retypes it line by line before a single price can be looked up.
Qotora AI reads the photo, finds every line in your own catalogue, applies your own price rules and prepares a draft quote. Lines it cannot read are flagged, and a person on your team checks the quote against the photo before anything is sent.
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What happens to a photo, step by step
- Add the photo to a new request. On a phone, open Qotora in the browser and tap “Take a photo”, or attach a picture you already have (JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 20 MB). The original is stored first, so the picture is always there to check.
- Qotora reads the handwriting. For every product on the page it keeps the customer’s words exactly as written, with the quantity and the unit as written. It does not convert units, name a price or invent a quantity.
- Qotora marks how sure it is of each line. A line it could only partly read, such as a smudged word or an ambiguous abbreviation, is flagged “to verify”, and the text it read sits next to the original.
- Each line is looked up in your catalogue: 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 come from your rules: your packaging rules turn “2 rolls” into the unit you sell, and the customer’s tier, discounts and margins set the price.
- A person reviews. Each line shows what was read in the file, and nothing goes out until a person sends it.
What the photo says
- 10 – 2 in PVC 90s
- 3 – 3/4 ball vlv
- 2 rolls teflon tape
- 12 – 2 in clevis hangers
The quote, ready to check
| Description / part no. | Qty | Unit price | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in PVC DWV 90° elbow, hub × hub — PVC-90-2 | 10 | $2.85 | $28.50 |
| 3/4 in ball valve — question: FIP × FIP or sweat? | 3 | — | — |
| PTFE thread seal tape, 1/2 in wide, roll — PTFE-12 | 2 rolls | $1.40 | $2.80 |
| Clevis hanger, 2 in, galvanized — CH-2 | 12 | $1.95 | $23.40 |
| Total of the 3 priced lines (sample) | $54.70 | ||
Illustration with sample products and prices. The ball valve line is held back with a question and has no price until a person answers it. 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 with a photo, and what Qotora does about it
Handwriting is the hardest input a counter gets. We would rather tell you exactly where it is fragile.
| What the photo looks like | What Qotora does |
|---|---|
| Rushed handwriting, faded pencil, a 1 that looks like a 7 | Lines read with low confidence are flagged “to verify”, with what Qotora read next to the original. A quantity misread with confidence is the hardest error for any software to catch, which is why you review the quote against the photo. |
| Trade shorthand: “3/4 ball vlv”, “2in pvc 90” | Read the way a counter person reads it, then matched to your catalogue. When the shorthand fits several products, Qotora asks which one. |
| A list in two languages, or two scripts | Lists in English, French, Arabic or Darija are read, and the customer’s words are kept on the line. |
| Crossed-out lines, arrows, notes squeezed into the margin | Qotora reads what is on the page. A struck-through line or a margin note is exactly what the photo beside the quote is there to settle, so a person looks. |
| Glare, shadow, a cut-off edge, a page shot at an angle | Lines that cannot be read are flagged. If no product line can be found at all, Qotora says so and suggests a clearer photo or pasted text, instead of building a quote from nothing. |
| No quantity (“some tape”) | The line shows “Quantity needed” and stays open. Qotora never invents a quantity. |
| Two photos, or a photo plus a voice note | One request can hold several files, up to 20 of up to 20 MB each, and they become one quote. |
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 photo depends on the page and its legibility, 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.
The Counter plan is US$49 for the first month, then US$149 a month, with setup included and a 7-day money-back guarantee, counted from the first quote you send with Qotora.
Frequently asked questions
Can it really read handwriting?
It reads most legible handwriting, and it tells you when it is not sure. Lines it could only partly read are flagged to verify, with the original beside them. It does not promise to read every hand, which is why a person always checks the quote against the photo.
What if the photo is blurry or badly lit?
Lines that cannot be read are flagged. If Qotora finds no product line at all, it tells you to check the photo (legible, well framed) or paste the text, instead of producing an empty quote. A clearer second photo is usually the quickest fix.
Can I take the photo from my phone?
Yes. Qotora runs in the browser on any device. On a phone, open the new request and tap “Take a photo”, or attach a picture from the gallery.
Does it handle French, Arabic or Darija handwriting?
Qotora reads English, French, Arabic and Darija, and the customer’s own words are kept on every line. As with any handwriting, a hand that is hard to read in one language is hard to read in another, which is why lines it is unsure of are flagged.
Does it use any prices that are written on the list?
No. A price in the customer’s handwriting 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.