Vendor RFQ and Vendor Quotes in Steelhead
From low stock to confirmed order in record time—Steelhead’s Vendor RFQs and Vendor Quotes features make sourcing highly efficient. Request, track, compare, and convert Vendor Quotes to POs in just a few clicks, saving time and maximizing value.
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Product
Vendor RFQ and Vendor Quotes in Steelhead
Identity & metadata
Video title
Vendor RFQ and Vendor Quotes in Steelhead
Date published
2025
Duration
5:59
Video type
Demo / Feature Overview
Audience
Purchasing; Operations; Admin; Estimating
Video summary
In one sentence
Steelhead lets you create and send vendor RFQs, collect and compare vendor quotes side by
side, and convert the winning quote directly into a purchase order—all from one connected workflow.
side, and convert the winning quote directly into a purchase order—all from one connected workflow.
What this video covers
This video walks through creating vendor RFQs, sending them to vendors, collecting responses, comparing quotes,
and converting the best option into a purchase order.
and converting the best option into a purchase order.
Problem it solves
Manual vendor communication and scattered pricing data make it difficult to compare quotes and make
fast, confident purchasing decisions.
fast, confident purchasing decisions.
Key capabilities shown
• Create and send vendor RFQs
• Auto-filled email requests
• Track vendor responses in one place
• Create vendor quotes from responses
• Compare pricing and lead times side by side
• Convert quotes into purchase orders
• Organize RFQs and quotes with filters and statuses
• Tiered pricing and line-item comparisons
• Auto-filled email requests
• Track vendor responses in one place
• Create vendor quotes from responses
• Compare pricing and lead times side by side
• Convert quotes into purchase orders
• Organize RFQs and quotes with filters and statuses
• Tiered pricing and line-item comparisons
How the demo flows
• Hook: a fast overview of creating an RFQ, comparing quotes, and converting to a PO
• Create a vendor RFQ: add items and categories, save with keyboard shortcuts
• Send the RFQ: auto-filled details, select vendors, preview, and send by email
• Track responses: status changes and emails attached directly to the RFQ
• Create a vendor quote from a response: select vendor, lead time, item pricing
• Compare quotes: lowest price and fastest turnaround, then create a purchase order
• Homepage: Vendor RFQs and Vendor Quotes tiles, permissions, email settings, search and filters
• Vendor RFQ detail: items, categories, files, specs, PDF, email, inbox replies, history
• Vendor quotes: start from an RFQ or from scratch, fixed or tiered pricing, compare quotes
and items
• Create a vendor RFQ: add items and categories, save with keyboard shortcuts
• Send the RFQ: auto-filled details, select vendors, preview, and send by email
• Track responses: status changes and emails attached directly to the RFQ
• Create a vendor quote from a response: select vendor, lead time, item pricing
• Compare quotes: lowest price and fastest turnaround, then create a purchase order
• Homepage: Vendor RFQs and Vendor Quotes tiles, permissions, email settings, search and filters
• Vendor RFQ detail: items, categories, files, specs, PDF, email, inbox replies, history
• Vendor quotes: start from an RFQ or from scratch, fixed or tiered pricing, compare quotes
and items
Full transcript
Speaker
Voice over / Host
Transcript
[00:00] In this video, you'll see how to easily create and send detailed vendor RFQs, track
and compare responses side by side, and instantly turn the winning quote into a purchase
order.
[00:09] First, a quick overview of how fast and simple it is.
[00:12] Then we'll circle back for more tips to help you get the most out of
this workflow.
[00:15] So you're running low on some inventory and you wanna check on pricing from vendors.
[00:19] [adds an item to a vendor RFQ] To meet upcoming needs, easily add an item to a vendor RFQ.
[00:23] [creates a new RFQ] You can select an existing one, but in this case, let's create a new RFQ.
[00:27] Give it a name if desired, and add.
[00:29] You'll see key details at the top, which we'll go over shortly.
[00:32] Parts are down below.
[00:35] [adds a shipping category] Let's add shipping as another category.
[00:37] Hit enter on your keyboard.
[00:39] To save, we want the vendor to give an estimated shipping price with next day
shippers.
[00:43] Use the tab and enter keyboard shortcuts to save.
[00:46] [sends the RFQ by email] And now we can send this quote request via email; your details auto fill based
on your configurations.
[00:53] Select the vendors you want pricing from.
[00:55] Preview your request here, and when you're ready, send the RFQ email.
[01:00] You now see your status will change here.
[01:03] Any emails attached to this vendor RFQ will pull in here.
[01:06] [creates a vendor quote from a response] And once you get responses, create a vendor quote, select your vendor, add more files
if needed, and create now.
[01:15] Add your lead time and put in any other details here.
[01:18] And it's super simple to input pricing on each item based on the response from
this vendor.
[01:29] [compares multiple vendor quotes] Once you have multiple quotes pulled into Steelhead, you can compare them easily, see which
quote is the lowest price and which has the fastest turnaround time.
[01:37] [clicks Create Purchase Order] Jump right into this quote and click Create Purchase Order to order these items. In
just a few short steps, you've gone from low inventory to a confirmed order at
the right price and lead time to meet your needs.
[01:49] [opens the homepage] Okay, now for the fun part, further details that really streamline the process on your
homepage.
[01:54] Things are organized into two tiles, Vendor RFQs, and Vendor Quotes.
[01:59] With the right permissions, you can create, edit, and manage vendor RFQs end to end.
[02:03] There's quick access to email settings here, such as default email templates and recipients.
[02:08] At the top, you have quick links, full search and filter functionality, as well as
tabs for active, completed, and archived vendor RFQs.
[02:16] Here, configure the table columns and send emails.
[02:20] Copy an RFQ or archive right from here so it's easy to focus on what
needs action.
[02:25] [starts a new vendor RFQ from scratch] Starting a new vendor RFQ from scratch, add a name and order due date if
you'd like the default billing and shipping addresses to auto-fill, then go ahead and add
an item.
[02:34] You can create items from scratch, adding everything from files, specs, parameters, process treatments, or
pull from a previous RFQ item or inventory you have had in your shop.
[02:45] Save that. Create more categories to keep organized.
[02:51] Then in the contents menu, drag and drop items and categories to reorder.
[02:56] Add items directly from here as well.
[02:59] Select an item to see more details, and of course you can edit or delete
as needed.
[03:03] [opens the RFQ PDF] Steelhead automatically generates a configurable professional PDF ready to send by email; select or add
recipients.
[03:12] Add attachments and remove details from the email body as desired.
[03:16] Save your draft for later or send now; each vendor receives your quote request via
email.
[03:22] Easily track replies without leaving Steelhead.
[03:27] [expands the view and replies to emails] Expand your view if needed. Reply to emails right here.
[03:30] Open the email in your Steelhead inbox.
[03:32] Ignore marks that you've decided against this quote.
[03:36] Request Breakdown auto-creates an email asking for more details, and you can create a quote
from this or use the button here.
[03:43] As you saw here, you have your external and internal descriptions.
[03:47] History gives you an ongoing list of actions related to this RFQ.
[03:50] Once you create quotes from RFQs, they'll show up here, and related links are here.
[03:56] You can also copy this RFQ, create a revision, mark as completed, or archive.
[04:01] [clicks Add to RFQ from a quote item] One more thing: when you're creating a quote, you can easily check on vendor pricing
by clicking the Add to RFQ button on any item.
[04:09] [opens vendor quotes] If this item is on a vendor quote already, quickly check the quoted price here,
and now vendor quotes can be found here, and each one is linked to its
original RFQ.
[04:21] Here again: links, organization, search and filters, settings, and quick actions.
[04:26] You'll generally start vendor quotes directly from the RFQ, but if you need to start
from scratch, use this button.
[04:31] The layout is very similar to the RFQ. Add details here.
[04:34] [starts a vendor quote from scratch] Link the RFQ as needed; quotes are organized by items and lines.
[04:38] Here you can see both side by side.
[04:41] Add your items either with Create New or copy from existing.
[04:45] Then put in your pricing.
[04:51] And you have a few different options here.
[04:52] Fixed unit price or tiered pricing.
[04:55] [adds tiered pricing] If you wanna do tiered, you just add multiple line items under this item.
[05:01] Then put in the quantity and the price for each tier.
[05:05] And if you have multiple items, you can also drag and drop to reorder, view,
edit, and delete as needed.
[05:12] Copy and archive quotes through this menu, and when you add new files, you can
associate them with a specific line item.
[05:22] [opens compare quotes] Click to compare quotes here.
[05:24] You can add or remove any quote you want.
[05:27] Toggle off the sales tax switch between quote inventory items and lines views.
[05:33] [opens the item compare tab] Then you can also jump to this tab to compare specific items across quotes.
[05:37] Select from any dropdown or type in the item name.
[05:40] You can adjust the compare-at quantity, toggle off sales tax, and Steelhead helps point you
to the lowest price so you can make confident decisions quickly.
[05:49] Ready to make vendor quoting easier than ever.
[05:52] Log into Steelhead and start using vendor RFQs and vendor quotes to win back time
today.
[05:58] This was built for you.
and compare responses side by side, and instantly turn the winning quote into a purchase
order.
[00:09] First, a quick overview of how fast and simple it is.
[00:12] Then we'll circle back for more tips to help you get the most out of
this workflow.
[00:15] So you're running low on some inventory and you wanna check on pricing from vendors.
[00:19] [adds an item to a vendor RFQ] To meet upcoming needs, easily add an item to a vendor RFQ.
[00:23] [creates a new RFQ] You can select an existing one, but in this case, let's create a new RFQ.
[00:27] Give it a name if desired, and add.
[00:29] You'll see key details at the top, which we'll go over shortly.
[00:32] Parts are down below.
[00:35] [adds a shipping category] Let's add shipping as another category.
[00:37] Hit enter on your keyboard.
[00:39] To save, we want the vendor to give an estimated shipping price with next day
shippers.
[00:43] Use the tab and enter keyboard shortcuts to save.
[00:46] [sends the RFQ by email] And now we can send this quote request via email; your details auto fill based
on your configurations.
[00:53] Select the vendors you want pricing from.
[00:55] Preview your request here, and when you're ready, send the RFQ email.
[01:00] You now see your status will change here.
[01:03] Any emails attached to this vendor RFQ will pull in here.
[01:06] [creates a vendor quote from a response] And once you get responses, create a vendor quote, select your vendor, add more files
if needed, and create now.
[01:15] Add your lead time and put in any other details here.
[01:18] And it's super simple to input pricing on each item based on the response from
this vendor.
[01:29] [compares multiple vendor quotes] Once you have multiple quotes pulled into Steelhead, you can compare them easily, see which
quote is the lowest price and which has the fastest turnaround time.
[01:37] [clicks Create Purchase Order] Jump right into this quote and click Create Purchase Order to order these items. In
just a few short steps, you've gone from low inventory to a confirmed order at
the right price and lead time to meet your needs.
[01:49] [opens the homepage] Okay, now for the fun part, further details that really streamline the process on your
homepage.
[01:54] Things are organized into two tiles, Vendor RFQs, and Vendor Quotes.
[01:59] With the right permissions, you can create, edit, and manage vendor RFQs end to end.
[02:03] There's quick access to email settings here, such as default email templates and recipients.
[02:08] At the top, you have quick links, full search and filter functionality, as well as
tabs for active, completed, and archived vendor RFQs.
[02:16] Here, configure the table columns and send emails.
[02:20] Copy an RFQ or archive right from here so it's easy to focus on what
needs action.
[02:25] [starts a new vendor RFQ from scratch] Starting a new vendor RFQ from scratch, add a name and order due date if
you'd like the default billing and shipping addresses to auto-fill, then go ahead and add
an item.
[02:34] You can create items from scratch, adding everything from files, specs, parameters, process treatments, or
pull from a previous RFQ item or inventory you have had in your shop.
[02:45] Save that. Create more categories to keep organized.
[02:51] Then in the contents menu, drag and drop items and categories to reorder.
[02:56] Add items directly from here as well.
[02:59] Select an item to see more details, and of course you can edit or delete
as needed.
[03:03] [opens the RFQ PDF] Steelhead automatically generates a configurable professional PDF ready to send by email; select or add
recipients.
[03:12] Add attachments and remove details from the email body as desired.
[03:16] Save your draft for later or send now; each vendor receives your quote request via
email.
[03:22] Easily track replies without leaving Steelhead.
[03:27] [expands the view and replies to emails] Expand your view if needed. Reply to emails right here.
[03:30] Open the email in your Steelhead inbox.
[03:32] Ignore marks that you've decided against this quote.
[03:36] Request Breakdown auto-creates an email asking for more details, and you can create a quote
from this or use the button here.
[03:43] As you saw here, you have your external and internal descriptions.
[03:47] History gives you an ongoing list of actions related to this RFQ.
[03:50] Once you create quotes from RFQs, they'll show up here, and related links are here.
[03:56] You can also copy this RFQ, create a revision, mark as completed, or archive.
[04:01] [clicks Add to RFQ from a quote item] One more thing: when you're creating a quote, you can easily check on vendor pricing
by clicking the Add to RFQ button on any item.
[04:09] [opens vendor quotes] If this item is on a vendor quote already, quickly check the quoted price here,
and now vendor quotes can be found here, and each one is linked to its
original RFQ.
[04:21] Here again: links, organization, search and filters, settings, and quick actions.
[04:26] You'll generally start vendor quotes directly from the RFQ, but if you need to start
from scratch, use this button.
[04:31] The layout is very similar to the RFQ. Add details here.
[04:34] [starts a vendor quote from scratch] Link the RFQ as needed; quotes are organized by items and lines.
[04:38] Here you can see both side by side.
[04:41] Add your items either with Create New or copy from existing.
[04:45] Then put in your pricing.
[04:51] And you have a few different options here.
[04:52] Fixed unit price or tiered pricing.
[04:55] [adds tiered pricing] If you wanna do tiered, you just add multiple line items under this item.
[05:01] Then put in the quantity and the price for each tier.
[05:05] And if you have multiple items, you can also drag and drop to reorder, view,
edit, and delete as needed.
[05:12] Copy and archive quotes through this menu, and when you add new files, you can
associate them with a specific line item.
[05:22] [opens compare quotes] Click to compare quotes here.
[05:24] You can add or remove any quote you want.
[05:27] Toggle off the sales tax switch between quote inventory items and lines views.
[05:33] [opens the item compare tab] Then you can also jump to this tab to compare specific items across quotes.
[05:37] Select from any dropdown or type in the item name.
[05:40] You can adjust the compare-at quantity, toggle off sales tax, and Steelhead helps point you
to the lowest price so you can make confident decisions quickly.
[05:49] Ready to make vendor quoting easier than ever.
[05:52] Log into Steelhead and start using vendor RFQs and vendor quotes to win back time
today.
[05:58] This was built for you.
Taxonomy tags
Steelhead product area
Purchasing; Vendor management; Estimating
Feature / module
Vendor RFQs; Vendor Quotes; Purchasing
Workflow category
Procurement; Estimating; Vendor management
Topics covered
Sending RFQs to vendors; tracking vendor responses; creating vendor quotes; comparing pricing and lead times;
tiered pricing; converting quotes to purchase orders
tiered pricing; converting quotes to purchase orders