Quote Analysis FAQ

Can I run an analysis as quotes arrive, or do I have to wait?

Yes, we highly recommend it. You should run an analysis as soon as you have two or three quotes to get an early understanding of scope and pricing.

You can then use the 'Re-run Analysis' function each time you upload a new or revised quote. Remember, re-running the analysis generates a brand new report that will replace the previous one.

Does the tool work for all trades?

Yes, the tool is trade-agnostic and can analyse quotes for any package.

However, the accuracy of the analysis is directly related to the clarity of the quote provided by the subcontractor or supplier. Well-structured, clearly written quotes will yield the best results.

Is an analysis visible to other users in my account once it’s run?

Yes. Once an analysis has been run, it is available to all users who have access to that project within your E1 account, allowing your team to review, collaborate on, and make decisions based on the same analysis.

The analysis is not visible to anyone outside of your account, including subcontractors or suppliers.

How can I share or export the analysis results?

• Sharing: You can share the report by copying the unique web address (URL) from your browser. Please note: Only team members who have been granted access to this specific project in E1 will be able to view the link.

• Exporting: You can export the quote analysis via the ‘Print or PDF’ button at the top right of the report.

You can also copy the table of data and paste into a spreadsheet. Click the ‘Copy Table’ button which is located in the Overview section, then paste the copied data into your spreadsheet.

Can I edit or adjust the analysis results?

Not at the moment. Quote Analysis is designed as an efficiency and support tool to highlight key risks, discrepancies, and scope differences.

Think of the report as a structured starting point. You can use the AI’s findings to inform your decisions and then continue refining or adjusting your analysis within your existing estimating workflows.

How you can help improve the results: While you cannot edit the text within the report directly, we encourage you to provide feedback if you notice areas for improvement. This helps us continue enhancing the feature for all users:

• Section Feedback: Use the thumbs up/down buttons for individual sections.

• General Feedback: Use the Share Feedback button in the top right of the report.

What is the BoQ comparison functionality in Quote Analysis?

Quote Analysis now allows you to upload a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) to act as a source of truth for your comparisons. When you start an analysis, a new 2-step setup gives you the option to upload a package-specific BOQ to use as the report's structure.

Why use it? Instead of only comparing quotes to each other, the AI anchors the analysis to your specific BOQ line items. This makes it easier to:

• Identify scope gaps where every subcontractor missed an item.

• Review inclusions and exclusions in a consistent, familiar format.

• Ensure repeatable results every time you re-run the analysis.

Is uploading a BoQ required?

No, it is entirely optional. You can continue to use Quote Analysis as you always have by comparing quotes directly to each other.

Why consider adding one?

While not required, uploading a BOQ acts as an "anchor" for the AI analysis. This provides:

• Better Structure: Results are organised by your specific line items rather than AI-generated categories.

• Higher Accuracy: It helps in the identification of "universal gaps", items required by your BoQ that every subcontractor may have missed.

• Increased Consistency: Your report layout remains stable and predictable every time you re-run the analysis.

Why compare quotes to a BoQ instead of to each other?

When quotes are only compared to each other, gaps can be missed if all subcontractors exclude the same scope.

By comparing quotes to a BoQ, you can:

• Identify missing scope more reliably

• Ensure all required items are accounted for

• Analyse quotes against what should be included, not just what was submitted.

Is the quote limit still 5 when using a BoQ?

Yes, the current limit of 2 to 5 quotes per analysis currently applies.

You can include a BoQ alongside those quotes to structure the comparison, but the quote limit is currently capped at 5.

Can I update the BoQ once an analysis has been done?

Yes. You can re-run the analysis with a new BoQ by deleting the previous one and uploading a new one.

What happens when I re-run an analysis with the same BoQ if I have new quotes?

When you re-run an analysis with the same BoQ:

• The BoQ structure remains consistent

• New or updated quotes are mapped into that same structure

• The report is regenerated with updated comparisons

This helps ensure more consistent, repeatable outputs across analysis runs.

What happens if a BoQ line item is missing from all quotes?

The analysis will highlight that the item is not covered in any of the submitted quotes, helping you identify potential scope gaps early and seek clarification if required.

Can I export the BoQ-aligned analysis results?

Yes. You can export the analysis (via Print or PDF), and because it is structured against your BoQ, it is easier to carry into your estimating workflows for further use.

What if my BoQ structure doesn’t match how subcontractors price their quotes?

This is expected. Subcontractors often use their own internal formats, which is why Quote Analysis uses AI to bridge that gap.

The tool intelligently maps subcontractor quotes back to your BOQ structure, creating a consistent basis for comparison across every line item.

How it works:

• Intelligent Mapping: The AI interprets the intent of the quote to match it with your specific BOQ items.

• Highlighting Ambiguity: Where an alignment is unclear or a quote is vague, the tool will highlight these as gaps or ambiguities.

• Risk Identification: This allows you to quickly spot where a subcontractor may have ‘bundled’ items or excluded a specific requirement entirely, so you can address it in your clarifications.

Can I compare one quote against a BoQ?

Not at the moment. The Quote Analysis tool currently requires a minimum of two quotes to run.

We recognise the value of analysing a single quote against a BOQ to identify gaps or exclusions as soon as they land in your inbox. While this is something we are exploring for the future, our current focus is on providing a consistent, anchored structure for multi-quote comparisons.

What are the file limits?

• Quotes:
  • 2–5 quotes per analysis.

  • Max 10MB per file.

  • Supported: PDF, TXT, MD, HTML, CSV. For Quotes, please convert any .XLSX files to a supported format, like PDF before uploading.

  • Currently, additional files are not included in the Quote Analysis

• BoQ: 1 file per analysis. Max 10MB. Supported: Excel (.XLSX), PDF.

• Note: Microsoft Word (.DOCX) and Email files (.MSG) are not currently supported.

What is the ideal format of a BoQ?

Quote Analysis works best with a clean, package-specific BOQ (e.g., just ‘Electrical’ or "Hydraulic Services") that clearly reflects the scope you are analysing.

In most cases, your standard export is sufficient and won't require reformatting, provided it is well-structured and under the 10MB limit.

General Best Practices:

• Keep it trade-specific: Only include the specific trade package you are analysing. Remove unrelated sections to improve accuracy.

• Clear descriptions: Ensure each line item is clearly defined so the AI can accurately match it to subcontractor quotes.

• Simplify the layout: Avoid excessive notes, duplicated sections, or non-scope details that can clutter the data.

Guidance by File Type:

Callout: Performance Tip: If an Excel file is very complex or large, try exporting the specific sheet as a PDF (A3 size). This often provides the cleanest ‘snapshot’ for the AI to process.

Can I upload a full project BoQ instead of a package-specific BoQ?

No. Quote Analysis is currently optimised for package-specific BOQs only.

Full project BOQs are not supported, and uploading one will likely result in errors. This is because full project files are often too large and contain significant amounts of data irrelevant to the specific trade package being analysed.

To ensure your analysis runs successfully and produces accurate, manageable results, we recommend uploading a BOQ that aligns closely with the trade package you are currently reviewing (e.g., uploading only the ‘Landscaping’ section of your BOQ for a landscaping package analysis).

Can I upload a Scope of Works instead of a BoQ?

Yes, you can—but we recommend caution. While Quote Analysis is currently optimised for package-specific BOQs, the system will not stop you from uploading a Scope of Works (SOW) or similar document. However, results will vary based on how the document is structured.

For the best results with an SOW:

• Use clear line items: The AI works best when descriptions are distinct and easy to categorise.

• Keep it package-specific: Ensure the SOW only contains information relevant to the trade package you are analysing.

• Avoid prose-heavy files: Documents with long paragraphs of text (rather than structured lists) may be more difficult for the AI to match accurately.

Callout -  Our recommendation: For the most accurate and consistent analysis, we advise using a package-specific BOQ whenever possible.

What should I do if I get an error?

If your analysis fails to generate, follow these steps to resolve the issue:

1. Check BOQ Guidelines: Ensure your file is package-specific, under 10MB, and contains clear line items rather than pages of generic project notes.

2. Simplify and Re-upload: Remove unnecessary data, hidden columns, or unrelated trade sections and try running the analysis again.

3. Change the File Format:
   • If using Excel: Try exporting the relevant sheet as a PDF and re-running. A clean PDF often processes more reliably than complex spreadsheets.

   • If using PDF: Try re-exporting the file with a larger page size (e.g., A3). This increases the white space around text and improves AI readability.

Callout - We’re on it: We monitor all system errors behind the scenes and are constantly working to improve performance and reliability for complex files.

Does it work with scanned PDFs or handwritten markups?

The tool can process text within scanned images in a PDF, but accuracy may vary. We always recommend using text-based PDFs where possible. Handwritten markups are not currently supported.

• Scanned PDFs: Yes, the tool can read text from scanned documents. However, the accuracy can be lower if the scan quality is poor. For best results, always use original, text-based PDFs.

• Handwritten Markups: No. Handwritten notes, comments, or markups on a quote are not recognised or included in the analysis.

Why aren’t some citations showing?

Where possible, Quote Analysis shows citations to indicate where information was found in the source quotes.

However, citations may not always be available. This can happen when the content is difficult to reference precisely, for example, if it is embedded within images, scanned documents, or complex formatting.

For best results, we recommend using clear, text-based documents where possible.

How is our data used? Will it be used to train AI models or be shared with others?

No, your data is never used to train any large language models or shared with third parties.

When using the Quote Analysis feature, the system processes only the quotes you explicitly select from your uploaded data. The input data is not retained or used for training by E1 or any third party. The analysis output is only available to your company for your internal use.

All data is handled according to E1’s policies. You can view the following resources for details on E1’s data usage and AI processing:

• AI disclaimer

• Terms & Conditions

• Trust Centre

Why is Quote Analysis unavailable on some projects (e.g. Defence)?

Quote Analysis may be automatically disabled for certain project types, such as Defence projects.

These projects often involve highly sensitive or confidential information. To support responsible use of AI and protect customer data, Quote Analysis is not available in these cases.

For all other projects, it is the responsibility of your team to determine whether it is appropriate to use Quote Analysis based on the sensitivity of the documents being uploaded.

Does the Quote Analysis tool include other sources of information?

Quote Analysis looks at the content of the quotes selected, as well as a Bill of Quantities (BoQ) if you have uploaded one for the package. It doesn't include the project documents or other external sources of information yet.

How accurate is the Quote Analysis? Can I trust it 100%?

No. While powerful, AI can make mistakes or misinterpret complex, ambiguous, or poorly written quotes. You should treat the analysis as a highly capable assistant, not as a final authority. It is essential that you use your professional judgement and expertise to verify all findings before making any decisions.

Does this replace my professional review? Who is responsible for the final bid?

Quote Analysis is a decision-support tool designed to complement your expertise, not replace it. It provides a powerful first pass to help you work faster and spot potential issues you might have missed.

However, the final call and ultimate responsibility for interpreting the quotes and finalising the tender always rests with your team’s expertise. For more detail, please Read our AI Disclaimer.

Will the tool flag if a quote is unclear or contradictory?

The tool is specifically designed to identify and highlight ambiguities, rather than interpreting them. For example, it will not flag something as "wrong," but it will highlight if a key scope item was not mentioned or if the language used is unclear. It avoids making guesses, which in itself helps you identify areas that require clarification with the subcontractor or supplier.

Can the AI be customised or learn from my projects?

Not at this time. Each analysis is a fresh, standalone process and does not learn from your historical project data. We are exploring customisation for the future and would love to hear what would be most valuable to you.

Can subcontractors view the BoQs uploaded for Quote Analysis?

No, subcontractors will not receive the BoQs for access in any way.