Quoting with spreadsheets makes you want to set your computer on fire
We've all done it. You open Excel, build a formula for material cost, add another for cut time, realize the pierce count was wrong, fix it, break three other cells, and then wonder why you ever thought running a fab shop would be fun.
Why spreadsheet quoting never quite works
You're doing geometry homework every time
Open the DXF in CAD. Measure cut lengths by hand. Count pierce points. Calculate bounding box. Multiply by... wait, what was the formula again?
The formulas get weird over time
You started with a simple sheet. Now there are 47 columns, nested IF statements, and cells referencing cells that reference other cells. Good luck debugging that.
One wrong cell = completely wrong quote
You fat-fingered a material thickness. Or dragged a formula wrong. You don't catch it until the job is done and you've lost money.
You still have to figure out the hard stuff
Cut length? Manual measurement. Pierce count? Count by hand. Material usage? Guess and pray. Spreadsheets do math - they don't understand geometry.
Version control is "Quote_final_FINAL_v3.xlsx"
Which version did you send? Which one did they accept? Is this the one with the updated material price? Nobody knows.
Consistency across quotes? What consistency?
Different formulas in different files. Rates that were current six months ago. Every quote is a little different, and not on purpose.
Customer back-and-forth is chaos
They want a revision. Now you're managing quote versions across email attachments, trying to figure out what changed since the last version you sent.
You can't explain your pricing
Customer asks "why is it this much?" and you have to reverse-engineer your own spreadsheet to figure out how you got that number.
How to escape the spreadsheet trap
Let software extract the geometry
Upload the DXF. Get cut length, pierce count, bounding box, and rapid moves automatically. No manual measurement, no human error.
Set your rates once, use them everywhere
Configure machine rates (cut speed, pierce time, operating cost) and material prices (sheet size, cost, minimum utilization) once. They apply to every quote.
Get material usage from nesting, not guesswork
See how parts actually fit on sheets before you quote. Know your billable sheet count based on real nesting, not theoretical part area.
See the pricing breakdown before sending
Material + machine time + services = total. Every number traces back to configured rates. Mistakes are visible before the customer sees them.
Share a link instead of an attachment
Customers see a professional quote page. They can accept, reject, or request changes. Revisions update the same link - no email archaeology.
Track history automatically
Every quote has a timeline: created, sent, viewed, accepted, revised. You can explain what changed and when.
What NanoQuote does that spreadsheets can't
Automatic geometry extraction
Upload a DXF and get cut length, pierce count, and part dimensions. No measuring, no counting, no calculator.
Real nesting preview
See how parts fit on sheets. Know your actual material usage before you commit to a price.
Pricing you can trace and explain
Every number in the quote traces back to a configured rate. "Why is it this much?" has a real answer.
Service catalog for common add-ons
Save services like deburring, tapping, and setup. Apply them with one click instead of adding rows to a spreadsheet.
Shareable quote links
Customers see a clean page, not an email attachment. Accept/reject/request changes without logging in.
Quote history and versioning built in
Every change is logged. Revisions update the same link. No more "Quote_v3_final_REAL_final.xlsx".
Why shops stop using spreadsheets
Frequently asked questions
If you've ever spent 20+ minutes measuring a DXF, lost money because a formula was wrong, or struggled to explain your pricing to a customer - yes. The geometry extraction alone saves hours per week for most shops.
You don't have to migrate everything. Start using NanoQuote for new quotes. Your old spreadsheets still exist for reference. Most shops find they rarely need to go back once they have a better system.
Yes - you configure machine rates, material prices, and service definitions. The pricing breakdown shows exactly how each input contributes to the total. You control the inputs; NanoQuote handles the math consistently.
NanoQuote handles the common stuff: material, machine time, setup, services. If you have truly custom calculations, you can use per-batch services or manual adjustments to layer them on top.
NanoQuote counts pierce points automatically from DXF geometry. A part with 100 holes = 101 pierces. The pierce count feeds into your cut time calculation, so complex parts are priced accurately.
The customer quote page can be printed or saved as PDF. You can also send the link and let them access it online. Either way, the content is generated from the same data.
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