Compare Vendor Quotes in ChatGPT by Uploading the Files

1. Save a copy of each quote. Never edit the original.
2. In the copy, remove the client's name, the delivery address and any account numbers. Use a PDF editor to redact, or retype the line items into a clean document.
3. Rename each file with the vendor and the project code, for example "Vendor A - Maple Street sofa".

What you should see: Cleaned copies with no personal details, next to your untouched originals. Troubleshooting: Scanned quotes that are pictures can be read badly. Use the vendor's digital PDF if you can.

1. Open ChatGPT and start a new chat. A regular chat is enough, with no project needed.
2. Look for the attachment control near the message box (usually a plus sign or paperclip).
3. Attach the cleaned quotes. Wait until every file shows as attached.

What you should see: The files listed in the message box. Troubleshooting: If you do not see an attachment control, your plan or app version may not support uploads. Check ChatGPT's help pages for your plan, or paste the cleaned text of each quote instead.

Paste the prompt in the "Your First Real Task" section. The key rules: use only what the quotes say, copy wording as printed, mark gaps as "not stated", and list questions for the vendor rather than guessing.

What you should see: ChatGPT working through the files and replying with a table. Troubleshooting: If it asks which file is which, tell it the vendor labels from the filenames.

1. Look at the table: one row per line item, one column per vendor.
2. Look at the "Not stated or unclear" list.
3. Note anything that looks odd, such as a quantity that differs between vendors.

What you should see: A table with quantities, lead times as stated, delivery or freight terms and exclusions, followed by a list of unclear items. Troubleshooting: If the table is too wide, ask for one table per vendor.

This step is not optional.

1. Open each original quote beside the table.
2. Check every number: quantity, unit, lead time wording, delivery terms and every exclusion.
3. Check that no line was dropped, and that nothing in the table is missing from the quote.
4. Correct the table by hand.

What you should see: A comparison you have personally confirmed. Troubleshooting: If you find errors in several rows, ask ChatGPT to redo the comparison one vendor at a time. Then verify again. Do not use the table for ordering until it matches the quotes.

1. Copy the "Not stated or unclear" list.
2. Edit it to suit each vendor and add your own questions.
3. Send each vendor only their own questions, never another vendor's numbers.

What you should see: A short, specific email per vendor. Troubleshooting: If a question depends on another vendor's pricing, rewrite it so it does not reveal the other quote.

1. When the comparison is finished, delete the chat using ChatGPT's own controls.
2. Keep your verified table in your own files.

What you should see: A chat removed from your history. Troubleshooting: Read ChatGPT's data retention notes to understand what deleting means for your plan.