In industry, a quote is far more than a priced document: it reflects know-how, technical mastery and an ability to respond quickly to customer expectations. And yet, for decades, the go-to tool for quotes has been… Excel.
Why Excel is still the most-used tool
According to a Xero study, more than 70% of industrial SMEs in Europe report using Excel as their primary tool for producing quotes. It's no accident:
- •Total adaptability: Excel can be configured to fit any domain or internal practice.
- •Formatting flexibility: calculations can be exported to Word or PowerPoint to build a presentable offer.
- •Autonomy: every team can update its formulas to reflect its own margins or domain rules.
The limits of Excel
That flexibility has a cost: frequent human errors, lack of traceability, no integration with the CRM. Above all, the tool can't efficiently handle the growing complexity of customer demand.
Example: for an industrial HVAC quote in a 5,000 m² plant, a single formula error can underestimate the number of units required. The result: a quote that's too low and a major financial risk.
Note: even modern CRMs, essential for tracking customer relationships, can't generate technical quotes that require real sizing (quantity calculations, standards compliance, complex configurations).
The arrival of AI: promises and limits
With the generative AI wave, a new perspective opens up: quotes personalised on the fly from a description of the customer's need, automated calculations, faster response times with the ability to hand over a first estimate during the customer meeting.
However, AI alone quickly shows its limits: tedious configuration if it isn't connected to the company's specific domain, uneven reliability, and complicated updates whenever a price or regulation changes.
DARYL: the power of AI, the rigour of Excel
The intelligent business assistant doesn't replace Excel — it builds on it:
- •It configures itself directly from your existing Excel files and internal practices.
- •It embeds your sector's rules and standards, ensuring compliant diagnostics and quotes.
- •It improves as it works alongside your teams, thanks to field feedback.
A new era
Excel has long been — and remains — a valuable tool for industrial quoting. But in a market where every minute matters, it's now showing its limits. DARYL offers the best of both worlds: the rigour and personalisation of your Excel models, combined with the efficiency and speed of AI.
