In this month's edition of our Tips and Tricks series, our Support Team Director, Brandy, discusses how to use the Costs Page in Details. If you missed our live webinar, here is a complete session recap!

What is the Costs Page?

The Costs Page allows you to request quotes from partner wholesalers within the system seamlessly. By leveraging the cost page and wholesale quotes feature in Details Flowers Software, event professionals can optimize their cost management and procurement strategies. Whether you're a floral designer, event planner, or a professional in the wedding industry, understanding cost management and streamlining your procurement process is crucial for success. Let's dive in!

Accessing the Costs Page

There are several ways to access the costs page. The first way can be done through the Event List, which is the screen you will see every time you log into your account. This page houses all of your different events. From here, you will right-click on the name of the event that you are wanting to access. A list will drop down with several options. You will select: 'Costs', and a new tab with your Costs Page will appear. Alternatively, you can access the Costs Page if you are already within an event by clicking on 'Costs' at the top of the screen. 

Navigating the Costs Page

Once you are on the Costs Page, there will be several different sections. In the upper right-hand corner, the first thing you will see is the 'Cost Info' Section. This section will list out: 

• The Event Grand Total
• Your Projected Expenses
• Your Actual Costs (this will update as you begin to fill out the page)
• Under/Over Projection By
• Need By Date

Additionally, there will be a 'Wholesale Quotes' section to the right and an area with your selected Items listed on the bottom half of the screen (we will discuss these two sections below). 

How to Request a Quote

 To the right of the 'Cost Info,' you will see the 'Wholesale Quotes' section. We are partnered with some amazing wholesalers who can order directly through Details! Select a wholesaler to request a quote from for the items you are going to need. Follow these steps to build your quote:

• Select a few items or select all items at once by clicking 'Check All' in the bottom right-hand corner. 
• Adjust the 'Ask Price/Stem' or keep the price that is pulled from the listed price of the item in your 'Item Gallery'
• Adjust the 'Quantity' for the number you would like to order is different from the amount listed, which is pulled from the quantity listed on the 'Worksheet'
• Click 'Save & Send' to send the quote to the wholesaler

You can keep track of your sent quotes from this page as well. Chat with the wholesaler using the 'Messages' section, see information about the wholesaler using the 'Seller' section, and view information about your quote, including the asking total, using the 'Quote Info' section!

If your wholesaler is not listed, you can always request a wholesaler using the 'Request A Wholesaler' form. Though we can't guarantee we will add them to our list of wholesalers, this will help us to reach out in the future!

You can also set the wholesalers you would like to see at the top of your costs page by clicking 'Set Wholesalers' and toggling the wholesalers on or off. 

As an added feature, if your event contains items from Accent Decor, you will be able to order from them directly through Details! 

Note: Certain items have a minimum purchase amount/increment that must be met. If the amount is not met, the system will round up to the required amount before continuing. 

Once you have accepted your quote and ordered your products, it's time to fill out your 'Costs' page! Fill in the 'Quantity Ordered' and your 'Stem Cost'. This will give you your 'Total Cost' per item, your 'Actual Total', and your 'Over/Under By' amount. 

As you fill out this information, the status for each item will update. You can also manually update each item's status by clicking on the status area to the left of each item to reveal the list of status options. 

If you enter in a 'Quantity Ordered' that is less than the 'Quantity Needed', you will see the 'Quantity Ordered' field turn a peach color to let you know you will need to order more. You can download a CSV from this page or, print it off for your records.

Requesting Quotes from Wholesalers

Details Flowers is partnered with some of the top suppliers to bring you beautiful, fresh blooms at great prices! If you currently send your orders to one of our partners, you're able to use the RFQ (request for quote) feature within Details. Even if they are not your preferred supplier, you can still send an RFQ to compare prices. If your preferred supplier is not a part of the available wholesalers on Details, you can download or print the order and send it to your supplier via email. Below, find out how to do both!

How to print or download the Costs table:

• Click either the 'Download CSV' button or the 'Print Table' button.
• Each will produce a file will all data on the table - you can hide certain columns (as needed) on the CSV file.

To send an RFQ to one of our partners:

• Click the button for one of our suppliers (you can do this more than once if you want to compare prices from multiple suppliers).
• In the box that pops up, select the blooms you would like to add to the quote.
• Click 'Add to Quote'
• On the next page, scroll toward the bottom. At this time, update your stems to match common stems/bunch so the supplier will be able to quote everything accurately.
• Add in a message to the supplier - this is optional, but if you're going to potentially start a relationship, it's always nice to introduce yourself! You can also add in any specific requirements at this time.
• To send the message, click 'Send' below the message box.
• To send the RFQ, click 'Save and Send' at the bottom.
• Once the RFQ has been sent, you'll see the log at the top of your Costs page. Details will also fill in the table with your ordered quantity.
• Special Note: Sending the message does not send the quote!

Accepting/rejecting a quote:

• Once a wholesaler sends a quote back, you'll receive an email notification. Click to view the quote, otherwise, go to the Costs page of the event at a later time. You can find the quote at the top-right of the Costs page.
• Click the wholesaler name to view the quote and accept or reject it - you can also see the prices in the table below.
• Scroll to the bottom to find your requested blooms. Click the 'X' to reject it. Click the green checkmark to accept it.
• Once accepted, the quote will move into the order stages. You and the supplier will partner to create an account and move forward with the order.
• Special Note: Your quote does not move into the ordering stages until you accept the items. There is no obligation when requesting a quote!

Exporting the Costs Report

Export the report directly to your computer as a CSV file or print the file using the buttons in the upper right-hand corner of your item list.

By leveraging the cost page and wholesale quotes feature, event professionals can optimize their cost management and procurement strategies. We hope this blog post has provided valuable insights into mastering cost management and wholesale quotes with Details Flowers Software. Stay tuned for more informative content to help you make the most of this powerful software. Happy event planning!

Watch the full Webinar replay below!