Quotations & Route Rates
Store vendor buying rates by route and container type, issue quotations on top of them, and convert accepted quotes into jobs.
Sales work in Routel starts with two records: the route rate, which is what a vendor charges you for a lane, and the quotation, which is what you charge the customer for it. Keeping both in the system means a quote is never built on an expired price, and an accepted quote turns into a job without anyone re-typing it.
Route rates
A route rate is one vendor's buying price for one lane and one equipment type, valid for a period.
| Vendor | The carrier, NVOCC or co-loader offering the rate. |
|---|---|
| Origin / destination | Port of loading and port of discharge. |
| Container type | 20GP, 40GP, 40HC and so on. One rate per type. |
| Currency and amount | The buying price in the vendor's currency, usually USD for ocean freight. |
| Valid from / valid to | The validity window. Expired rates are hidden from quotation by default. |
| Notes | Free-text: surcharges included, transit time, routing, anything Sales should know before quoting. |
Keeping rates current
Rates change often. Routel does not delete expired rates; it keeps them for history and stops offering them when you build a quotation. When a vendor sends a new rate sheet, add the new rates with their new validity window. Old and new can coexist, and the quotation screen only shows what is valid on the day.
Ask the assistant to add rates
"Add a route rate: Maersk, Port Klang to Jebel Ali, 40HC, USD 1,450, valid to 31 December." The assistant proposes the rate with every field filled; you confirm it. See AI Assistant.
Quotations
A quotation is issued to a customer for a route and equipment, priced on top of a selected buying rate.
Choose the customer
Customer details, payment terms and credit limit come from the customer record. See Vendors & Customers.
Pick the lane and equipment
Origin, destination and container type. Routel lists the route rates that are valid for that combination.
Select a buying rate and set the selling price
Pick the vendor rate you intend to use. Enter the selling price per container or as a total; the expected margin is shown as you type.
Add other charges
Terminal handling, documentation, haulage, customs or any line the customer will be billed for.
Set the quote validity and send
The quotation is numbered and rendered as a PDF for the customer.
Quotation status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Being prepared. Not yet sent. |
| Sent | Issued to the customer. |
| Accepted | Customer agreed. Ready to convert. |
| Declined | Customer said no. Kept for the record. |
| Expired | Validity date passed without acceptance. |
Converting a quotation into a job
Open an accepted quotation and choose Convert to job. Routel creates the job with the customer, route, equipment, selling lines and the vendor rate carried across as the expected vendor cost. Operations then completes the booking, containers and B/L. See Shipments & Jobs.
The quotation stays linked to the job, so anyone can see what was promised against what was billed.
Through the assistant
"Quote Al Noor Trading for a 40HC Port Klang to Jeddah using the Maersk rate" produces a proposed quotation with the valid rate selected and the customer's usual charges added. Confirm to issue it.
Who can do this
Sales and Admin manage route rates and quotations. Operations converts accepted quotations into jobs. Management can view all quotations and the margin on each.