> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.kwentra.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Compare Vendor Prices in Purchase Requests

> Compare what each vendor charges for a request line's item, pick one of the three cheapest, and have the price filled in.

Compare vendor prices for a request line's item and pick one. The unit price and vendor fill in themselves.

### **Business Value**

* Shows what every vendor charges before the price is typed.
* Fills the unit price and vendor from the price you pick.
* Limits selection to the three cheapest offers.
* Marks expired quotes. Old prices are not used by mistake.
* Prints the best offers per line for the approver.

### **Use Cases**

* Buyer compares three vendors on a request line and takes the cheapest.
* Purchasing manager approves a request and sees the alternatives on the printout.
* Cost controller checks that a line was raised against a current price.

### **How It Works**

| **Where:** Back Office → Purchasing → Purchase Requests |
| - |

Before, the buyer typed the unit price on each line by hand. There was no view of what other vendors charge. The request line is now connected to [Vendor Price Lists](/back-office/purchasing/vendor-price-lists).

#### **The Comparison Icon**

An icon sits next to the **unit price** on each line item. Click it to open the comparison for that line's item.

The icon appears only when both of these are true:

* **You are the request's buyer.** For everyone else the price is read-only, and the icon is hidden.
* **The line's item has prices recorded.** An item with no price list shows no icon. Neither does a new row with no item chosen.

The icon appears and disappears as you change the item on the line.

#### **The Comparison Window**

The window lists every recorded vendor price for the item:

| Shown per row | |
| - | - |
| **Vendor** | Who offers the price |
| **Unit** | The unit it is quoted in |
| **Price** | Price per unit |
| **Valid From → Valid To** | The validity period |
| **Valid / Expired** | Whether the price still applies today |

The **three cheapest prices are listed first. They are the only ones you can pick.** The rest are shown below for reference.

Close the window with the **×** in its header or the **Close** button.

#### **Picking a Price**

Picking one of the three cheapest fills in the **unit price** and the **vendor** on that line. The line total is worked out again as quantity × unit price − discount. The window then closes.

#### **On the Printout**

The Purchase Request print shows the **three cheapest vendor prices** under each item that has them. The approver sees the alternatives without opening the system.

* The price **picked** on the line is marked when it is one of those three.
* **Expired** quotes are marked.
* A line whose item has no recorded prices prints nothing extra.

| **Note:** In the comparison window, the three lowest prices are the ones you can pick. Validity is shown next to each price, but it does not change what you can pick. The printout is stricter. It takes its three best from the prices valid on the date. |
| - |

| **Note:** Prices are read from the Price Lists in the property's base currency. When an item has no price list, the icon stays hidden and the printout is unchanged. The window reads "No price lists found". |
| - |


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