Recipe: compare two supplier quotes¶
Two suppliers sent you quotes with different prices, delivery fees, minimum orders and payment terms. Give both PDFs to Hermes, tell it how much you buy each month, and get a recommendation with the maths shown line by line.
| Time needed | 5 minutes |
| You need | A Hermes agent connected to an AI model and the two quotes (PDF) |
| Result | The real monthly cost of each quote, a recommendation, and the points that are not about price |
1. Upload the two quotes¶
In the dashboard, open FILES, go into the workspace folder and click UPLOAD (see Hermes reads a contract for you). Upload both PDFs.
For our test we made two quotes for coffee beans for a bakery. Supplier A is more expensive per bag, but delivery is free above 600 EUR and you pay 30 days later. Supplier B is cheaper per bag, but always charges delivery and wants payment in advance:
2. Ask for the comparison¶
The most important thing to tell Hermes is how much you buy and how often you order. Fees per order and free-delivery limits change the result. In CHAT we wrote:
Read workspace/quote-supplier-a.pdf and workspace/quote-supplier-b.pdf (two quotes for the coffee beans of my bakery). We use 40 bags a month and order once a month. Compare them: monthly cost of each (coffee + delivery, before VAT), minimum order and payment terms. Recommend one and show the maths. Does the answer change if we need 60 bags a month?
- Hermes reads both PDFs (Read File).
- It puts the conditions side by side and gives its recommendation first: Supplier B, on price alone.
- The maths for 40 bags: A costs 580.00 EUR a month (568 + 12 delivery, because the order is under 600 EUR), B costs 570.00 EUR (552 + 18). B is 10 EUR a month cheaper, about 120 EUR a year.
- Without being asked, Hermes also found the break-even point: A is only cheaper at 43 or 44 bags, where its free delivery starts; at 45 bags both cost 639 EUR.
Under Things to weigh, Hermes listed what the price does not show: B must be paid before shipping and takes 5 working days instead of 3, and the two quotes are for different coffee blends, so you should taste both first.
Check that it worked¶
We calculated every number ourselves before writing this recipe. All were correct:
| Monthly volume | Supplier A | Supplier B | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 bags | 568.00 + 12.00 = 580.00 EUR | 552.00 + 18.00 = 570.00 EUR | B, by 10.00 EUR |
| 60 bags | 852.00 + 0.00 = 852.00 EUR | 828.00 + 18.00 = 846.00 EUR | B, by 6.00 EUR |
The break-even analysis (A cheaper only at 43-44 bags, equal at 45) was also correct.
To check your own result, redo one line with a calculator: quantity × unit price, plus the delivery fee if the order is under the free-delivery limit. If that line matches, the rest was done the same way.
Make it yours¶
- More than two quotes: "Compare these three quotes and put them in a table from cheapest to most expensive."
- Add your own costs: "We pay suppliers by bank transfer, which costs us 1 EUR each time. Include that."
- Ask for a reply: "Write a short email to supplier A asking if they can match B's price."
Common problems¶
Hermes compared the wrong amounts
Say clearly how much you buy and how often you order (for example "40 bags a month, one order a month"). With two orders a month, delivery fees count twice and the result can change.
Are the prices with or without VAT?
Ask Hermes to say it in the answer, as we did ("before VAT"). Our quotes said excluding VAT and Hermes kept it that way. If one quote includes VAT and the other does not, tell Hermes to compare both without VAT.
The recommendation is not what I would choose
Price is only one part. Hermes lists the other points (payment terms, delivery time, product), but you know your cash flow and your customers. Tell it what matters most, for example "We cannot pay in advance", and ask again.