Enquiry Management

An Enquiry (internally called a "Job" in tender/pre-execution stage) represents a specific project opportunity that a prospect wants to execute. Each enquiry is linked to a prospect and serves as the container for the Bill of Quantities (BOQ), site surveys, cost estimates, quotes, and tender submissions. An enquiry is the bridge between a sales opportunity and an execution-ready job.

Enquiry Lifecycle

The enquiry workflow follows a structured path from creation through quoting to contract conversion:

Creating an Enquiry

Enquiries are always created in the context of a specific prospect. You access the Add Enquiry form from within a prospect record.

1. Navigate to Preconstruction → Prospects
2. Click the Edit (pencil) icon on the target prospect card
3. From the prospect context, navigate to Add Enquiry (the system passes the prospect ID automatically)
4. Complete all required fields (marked with *)
5. Click Save to create the enquiry
6. The system generates a unique job code (e.g., OMNISVC-G-34855) and creates the enquiry record

Add Enquiry Form Fields

View Enquiry Page

After creating an enquiry, the View Enquiry page provides a comprehensive workspace organized into several sections:

Page Sections

The Five Tabs

Adding BOQ Items

The Requirements (BOQ) tab is where you build the Bill of Quantities for the enquiry. BOQ items define the scope of work and form the basis for all quote types. There are three methods for adding BOQ items:

Method 1: WBS/Scopes Selection

Select from your organization's pre-defined Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and scope library. This is the fastest method for standard, repeatable services.

1. Open the enquiry and navigate to the Requirements (BOQ) tab
2. Click the Add from WBS button
3. Browse or search the WBS template library
4. Select the scope items relevant to this enquiry
5. Confirm selection — items are added with default UOM, rate, and quantity
6. Edit individual line items as needed (rate, quantity, notes)

Method 2: Excel File Upload

Import client-provided BOQs directly from an Excel spreadsheet. Best for custom projects with unique line items.

1. Open the enquiry and navigate to the Requirements (BOQ) tab
2. Click the Upload BOQ button
3. Download the BOQ template file (BOQFormat.xlsx) if you don't have it
4. Fill in the template with BOQ line items: code, description, UOM, rate, quantity
5. Upload the completed Excel file
6. Review the import summary and confirm

Method 3: Copy from Survey

If a site survey has been conducted for this enquiry, you can copy the BOQ items generated during the survey directly into the enquiry's requirements.

1. Ensure a site survey has been completed under the Survey tab
2. Navigate to the Requirements (BOQ) tab
3. Click the Copy BOQ From Survey button
4. Select the survey to copy from (if multiple surveys exist)
5. Review and confirm the imported BOQ items

BOQ Item Fields

Each BOQ line item in the enquiry has the following fields:

Bid Decision (Go/No-Go)

The Bid Decision tab is a governance checkpoint. Before investing time and resources in preparing a detailed quote, the team should formally decide whether to pursue the opportunity.

1. Open the enquiry and click the Bid Decision tab
2. Review the opportunity details (prospect, scope, competition, timeline)
3. Record the decision: Go (proceed with quoting) or No-Go (decline)
4. Add justification notes explaining the rationale
5. Save the decision

Linking to a Tender/RFP

If the enquiry involves a formal tender or RFP process, you can link it to a tender record directly from the View Enquiry page.

1. On the View Enquiry page, find the Tender/RFP section
2. Click the Add Tender/RFP button
3. Fill in the tender details (submission date, opening date, EMD requirements, etc.)
4. Save to link the tender to this enquiry

For detailed tender management, see Tenders.

Managing Partners

The Partners section at the bottom of the View Enquiry page lets you associate subcontractors, vendors, and other partners with this enquiry. This is useful for tracking who will be involved in executing the project.

Converting to Execution

When a prospect is won and the enquiry moves to execution, the following conversions happen:

Best Practices

• Name enquiries descriptively — use the project name and location (e.g., "Construction of 7 Storey Hotel Building at Wadala Mumbai") rather than generic names
• Set the correct BU first — the Business Unit determines the job code prefix and affects reporting groupings
• Always do a Bid Decision before investing in detailed pricing — it prevents wasted effort on low-probability opportunities
• Use WBS templates for repeatable service types to save time and ensure consistency across enquiries
• Validate the BOQ template format before uploading — download and inspect BOQFormat.xlsx first
• Mark non-billable items using the Billable checkbox — these track internal cost but are excluded from client invoices
• Link to Tender/RFP early if the project involves a formal tender process — this ensures deadline tracking
• Add partners proactively — identifying subcontractors during the enquiry phase helps with accurate cost estimation

Troubleshooting