Try AI quote comparison, without code

Start with the same practice material

The event, quotes, supplier labels and dates below are entirely fictional. You do not need to upload work files or find real quotes.

The task is to compare canvas bags for an event: 300 bags, no more than 3,600 CNY including tax and delivery, arriving within 10 calendar days of design approval. Produce a comparison table and short brief for the person deciding whether to request more information. Do not place an order.

Copy all three sources into your AI tool:

Source A | Supplier A quote, 2026-10-20
Canvas bags. Minimum order: 200 bags. Unit price: 10 CNY, including tax.
Delivery for this order: 120 CNY.
Arrival: 12 calendar days after design approval.

Source B | Supplier B quote, 2026-10-20
Canvas bags. Minimum order: 300 bags. Unit price: 11 CNY, delivery included.
Arrival: 8 calendar days after design approval.
The quote does not say whether tax is included.

Source C | Supplier C quote, 2026-10-20
Canvas bags. Minimum order: 500 bags. Unit price: 9 CNY, including tax.
Delivery for this order: 100 CNY.
Arrival: 7 calendar days after design approval.

1. Turn the requirements into instructions

After the sources, paste:

Compare these quotes against a need for 300 bags, a budget of 3,600 CNY including tax and delivery, and arrival within 10 calendar days of design approval. List unit price, minimum order, quantity we must buy, stated costs, tax status and delivery time. Attribute each field to Source A, B or C and show calculation formulas. Write “not provided” for missing information and flag ambiguity. Give me the table first. Do not recommend a supplier or place an order.

Check that the table addresses all three conditions. Unit price alone misses minimum orders, tax and arrival time.

2. Check the numbers before the conclusion

Calculate the costs yourself, then compare. The reference answer is:

Option	Quantity to buy	Calculation using stated costs	Tax	Arrival	Effect on the requirement
A	300	300 × 10 + 120 = 3,120 CNY	Included	12 days	Within budget, but later than 10 days
B	300	300 × 11 = 3,300 CNY	Not stated	8 days	Tax-inclusive total must be confirmed before judging budget
C	500	500 × 9 + 100 = 4,600 CNY	Included	7 days	Minimum order exceeds need; cost exceeds budget

Two traps matter. C must be calculated at its 500-bag minimum, not 300. B's 3,300 CNY uses only the stated charges; it is not a confirmed tax-inclusive total.

If the AI makes an error, identify the affected row and ask for a correction. Then check the sources again, including fields that were previously right.

3. Handle the gap without forcing a winner

Continue with:

Check the table against the source material, then assess quantity, budget and arrival for each option. Separate confirmed matches, confirmed failures and points that cannot be decided because information is missing. List what must be asked next. Do not invent a tax rate or discount.

A misses the arrival deadline. C exceeds the required quantity and budget. B lacks tax information. No option is yet confirmed to meet every condition.

Ask B: “Is 3,300 CNY the total including tax and delivery? If tax is extra, what is the tax-inclusive total?” If it exceeds budget, revisit the budget or specification, or request other quotes. Do not insert a tax rate just to complete the table.

4. Write a brief the decision-maker can use

Ask:

Using the checked table, write an internal brief of no more than 200 words. State the current conclusion, evidence, open questions and next action, retaining source labels. Do not describe an unconfirmed option as selected.

A reference brief:

None of the three options is confirmed to meet all conditions. A costs 3,120 CNY including tax and delivery but takes 12 days, beyond the deadline (A). C requires 500 bags and costs 4,600 CNY, over budget (C). B's stated cost is 3,300 CNY with 8-day arrival, but tax inclusion is unknown (B). Ask B for the tax-inclusive delivered total before proceeding. No order is being placed.

Check the brief against the table. Did a number change? Did a missing detail disappear? Did it add an unsupported quality claim or purchasing decision?

5. Save instructions you can use again

Save this as your proposal comparison brief, changing the brackets next time:

Goal: Compare [number] proposals for [purpose], for [reader] to decide.
Conditions: [quantity / budget basis / deadline / other requirements].
Sources: [original text or file list, with labels and dates].
Steps: Extract fields, show comparison formulas, check sources, then write a brief.
Output: Sourced comparison table, missing-information questions and a short conclusion.
Rules: Mark missing data; show calculations; do not assume taxes or discounts.
Confirmation: I check numbers and sources before deciding to enquire, send or order.

Keep the sources, corrected table and final brief together. New material means new calculations and checks; a previous recommendation does not carry over.

Use the one-page task template for meetings, content or website ideas. If you later build a web tool for the comparison, follow the starter guide and use the pre-launch checklist before sharing it.

Questions

Which AI tool do I need?

A chat tool that accepts text and produces tables is enough. If you want to export a spreadsheet or document, check whether your tool and account support file generation. Exporting is optional for this exercise.

Can I use the reference answer for a real purchase?

No. All quotes and event requirements here are fictional. A real purchase requires current prices, taxes, delivery terms and supplier capacity to be checked separately.

What should I do with missing information?

Mark it as not provided, explain which decision it affects and ask the source to confirm. Calculate known costs, but do not present assumptions or default values as a confirmed total.

Try an AI proposal comparison, without writing code