Product quotation sources

Overview

Product quotation sources tell Tendersight where to search when you need live supplier quotations inside a pursuitโ€™s technical offer โ€” for example when a requirement asks for current market prices and your static inventory does not include them.

This is not your product catalog. Inventory holds your own SKUs and specifications. Quotation sources are external websites or feeds you trust for price discovery during a bid.

Optional setup: many teams rely only on inventory and manual pricing. Configure sources only if your technical offer workflow uses quotation import for unmapped requirements.


Where to find it

Team โ†’ Management โ†’ Settings โ€” last section in the settings grid.

Subtitle on screen: "A list of sources that you prefer us to use when generating product quotations for your team."


How this section differs from others

Most settings sections use a cog icon that opens an edit sheet, or clickable rows that open the same sheet.

Product quotation sources use a different pattern:

Element

Behavior

Cog icon

Opens a dropdown menu, not a sheet

Source rows

Not clickable โ€” use the โ‹ฎ menu on each row

Restrict toggle

Saves immediately when flipped โ€” no Save button

Flow diagram

Section layout

  • Cog icon (top-left) โ†’ dropdown Source management with Add source

  • Title: Product quotation sources

  • Subtitle: (see above)

Appears when you have at least one source or you have typed in the search box.

  • Placeholder: Search sources

  • Filters the list as you type (brief pause before refresh)

  • Resets to page 1 when the query changes

Source list

Up to five sources per page. Use pagination at the bottom when you have more.

Each row shows:

Line

Content

Primary

Source name, or the web address if name is empty

Secondary

Type label โ€ข credential status

Type labels:

  • Generic URI โ€” a standard web page or service address

  • RSS Feed โ€” a syndicated feed URL

Credential status:

  • With credentials โ€” username/password or header authentication configured

  • No credentials โ€” public access only

Row menu (โ‹ฎ):

Action

Result

Modify source

Opens edit sheet with current values

Remove source

Deletes immediately โ€” no confirmation dialog

While a row is deleting, it fades and the menu shows a loading indicator.

Restrict toggle

Shown only when at least one source exists.

Check only these sources โ€” "When enabled, product quotation searches will be restricted to the configured sources above."

Flipping the switch saves right away. If save fails, the switch reverts and you see:

Something went wrong โ€” "Failed to update quotation settings. Please try again."

When off, Tendersight may also use its default quotation sources (in addition to yours), depending on product configuration.


Empty state

When no sources exist and search is empty:

  • Receipt-style icon

  • No sources

  • "You have configured no preferred sources for this team. The default sources will be used when generating quotations in tender pursuits."

  • Add source button (same as cog menu)


Loading and error states

State

What you see

Loading

Placeholder rows while data loads

Load failed

Error message with Retry

Empty search

No rows; empty state if no sources at all


Add source sheet

Opened from Add source (cog menu or empty state).

Title: Add source

Description: "Add a new source that our systems will use when generating product quotations for your team's tender pursuits."

Wide side panel with scroll if needed.

Choose mode (radio buttons)

Add single source โ€” form for one entry (default)

Import multiple sources โ€” upload a file with many links

Close via X or click outside. There is no Cancel/Save in the sheet footer โ€” the single-source form has Save source; import has Import.


Single source form

Used for create and modify.

Field

Required

Notes

Name

No

Friendly label; placeholder e.g. My new source

Source URI

Yes

Valid web address; placeholder e.g. https://example.com

Type

Yes

Generic URI or RSS Feed

Authentication header name

Paired

Required if header value is filled

Authentication header value

Paired

Required if header name is filled

Credentials username

No

For sites that need login

Credentials password

No

Stored securely for quotation searches

If you fill a header name without a value (or the reverse), the form shows a validation message before save.

Save source โ€” right-aligned submit button.

Success and error toasts

Action

Success message

Create

Quotation source registered โ€” "The source has been registered and will be used when generating product quotations for your team's tender pursuits."

Update

Source updated โ€” "The source has been updatedโ€ฆ"

Delete

Quotation source removed โ€” "The source has been removedโ€ฆ"

Failures use Something went wrong with a short explanation.


Modify source sheet

Title: Modify source

Description: "Update the configuration of a source where quotations for your teams are searched for."

Same fields as create, pre-filled. Open from row โ‹ฎ โ†’ Modify source.


Bulk import

Select Import multiple sources in the add sheet.

Instructions: "Upload a file with one link per line. Supported formats: .txt, .csv, .xls, .xlsx, .docx"

Choose a file, then Import (disabled until a file is selected or while importing).

Outcome

Toast

No links found in file

No sources

Success

Sources imported

Error

Something went wrong โ€” "Failed to import sources. Please try again later."

On success the sheet closes and the list refreshes.


Where quotation sources are used

Only during technical offer โ†’ quotation import when you ask Tendersight to fetch supplier quotations for requirements not covered by your catalog.

Flow diagram

Setting

Effect

Check only these sources ON

Searches use only your configured list

Check only these sources OFF

Your sources plus system defaults may apply

Does not change:

  • Products list catalog

  • AI automapping against your product specifications

  • Company profile or other team settings


Workflow example

  1. Open Team โ†’ Settings โ†’ Product quotation sources

  2. Add source โ†’ enter supplier price list URL (Generic URI)

  3. Add credentials if the site requires login

  4. Enable Check only these sources if you must limit searches to your list

  5. During a pursuit, open Technical offer โ†’ run quotation import on unmapped lines

  6. Review matches before accepting prices into the offer


Permissions

Action

Who

View sources list

Any team member on Settings

Add, edit, remove sources

Team members with settings access

Toggle restrict switch

Same


Best practices

  • Name sources clearly ("Primary distributor catalog") so colleagues know what each URI represents

  • Test one source before bulk import โ€” bad URLs fail silently in large imports

  • Use Check only these sources when compliance requires approved supplier lists only

  • Keep credentials updated when supplier portals rotate passwords


FAQs

Do I need this before my first pursuit?

No. Required team settings are company profile, legal representative, and banking โ€” not quotation sources.

What happens if I delete a source by mistake?

It is removed immediately. Re-add via Add source.

Will RSS feeds work for any website?

Only if the site publishes a valid feed URL. Otherwise use Generic URI.

Does this pull products into Inventory?

No. It only supports live quotation lookup during technical offer work.


Troubleshooting

Symptom

Likely cause

What to do

Toggle reverts

Save failed

Retry; check connection

No quotation results in pursuit

Sources off or wrong URI

Verify URL; test credentials

Import finds no links

Wrong file format

One URL per line in supported format

Remove seemed instant

By design โ€” no confirm

Re-add if accidental


  • Team settings

  • Team product

  • Technical offer

  • Connected services