Comparable packaging RFQ

What the builder produces

The builder turns shared request fields into a draft request for quotation. It does not calculate a price, choose a material or approve a specification. Visible outputs are a row set showing Quantity breaks and Format, plus a text block that repeats every entered field and adds a standard itemization sentence. The row set confirms the quantity list was accepted and normalized. The text block is what you copy into sourcing. Quality still depends on the specification, artwork status, delivery basis and evidence text you supply.

Project and format fields

Project is required free text. The builder trims surrounding whitespace and does not check the name against a project record. Use a name a supplier can match to the drawing pack, such as a program, part family or revision. Format is a fixed choice among Corrugated box, Folding carton, Rigid box, Pouch and Label. The selected format appears in the row and the Format line. Changing format does not change quantity validation or sorting; it changes the label telling recipients which construction family the shared specification refers to. The builder does not infer format from specification text.

Shared specification and artwork status

Dimensions, material and construction is one free text field. The default is a placeholder, not a parsed drawing. Put the revision, units, internal or external dimensions, board or film structure, print method and assembly detail there, or state where the dimensioned specification is attached. Artwork and proof status is also free text. Record whether artwork is in progress, approved, awaiting proof or supplied. The builder does not upload files, compare proofs or validate print readiness. Both fields carry the entered wording after trimming surrounding whitespace, so ambiguous wording stays ambiguous.

Quantity breaks, validation and ordering

The quantities field accepts tokens separated by commas, slashes, semicolons or whitespace. Each token is converted to a number and must be a whole integer of at least 1. Empty tokens are ignored. If no valid token remains, or any token is zero, negative, fractional or not numeric, the builder stops with an error asking for whole positive quantities separated by commas. The message mentions commas, but the parser also accepts other separators. Valid values are deduplicated with a set and sorted numerically ascending. That is why 1000, 500, 1000 becomes 500, 1000: the repeated 1000 is removed and remaining breaks are ordered for comparison. There is no rounding and no price arithmetic. The normalized list appears in the Quantity breaks row and Quote each quantity line.

Destination, delivery basis and required evidence

Ship-to destination is free text. Enter the receiving postal code or location detail suppliers need to price freight. Delivery basis is free text and should state terms you want itemized, such as freight, delivery point and any handling split. Required evidence is free text for tolerances, testing and certification scope. The builder does not verify that evidence exists, that a certification applies or that a test is appropriate. It only carries your wording into the request. Keep these fields identical across every quantity break because they affect freight and acceptance comparisons. The output note asks for prices on identical units, quantities, delivery terms and acceptance requirements.

Response date and itemization clause

Requested response date is free text. The builder does not parse it as a calendar date, so use an unambiguous format and include any time zone or cutoff. The generated text adds a fixed sentence asking suppliers to itemize tooling, setup, unit price, freight, taxes, over/under allowance, lead time and quote validity, and to state every substitution and exclusion. That sentence requests separate cost lines; it is not a calculation. The builder does not compute setup amortization, unit price, freight or taxes. It gives every recipient the same itemization checklist so one-time and recurring charges can be compared with assumptions visible.

Worked examples with computed outputs

Starting scenario: project Example project, format Corrugated box, quantities 500, 1000, 2500, with default placeholder text elsewhere. The row output is Quantity breaks 500, 1000, 2500 and Format Corrugated box. The text repeats those breaks in ascending order and includes the itemization sentence. No price is produced. Changed scenario: same inputs but quantities 1000, 500, 1000. The parser accepts all three tokens, removes the duplicate 1000 and sorts distinct values, so the row output becomes Quantity breaks 500, 1000 and the Quote each quantity line becomes 500, 1000. The format row is unchanged because format is independent of quantity normalization. Asking for the same break twice adds noise without adding a comparison point.

Limits, edge cases and operational checks

An invalid quantity list is the main stopping condition. For example, 500, 0 fails because zero is not a positive whole unit, and 500, 2.5 fails because the value is fractional. The builder does not repair, round or silently drop these values. It also does not send messages, negotiate terms, confirm Teal capabilities or create an order. This is a draft request only. Before use, check that the specification field points to a real dimensioned document, that artwork status is current, that destination and delivery basis match the lanes you want quoted, and that evidence wording is no broader than the scope you can support. The original worksheet method on this page explains quantity normalization and draft assembly; it is not a price source.

Questions about comparable packaging rfq