How RMDI Inside Rep calculates proposals, exchanges and forecasts

What price list do these examples use?

A made-up Acme price list of devices, components, instrument kits and consumables. Your own list works the same way, whatever you sell.

REF   | Description              | Category        | List    | Floor
D-100 | Acme Device 3.5mm        | Devices         | 425.00  |
D-110 | Acme Device 4.5mm        | Devices         | 450.00  | 250.00
C-200 | Acme Connector           | Components      | 65.00   |
C-210 | Acme Locking Cap         | Components      | 18.50   |
K-300 | Acme Instrument Kit      | Instrument Kits | 1950.00 |
K-310 | Acme Navigation Kit      | Instrument Kits | 2400.00 | 1500.00
S-400 | Acme Sterile Pack        | Consumables     | 89.99   |
S-410 | Acme Barrier Sheet 15x20 | Consumables     | 149.95  | 100.00

How is a proposal priced?

Net price each = list price × (1 − your discount), rounded to the cent, with halves rounded up. Line total = net price each × quantity. The proposal total is the sum of the line totals, and savings is the list total minus the proposal total.

Example: 7 sterile packs at 33% off

REF   | Description       | Qty | List  | Disc% | Net each | Line total
S-400 | Acme Sterile Pack | 7   | 89.99 | 33%   | 60.29    | 422.03
List total: 629.93  Savings: 207.90  TOTAL: 422.03

$89.99 × 0.67 = $60.2933, which rounds to $60.29. Then $60.29 × 7 = $422.03.

How do category discounts work?

A category discount ("25% on components") replaces the overall discount for that category only. Everything else keeps the overall discount. If the category you name isn't on your price list, it stops and asks which one you meant.

Example: 4 devices and 10 connectors, 10% overall, 25% on components

REF   | Description       | Qty | List   | Disc% | Net each | Line total
D-100 | Acme Device 3.5mm | 4   | 425.00 | 10%   | 382.50   | 1530.00
C-200 | Acme Connector    | 10  | 65.00  | 25%   | 48.75    | 487.50
List total: 2350.00  Savings: 332.50  TOTAL: 2017.50

How are no-charge items shown?

A no-charge item shows its list price and a net price of $0.00, so the customer sees what they're getting for free. Its list price counts toward the list total and the savings.

Example: 6 devices at 20% off, instrument kit no charge

REF   | Description         | Qty | List    | Disc% | Net each | Line total
D-110 | Acme Device 4.5mm   | 6   | 450.00  | 20%   | 360.00   | 2160.00
K-300 | Acme Instrument Kit | 1   | 1950.00 | 100%  | 0.00     | 0.00
List total: 4650.00  Savings: 2490.00  TOTAL: 2160.00

What happens when a price goes below the floor?

If your price list has a floor price for an item and the net price falls below it, the proposal carries a warning. It still shows the price; the decision is yours.

Example: 2 barrier sheets at 35% off, floor $100.00

REF   | Description              | Qty | List   | Disc% | Net each | Line total
S-410 | Acme Barrier Sheet 15x20 | 2   | 149.95 | 35%   | 97.47    | 194.94
List total: 299.90  Savings: 104.96  TOTAL: 194.94
BELOW FLOOR: S-410 net 97.47 < floor 100.00

How is a product exchange checked?

Both sides are valued at list price, or at what the customer paid if you say so. Units going back must equal units coming in. If they don't, it stops and asks, unless you say the exchange doesn't need to be even. Any product number not on your price list also stops the exchange.

Example: 3 devices back (3.5mm), 3 requested (4.5mm)

• Returned: 3 × $425.00 = $1,275.00. Requested: 3 × $450.00 = $1,350.00. Difference: $75.00, shown as a value gap.
• 3 units back and 3 coming in, so the exchange is even and the email is ready to send.

Example: 2 devices back, 1 requested

• The counts don't match, so it does not write the email. It asks whether the exchange is meant to be uneven.

How is the sales forecast calculated?

The forecast starts with a weekly run rate: 50% of your average week over the last 3 weeks, plus 30% over the last 6, plus 20% over the last 12.

• Likely = run rate × weeks ahead + your open quotes, each counted at 50% in its first 14 days, 30% at 15–30 days and 10% at 31–60 days.
• Low = your slowest of the three averages × weeks ahead.
• High = your fastest of the three averages × weeks ahead + every open quote in full.

Example: forecast as of October 7, 2026

• Average week: $1,681.25 over 3 weeks, $1,140.63 over 6, $720.31 over 12.
• Run rate: 0.5 × 1,681.25 + 0.3 × 1,140.63 + 0.2 × 720.31 = $1,326.88 a week.
• Open quotes: $900.00 at 6 days old (50%, adds $450.00), $294.00 at 27 days (30%, adds $88.20), $500.00 at 48 days (10%, adds $50.00). Weighted total $588.20; full total $1,694.00.

Next 4 weeks:  low 2,881.25  likely  5,895.70  high  8,419.00
Next 13 weeks: low 9,364.06  likely 17,837.58  high 23,550.25

The programs keep full precision until the last step and round once, so multiplying the rounded run rate by hand can be a few cents off.

When does a quote count as won or lost?

A quote counts as won when the customer orders at least 80% of its priced lines within 60 days. After 60 days without that, it's lost. Won and lost quotes stop counting toward the forecast. Ask "which of my quotes turned into orders?" to see the list.

How is it tested?

• 34 worked examples with answers figured separately from the programs: 20 proposals, 10 exchanges and 4 forecasts. Every example on this page comes from those programs.
• The examples cover rounding, floor prices, category discounts, no-charge items, dollar signs and commas in prices, duplicate lines and unknown product numbers.
• 50 more checks cover typos, odd files and other edge cases.
• All of them pass before any change ships. Every change to the programs is reviewed by a second AI from a different company before it's accepted.