What every equipment quote request needs
Every line of an equipment quote request needs the exact part number with all of its suffixes, the quantity, a needed-by date, the ship-to location and a note saying exact match only or alternates accepted. Add the one or two details that decide compatibility in that category, such as firmware on a PLC, PoE budget on a switch or the meeting platform behind a video bar.
Get those right and we can quote the part you need on the first pass. Leave them out and the reply starts with questions, or prices something close that won't drop into your system.
Copy the full part number, suffixes included
The manufacturer part number does more work than anything else on the request. Copy it from the nameplate, the old purchase order or the drawing exactly as written, with every letter and dash after the base number.
Suffixes often carry the spec. Two examples from lines we supply:
- Mean Well power supplies. The last number in a model like SDR-120-24 is the output voltage. SDR-120-12 is the same family at 12 V, and it won't run a 24 V control circuit.
- Allen-Bradley controllers. 1769-L33ER and 1769-L33ERM are different CompactLogix controllers. Drop the M and you can end up with a quote for the wrong one.
If the label is worn or missing, attach a photo of the nameplate or the bill of materials line. A photo settles things a typed description can't.
Quantity, needed-by date and ship-to location
Give a firm quantity for each line, and say if some of it is spares. If stock covers eight of ten, you'll want to decide whether eight now and two later works for you.
The needed-by date should be a calendar date, the day the part has to be on site. "ASAP" doesn't tell us whether ground freight works or the order needs to move faster. Henry AV ships in-stock items the same or next business day, so a real date lets us tell you plainly whether stock and shipping line up with your schedule.
For ship-to, give the full address or at least the city, state and ZIP. Tell us if it's going to a job site without a dock or needs a liftgate, which comes up with pumps, racks and large displays.
Exact match only, or are alternates acceptable?
Say which on every line, because it decides how wide we can search.
Ask for an exact match when the part goes into a validated system, when you're keeping spares identical across a plant, or when a project spec names the model. We'll quote that part number and nothing else.
If alternates are fine, tell us the limits. A few that work well:
- "Any later series of this controller, as long as it runs our firmware revision."
- "Same port count and PoE budget, from either HPE Aruba or Juniper."
- "A 24 V DIN rail supply at 120 W or more, Mean Well or Phoenix Contact."
An alternate on a quote carries its own part number, so you can check it against your spec before you order.
Category details a supplier needs to quote the right part
Each category has its own short list of details that decide whether a part will work where it's going.
PLC and industrial automation
Include the series or hardware revision from the label and the firmware revision the controller or module has to run. Say what it connects to: the chassis, the controller it talks to, or the version of programming software your project uses. Rockwell Automation's Product Compatibility and Download Center lets you compare products in a system for compatibility before an upgrade, which is worth doing before you accept a later series.
That goes for every line of PLC and industrial automation parts we quote, from Siemens I/O to Omron HMIs. Out-of-production modules need the same details and a few more, since the search for discontinued PLC parts usually turns on series and firmware.
Networking and telecom
For switches, list the port count and speeds, the uplink type such as SFP or SFP+, and the PoE budget in watts for the whole switch. Add the PoE standard your devices need: 802.3af, 802.3at or 802.3bt. A switch with plenty of PoE ports can still run out of total budget once every camera and access point draws power.
Licensing belongs on the request too. Cisco Meraki hardware runs under a cloud license, and HPE Aruba and Juniper sell feature licenses or subscriptions on many switches, wireless and network gear. Say whether you need the license quoted with the hardware, and for what term.
Pro AV and collaboration
For video conferencing, name the room platform: Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams Rooms or bring-your-own-device. Some room kits ship as separate versions for each platform. Microsoft publishes its list of Teams Rooms systems and peripherals, with Yealink, Poly and Crestron among the makers on it, so check a Teams room's hardware against it before you order.
For signal distribution, give the connection and the distance: HDMI for short runs at the display, HDBaseT when the source sits farther away. Note the resolution and refresh you need, such as 4K at 60 Hz, and whether you're replacing one end of an existing HDBaseT pair or need a matched transmitter and receiver. The same applies across our pro AV and collaboration equipment, from Kramer and WyreStorm extenders to QSC audio.
Security and access control
Readers need the protocol your panel expects, Wiegand or OSDP, and the credential technology already in use, such as 125 kHz prox or HID iCLASS or Seos. Controllers need the platform: the LenelS2 system or the Mercury Security board you're expanding. The choice between Wiegand and OSDP card readers affects wiring as well as compatibility. For locks and power, give the voltage, 12 or 24 V, so Securitron hardware and Altronix supplies match the rest of your access control and security equipment.
Pumps and mechanical
Copy the model and serial number from the pump nameplate, and send a photo of the plate if you can. The serial can tie the unit to its build, which helps when you need a seal kit or impeller for that exact pump. Add the motor voltage and phase, and say whether you need the whole pump or a part for it. We need the same details for Grundfos, Goulds and Bell & Gossett pumps and mechanical parts alike.
Mixing categories on one request
One request can cover a PLC module, a switch, a ceiling mic and a pump seal. You don't need a separate request for each category.
To keep a mixed request easy to quote, put one part per line and group lines by system or site. A spreadsheet with columns for part number, quantity, needed-by date, ship-to and exact-or-alternate works well. If one line is holding up a job, mark it as the priority, and say whether you'll take a partial shipment so in-stock items don't wait on the rest.
Quote request checklist
- Full part or model number, every suffix included
- Quantity, with spares noted
- Needed-by date as a calendar date
- Ship-to address, plus dock or liftgate notes
- Exact match only, or the limits for an alternate
- PLC: series and firmware revision
- Networking: port count, uplinks, total PoE budget and license term
- AV: Zoom Rooms or Teams Rooms, HDMI or HDBaseT, distance and resolution
- Access control: Wiegand or OSDP, credential type and controller platform
- Pumps: model and serial from the nameplate, with a photo
- Whether a partial shipment is OK
What happens after you submit a quote request
We check each line against the details you sent, then reply by e-mail with pricing and availability. If a suffix, revision or platform is unclear, we'll ask before we quote, so the price you get is for the part that fits.
The more of the checklist your request covers, the fewer of those questions there are, and the sooner you have a price you can take to purchasing.
Ready to price your parts?
You have the part numbers, the dates and the ship-to. Add the series, PoE budget, room platform, reader protocol or nameplate details that apply to each line, mark the lines that are exact match only, and the request is ready to go. Request your quote with as many lines as the job needs. If one of those lines raises a question you'd like to talk through first, get in touch with our team.
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't have the full part number?
Send a clear photo of the nameplate or label, plus any old purchase order or drawing that lists the part. Henry AV can work from those. A typed description on its own usually means a clarifying question before we can price the right item, so include the photo whenever you can get one.
Can I put AV, network and PLC parts on one quote request?
Yes. Henry AV quotes mixed requests, so one request can cover pro AV, networking, PLC, access control and pump parts together. Put one part per line, group lines by system or site, and give each line its own quantity, needed-by date and note on whether alternates are acceptable.
How does Henry AV reply to a quote request?
Henry AV answers each request with line-by-line pricing and availability. If a suffix, firmware revision or platform detail is unclear, we'll ask about it first, so the price you receive is for the part that fits your system. Items on hand leave the same or next business day.
Should I accept alternates on an equipment quote?
Accept alternates when any part that meets your spec will do, and state the spec: voltage, wattage, port count, PoE budget or firmware revision. Ask for exact match only when the part goes into a validated system, a project spec that names the model, or a set of spares you keep identical.
