Before a product is sold to the customer, there are some sales activities that need to be performed during the selling process. These activities are called Pre-sales activities. Pre-sales activities are classified into Inquiry and Quotation. As per the process, the Inquiry in SAP is from the customer to the sales organization and the Quotation in SAP is from the sales organization to the customer.
In this article, we will see how to create an Inquiry and a Quotation in SAP ERP/All-In-One. An Inquiry is performed before a Quotation. An Inquiry can be created by using transaction code VA11 and a Quotation can be created by using transaction code VA21.
Before going through the steps involved in the creation of Inquiry and Quotation let us discuss regarding Inquiry and Quotation.
INQUIRY:
The inquiry in SAP is a sales document which records the information about the inquiries received from the customer. Customer enquiries about a particular product availability, if available how much it costs, and whether the product will be available on a particular date or not. It is nothing but a request from the customer to the sales organization. Whenever a customer requests for information about a product then create an inquiry sales document in SAP.
Inquiry in SAP is the first step in pre-sales. It records customer questions about products or services. Use it to gather info before creating a formal offer.
Purpose
The purpose of an inquiry in SAP is to capture customer questions about products. It helps sales teams gather details for the sales process before offering any pricing or availability.
- Capture: Records customer questions about product stock, price, and delivery
- Early Info: Provides details before formal offer or sales order creation
- Visibility: Shows team what inquiries to address
- Planning: Helps plan resources and timelines
- No Commitment: Logs details without reserving stock
- Traceability: Keeps track of all customer requests
- Foundation: Lays groundwork for accurate quotation
Nature
An inquiry in SAP is non-binding, meaning it only logs customer interest. It does not reserve stock or set prices, so you keep stock flexible until quotation approval.
- Non-binding: Records interest without any obligation
- Flexible: Lets you adjust stock allocations later
- Information-only: Does not affect inventory levels
- Safe: Prevents accidental reservations before order confirmation
- Clarity: Keeps terms open until customer decides
- Simple: Easy to create without extra authorizations
- Efficient: Speeds pre-sales by logging requests quickly
SAP Document Category
SAP treats an inquiry as a sales document of type IN. This categorization ensures the system stores and processes inquiries separately from orders and quotations, keeping your data organized.
When you use transaction VA11, SAP assigns the IN type automatically. Partners can filter and report on inquiries, making it easier to analyze early sales pipeline activities.
- Document Type: IN code for inquiries
- Distinct: Separated from other sales docs
- Storage: Saved in SAP SD tables
- Reporting: Easy to pull inquiry reports
- Filtering: Filter by inquiry type or date
- Tracking: Monitor inquiry lifecycle
- Integration: Works with CRM and ERP modules
QUOTATION:
A SAP quotation is also a sales document which is created after the creation of the inquiry document as a response to the customer request. Based on Inquiry we can create Quotation. A Quotation is a document, in which a seller offers goods or services at a stated price, under specified conditions to a buyer.
A Quotation should include the price that the company has decided to charge for the service or goods that will provide. Quotation document consists of information regarding the delivery of a specific quantity of a product at a specific price on a specific date. It has a validity period and the customer can place an order within the validity period, with reference to the quotation in SAP. This is a legal document which consists of, a company will agree to the customer that they will charge a particular amount for a particular time period and this will become invalid after the validity period.
Steps to Create Inquiry and Quotation in SAP:
A. Creation of INQUIRY in SAP-
Step 1: Launch the SAP SD screen
• Enter transaction code VA11 in the SD Master Data Screen.
Step 2: Enter the Organization information
• Enter Inquiry type as IN.
• Enter Sales organization, Distribution channel and Division.
• Click on Sales.
• In our example sales organization is 1000, distribution channel is 10, and division is 00.
Step 3: Enter the Customer and Material details
• Enter sold-to-party and ship-to party address to which you are creating an inquiry.
• Enter the material number which is inquired by the customer.
• In our example, customer is 1000 and the customer inquiries for a material R-1140 and Quantity 10.
• After entering the data click on the Save button.
• The following message will be displayed.
• The Inquiry 10000004 has been saved.
B. Creation of QUOTATION in SAP-
Step 1: Launch the SAP SD screen
• Enter transaction code VA21 in the SD Master Data Screen.
Step 2: Enter the Organizational Data and Quote Type
• Enter Quotation type as QT.
• Enter Sales organization, Distribution channel and Division.
• Click on Create with reference.
• In our example sales organization is 1000, distribution channel is 10, and division is 00.
Step 3: Enter the Reference Inquiry Number
• Enter Inquiry number for which you want to create quotation.
• Click on Copy.
• In our example, we are going to create a quotation for an inquiry 10000004.
Step 4: Enter the Customer and Product Details
• Enter sold-to-party, ship-to-party, and PO number to which you are creating quotation.
• Enter validity period i.e., the time for which the quotation is valid.
• Enter material and quantity which a company offers to a customer.
• Click on Save.
• In our example, customer is 1000 and the customer inquiries for a material R-1140 and Quantity 10.
• After entering the data click on the Save button.
• The following message will be displayed.
• The Quotation 20000066 has been saved
A quotation in SAP turns customer questions into formal offers with prices and delivery details. It follows an inquiry and sets terms that customers can accept or decline. You create it in SAP using VA21 and reference the inquiry to send your offer.
Key Differences
Key differences between an inquiry and a quotation include commitments. An inquiry just logs questions, while a quotation outlines prices, quantities, and delivery dates for customer review.
This SAP pre-sales step highlights when you move from gathering info to offering terms. Teams shift from data collection to formal proposal creation efficiently and accurately.
- Commitment: Inquiry is info only; quotation shows intent to sell
- Details: Quotation includes prices, quantities, and delivery terms
- System Flag: Documents use different SAP types (IN vs QT)
- Conversion: Quotations can convert directly into sales orders
- Pipeline: Quotations reflect the formal stage in sales process
- Approval: May require additional sign-offs before finalizing
- Validity: Quotation includes an expiration date for terms
Binding Nature
A quotation in SAP is non-binding until the customer accepts it. It outlines terms but does not lock in the sale until you convert it into a sales order. This nature lets your team adjust prices or dates until you receive a purchase order. You avoid over-committing stock or resources before final customer confirmation.
- Non-binding: No contract until order conversion
- Flexibility: Easily update terms before order
- Adjustments: Change quantities or prices as needed
- Risk-free: Prevents premature commitments
- Approval Flow: May require approval for final terms
- System Check: SAP warns if terms expire
- Order Link: Converts into sales order upon acceptance
Validity Period
Each SAP quotation has a validity period that sets an expiration date for its terms. After this date, SAP marks the document as expired, preventing it from converting into an order.
Setting a clear validity period helps manage customer expectations and keeps your sales pipeline up to date. Teams can renew or extend offers when customer decisions take longer.
- Expiration: Date when quotation ends
- Reminder: SAP can flag expiring quotes
- Renewal: Extend terms if needed
- Reporting: Filter quotes by validity status
- Pipeline: Keeps forecasts accurate
- Control: Prevents outdated offers
- Customer View: Shows valid offers only
Purpose
It provides customers formal quotations made up of price, volume, and dates of delivery. It informs decision-making and gives certain expectations.
- Offer: Lays out price and delivery
- Clarity: Sets exact terms for customers
- Decision: Helps customers compare options
- Order Prep: Can convert directly to order
- Tracking: Monitor customer responses
- Communication: Records formal offer details
- Efficiency: Speeds closing of sales
Reference
SAP links each quotation to its source inquiry. This reference helps users trace back questions to original requests for full context and audit trails. Using VA21, you enter the inquiry number to pull in all related details. This keeps your sales data connected and eases report generation.
- Link: Inquiry number on quotation
- Context: Shows original customer questions
- Trace: Follow document history easily
- Reports: Pull inquiry-linked quote reports
- Audit: Meets compliance by showing source
- Accuracy: Ensures details match original request
- Integration: Works with CRM sync tools
Conclusion:
By following the above steps, you can create an inquiry in SAP and a SAP quotation efficiently. We sincerely hope that this was useful and any comment of feedback will be very helpful.
Create Inquiry and Quotation in SAP easily to keep your pre-sales process smooth and error-free. Inquiries capture customer questions and set expectations without holding stock. Quotations turn those inquiries into formal offers with prices, delivery dates, and validity periods. By following this guide, your team can log inquiries with VA11, craft accurate quotations with VA21, and maintain clear links between documents. Use built-in SAP transactions and streamline approvals across teams with ease.
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