Explanation
Compare offers and documents
Which comparison functions FlowEngine has, how the offer comparison, the document comparison in a procurement process and invoice matching differ, and what the offer comparison does.
Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Version 2026.10
With FlowEngine you compare offers from different suppliers and documents of a procurement process. Several functions serve this purpose. Their names sound alike, but their tasks differ. This article explains how they relate and what the offer comparison does.
Four functions, four tasks#
| Function | Where you find it | Purpose | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offer comparison | menu item Offer Comparison | evaluate several offers for the same requirement by price, cost and business criteria and record a decision | available if enabled for your company |
| Document comparison in a procurement process | detail view of a procurement process | compare up to three documents of one process line by line, such as an offer and an order confirmation, and spot deviations | available |
| Position selection in the document comparison | same place, Positions section | include or exclude individual lines for an adjusted comparison total | available |
| Invoice and order matching | invoice management | match invoices with purchase orders | in preparation, not generally available |
The functions work independently. An offer comparison does not change a procurement process, and the document comparison in a process does not produce a ranking. Position selection is described in Select lines in a document comparison. All other articles in this section cover the offer comparison.
What the offer comparison does#
- Collect offers: you select at least two offers that FlowEngine has already processed. FlowEngine suggests offers for the same request together, based on the recognized request number.
- Set the comparison basis: you compare either the total price or the individual line items and set a common currency.
- Evaluate: the evaluation is quantitative (price and cost), qualitative (weighted business criteria such as quality or service) or combined.
- Understand costs: discounts, cash discounts, procurement costs and a non-binding all-in calculation with estimates for freight, insurance and customs make offers with different delivery terms comparable. On request, FlowEngine converts foreign currencies at ECB reference rates.
- Decide: FlowEngine calculates a ranking with reasons and notices. A person confirms the chosen offer and can export a PDF report.
Selection
Select offers, define the comparison setup and activate the criteria that should influence the decision.
Evaluation & Analysis
FlowEngine calculates the ranking and the price grid. Here you enter business ratings per offer and refresh the analysis.
Limitation: Review by a person
The ranking is based on recognized values, your criteria and assumptions. FlowEngine does not fully check quantities, units, scope of supply or estimates.
Outcome: Decision & All-in Cost
Review the costs, confirm an offer and export the report as a PDF.
What the offer comparison does not decide#
- Confirming an offer does not place an order and changes neither procurement processes nor data in an ERP system.
- A comparison by total price does not check whether the offers contain the same quantity, scope of supply and units. A comparison by line items checks the matching, but does not convert between units of different kinds.
- Values that FlowEngine estimates are marked as estimates. Only the suppliers' terms are binding.
Availability#
Your FlowEngine operator can switch the offer comparison on or off for your company. If it is switched off, the Offer Comparison menu item is missing and opening the page directly leads to the dashboard. A comparison also needs offers that FlowEngine has processed as the document type offer.
Saved comparisons belong to your company, not to an individual person. Who sees and edits them is described in Create an offer comparison.