Reviewing the AutoQuotes (AQ) File

👉 Every time you see this little emoji, it means you need to do something.

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Introduction to AQ

The folks in the Estimating Department primarily build the AQ file for new projects. They've already ensured everything on that file is as the customer requested. They make the files roughly the same each time; however, depending on the project's complexity, they will organize the file in a way that helps them keep all the details of the construction project organized and more accessible for them to navigate.

The larger or more complicated the construction project, the more it will vary from the typical AQ file.

Ultimately, your job is to take the singular AQ file, build multiple files broken out by Manufacturer, and then export them to NetSuite. To ensure that all the files will export without any errors, you'll need to comb through them and confirm that all the necessary information is present and that they are correctly structured so NetSuite can digest them.

This process can be tedious, but follow these steps, and you will succeed. If you get stuck, contact your Supervisor, who can help you.

Create a Copy of the Master AQ File

WARNING: Do not make any changes to the master AQ file.

Column Order

👉 Verify the column order

After you've opened your AQ file, you should recognize that it looks sort of like a spreadsheet. Just like a spreadsheet, the order of the vertical columns are customizable (if you didn't know that, now you do 😎). The first several columns from left to right should read as follows:

  • ItemNo
  • Mfr
  • Model
  • Qty
  • Unit
  • Category
  • Spec

The order of these columns is important for another document we will look at later called the Project Tracker. If your columns are not in this order, you'll need to change them so that they are.

Value Engineered Items

👉 Check for Value Engineered Items, remove if applicable

By the time you receive access to the AQ File, there shouldn't be any Value Engineered Items on it. If you see any of these, you and/or your Supervisor will need to communicate with the Estimating Department to see if they can be removed. There are rare cases where they do need to remain on the file so it's important to make sure they're needed or if the Estimating Department needs to remove them.

WIP: Need more information on what to look for

ItemNo and Category Columns

👉 Make sure categories are filled out

If a row has information in the ItemNo column, it needs to have information in the Category column as well. Work with your Supervisor if you do not know which category the item needs to be.

WIP: Need more information. The PC shouldn't have to ask a supervisor very often.

Spec Column

In the AQ file, it is common to see multiple lines of information for one ItemNo.

You'll need to clean up the file by removing all unnecessary information in the Spec column. There are two general rules to help you sort out which rows to keep and which rows to delete:

Rule 1

Keep any rows that contain:

  • information in the Model column
  • any information in the Spec column that describes how the unit is powered: gas or electrical information
  • any information in the Spec column that describe the equipment

Rule 2
Delete any rows that contain:

  • Notes in the Spec column
  • Warranty information in the Spec column
NOTE: The Spec column is one of the largest reasons why the export to NetSute fails. Make sure each cell in this column does not exceed 3,000 characters.

Gas or Electric

DEEP DIVE

Gas or Electric
Some of the items can be powered by either gas or electricity and you will need to verify that the correct power type is listed. This is normally going to be in the 'Spec' column as part of the description for the item. If it is not, you will need to review the [drawings] or send the General Contractor a [Request for Information]. Specifying gas or electric in the AQ file is what triggers the type to populate in the cover sheet in the submittals. These submittals are utilzed by PM for rough-ins along with other trades (plumbers, electricians, other trades) to verify proper rough in allocations. If this doesnt occur, the other trades may not supply the proper connections for the equipment. It should also help with the PO requisition, there is a different price based on the type of utility.

Serialization

👉 Identify serialized items and mark accordingly

Many of the items contain a serial number that uniquely identifies that specific piece. It's sort of like the VIN for your vehicle in that your vehicle is one of a kind. For all the items that are serialized, you need to type the word "TRUE" into the SerialNumber ? field.

If you do not see the Serial Number ? field, right click on the column headers and add it.

There is really only one rule that you can apply to determine if the equipment is serialized, it's not perfect, but it will get you 90% of the way to accuracy.

Rule 1

If the item is powered by and/or uses electricity or gas, there's a solid chance it is serialized.

DEEP DIVE

Why identifying serialized items matter.
Arizona Restaurant Supply and the equipment manufacturers use Serial Numbers for warranty purposes. The Serial Number is used to identify a specific piece of equipment. When you do not mark it as serialized in AQ, it will create a non-serialized version in NetSuite, making it virtually impossible to record any work performed on that specific piece of equipment. Furthermore, when you mark the equipment as serialized in AQ, it carries over to NetSuite when you export the AQ file. NetSuite takes all the data for a piece of equipment and looks to see if the item already exists. If the item exists as serialized, but you do not mark it as serialized in AQ, it will create a new inventory record, essentially duplicating the item in NetSuite, making it difficult to reconcile if we need to perform any warranty work.

Matching Customer Info

👉 Confirm that the customer information in AQ matches what NetSuite says. Verbatim.

Sometimes, the Customer information in AutoQuotes does not precisely match the Customer information in NetSuite. It must.

DEEP DIVE

Why does exact matching matter?
Later, you will run an AutoQuotes function that sends the AQ File data to NetSuite. Behind the scenes, NetSuite looks at the Customer information AQ provided and attempts to match it to its equivalent in NetSuite. If even a bit of the Customer information differs, NetSuite will create a new Customer Record. Over time, we will end up with many Customer Records in NetSuite that are supposed to be the same, leading to a cascade of problems that trickle through to the Purchasing and Accounting Departments. Missing this one step, which takes about 5 minutes of your time, can cause other departments to spend a few person-hours trying to fix it.

Factory Quotes

WIP: Need to add information.

Factory Installation

WIP: Need to add information.
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