Writing a request for quote is an important task that should be completed before you start considering and contacting software houses. To ensure successful two-way communication with the software house, your request should be detailed and comprehensive. In this way, you will increase chances of developing a system that will be precisely tailored to meet your needs.
What is a request for quote?
It is a description of all the elements that you want to have in your application. That is why it is important to include in your request the details of functions and modules that are to be built into the system, the number of users, or a description of the processes that you want the system to support.
What should be included in the request for quote?
Apart from your contact details and the specification of the type of your business (e.g. manufacturing or consulting company, language school, etc.), your request should also determine the below elements:
- The scope of functions and the specification of modules, e.g. calendar, customer profiles, warehouse. Based on that information, the software house will begin to pre-design your solution.
- The number of users along with the authorization levels within the software. This number will determine the size of the solution.
- Will there be a need for integration with external systems, e.g. email software.
- Who will be using the system? Will that be only internal employees or contractors as well? This will determine the levels of authorization for particular users.
- Do you want any data to be available for users that are not logged in? This would be the case e.g. in case of online shops.
- Description of requirements for data security, i.e. the choice of the servers, connection encryption, etc.
- Do you plan to develop the system further in the future? Initial identification of areas where the software will be further developed will help to efficiently design the solution.
- Do you have any preferences in terms of the application appearance? Any details of the graphic design will then be reflected in the documentation and the mockup.
Who should write the request for quote?
The author of the request can be the person ordering the application or the relevant person in the company responsible for this question. It is worth to prepare the request consulting it with the future users of the application who may provide their own suggestions for the solution to be developed. The most important is to ensure the request has as much detailed information as possible, which will serve as a base for preparing the documentation and the mockup of the application. That is why the points of the request need to be presented in a clear and understandable way so that the IT advisor can interpret and approach it correctly. A good idea is to send the request for quotation as a text file with a table of contents to make it clearer.
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