Centralized Quotation Management System for Quantity Surveyors

Abstract

Quotation management is a core pre-contract responsibility of quantity surveyors; however, in current construction practice, it remains predominantly manual, fragmented across emails, paper records, and isolated spreadsheets. Such practices contribute to processing delays, inconsistent data, limited cost transparency, and a higher risk of errors during the pre-contract stage. Despite the growing availability of digital tools in the construction industry, quotation management in quantity surveying continues to lack affordable, structured systems tailored to the operational needs of small- and medium-scale practices. To address this gap, this study proposes a centralized quotation management system in Microsoft Excel, integrated with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). A system development methodology was adopted, comprising workflow mapping, identification of process weaknesses, system design, and prototype implementation. The proposed system design consolidates supplier quotations, material specifications, unit rates, and basic project indicators within a single platform, incorporating limited automation and data verification features to reduce duplication and improve record traceability. While the system was not empirically tested through live project deployment or formal user evaluation, the prototype demonstrates the practical feasibility of using spreadsheet-based tools to improve the organization, consistency, and accessibility of quotation data. The findings suggest that, although not a substitute for fully integrated commercial software, a structured Excel-VBA solution can offer a low-cost, transitional digital approach for enhancing quotation management in resource-constrained quantity surveying environments.