How to add and manage product catalog items in Quoter for accurate quoting

Quoting’s a lot easier if your product catalog isn’t a mess. If you’re using Quoter, you already get why: it’s supposed to save time and help you send out quotes that don’t come back to bite you. But if your catalog is out of date or missing key details, you’re just moving the chaos around.

This guide walks through adding and managing product catalog items in Quoter so your quotes are accurate, quick, and don’t make you look foolish in front of customers (or your own team). Whether you’re starting from scratch or cleaning up a pile of vendor spreadsheets, this’ll help you get it done without extra headaches.

Who This Is For

  • Anyone setting up Quoter for the first time
  • Sales admins and ops folks cleaning up catalogs
  • MSPs, VARs, SaaS, or anyone quoting products/services regularly
  • People who want less “wait, what’s this SKU?” and more “quote sent, done.”

Step 1: Understand How Quoter Handles Catalog Items

Before making changes, it’s worth knowing how Quoter treats catalog items:

  • Catalog items are the products and services you quote—think hardware, licenses, consulting hours, whatever you sell.
  • Each item has details like SKU, description, cost, markup, and tax settings.
  • Catalogs can be built manually or imported (CSV or vendor integrations, depending on your plan).
  • Items can be organized into categories or collections for easier searching.
  • Catalog changes impact what shows up in quotes right away.

Pro tip: Don’t overthink the structure. Start basic, add complexity only if you need it. You can always reorganize later.

Step 2: Prep Your Product Data (Don’t Skip This)

Garbage in, garbage out. Before you touch Quoter, get your data in order:

  • Start with what you actually sell. Ignore the 400 legacy SKUs you haven’t quoted in years.
  • Use a spreadsheet. List: Name, SKU, Description, Cost, Sell Price, Markup/Margin, Taxable (Y/N), Category.
  • Double-check vendor pricing and SKUs. Old prices and typos are how you lose money or credibility.
  • Decide on naming conventions. If “Dell Laptop - XPS13” vs. “XPS13 Laptop, Dell” are both in your quotes, it’s confusing.

Honest take: This is the boring part, but skipping it means you’ll be chasing errors down the line.

Step 3: Add Products to Quoter

There are a couple of ways to get products into Quoter—manually, by import, or via integrations. Here’s how to do each, and when to bother:

A. Manual Entry (For Small Catalogs or One-Offs)

  1. Go to the Catalog section in Quoter.
  2. Click “Add Product” or “Add Catalog Item.”
  3. Fill in:
  4. Name (clear, short, searchable)
  5. SKU (make it unique and match your vendor’s)
  6. Description (what the customer sees—keep it simple)
  7. Cost (your buy price)
  8. Sell Price or Markup (how much you charge)
  9. Category (optional, but helpful for navigation)
  10. Tax settings (taxable or not)
  11. Save.

When to use: If you only have a handful of products or you’re adding custom services.

B. Bulk Import (For Larger Catalogs)

  1. Download Quoter’s CSV template from the import screen.
  2. Copy your cleaned-up product list into the template. Watch for:
  3. Correct column headers (match the template exactly)
  4. No extra spaces, weird characters, or missing required fields
  5. Consistent formatting (e.g., prices as numbers, not text)
  6. Upload the CSV and preview the import.
  7. Fix any errors flagged. Quoter will usually tell you what’s wrong (“missing SKU,” etc.).
  8. Confirm and import.

When to use: If you’re migrating from another system or have dozens/hundreds of products.

Heads up: Imports overwrite existing items only if the SKU matches. Otherwise, you’ll end up with duplicates.

C. Vendor Integrations (If Available)

Some versions of Quoter support direct integrations with vendors or distributors (like Ingram Micro, Synnex, etc.).

  • Set up the integration in Quoter’s settings.
  • Authenticate your vendor account.
  • Map vendor fields to your catalog fields.
  • Pull in items—usually you can select which products sync, or set up auto-sync rules.

Don’t expect magic: These integrations save time, but you’ll still need to check for weird product names, discontinued items, or mismatched pricing.

Step 4: Organize Your Catalog for Real-World Use

A flat list works for 10 items; it’s a nightmare with 500.

  • Use Categories or Collections (“Laptops,” “Managed Services,” “Licensing”) to help users find products fast.
  • Tag items if Quoter supports it (e.g., “renewal,” “hardware,” “cloud”).
  • Archive or delete anything you don’t sell anymore. Old items clutter searches and cause mistakes.
  • Set featured or frequently used items for quicker quoting, if Quoter allows.

What doesn’t work: Avoid adding every possible vendor SKU you might sell. Stick to what’s actually quoted regularly.

Step 5: Keep Pricing Accurate (and Protect Your Margin)

Quoter can’t save you from bad pricing. Set up processes:

  • Schedule regular catalog reviews (monthly or quarterly). Prices change, especially with hardware.
  • Assign ownership. Someone needs to be responsible for catalog upkeep—it won’t happen “by itself.”
  • Use Markup or Margin fields if you want Quoter to auto-calculate sell price. But check the math—some systems round down, not up.
  • Lock down edit permissions so only trusted users can change prices or add products.

Pro tip: Don’t rely on vendors to alert you to price changes. They’re not losing money—you are.

Step 6: Use Catalog Items in Quotes (Sanity-Check Your Workflow)

Now, test your setup:

  1. Start a new quote in Quoter.
  2. Add a product from your catalog.
  3. Confirm that:
  4. The description looks right (customer-friendly, not cryptic)
  5. Pricing is correct
  6. Tax and category are set properly
  7. Any required fields (like part number or license term) are filled in
  8. Send yourself a test quote. If it looks strange, fix the catalog item and try again.

What to ignore: Don’t bother with catalog features you don’t need (e.g., advanced bundles or custom fields) until your basics are solid. Complexity adds friction.

Step 7: Maintain and Audit the Catalog

This is the part everyone skips—until something blows up.

  • Review the catalog for duplicates and stale items every so often. Merge or archive as needed.
  • Audit recent quotes for errors. If sales keeps editing line items, the catalog probably needs work.
  • Solicit feedback from your quoting team. What’s slow? What’s missing? Fix those pain points first.
  • Document your catalog process—even a simple checklist. This way, it survives staff changes.

Honest take: Catalog management is never “done.” But a little regular cleanup is much easier than a giant overhaul every year.

What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Skip

Works: - Clean, regularly updated catalog = fewer quoting mistakes. - Categories/tags make life easier for everyone. - Locking down who can edit prices saves you from “creative” quoting.

Doesn’t Work: - Importing huge vendor lists just in case (no one ever quotes from those). - Letting everyone edit the catalog—mistakes multiply.

Skip For Now: - Advanced bundle/kitting features, unless you’re already nailing the basics. - Over-customizing fields. Stick to the essentials until you have a real need.

Wrapping Up

Keep it simple. Don’t let your catalog turn into a junk drawer. Start with what you really sell, make sure it’s accurate, and set a reminder to review it regularly. The more you can trust your catalog, the faster and more confidently you can quote—and that’s why you’re using Quoter in the first place. Iterate as you go, and don’t be afraid to prune dead weight.

Happy quoting.