Operations · 15 min

Compare vendor quotes side by side

Copilot Chat or Word

Short answer: In Copilot Chat, type / and add each vendor quote, or upload them with Add and manage sources. Paste the prompt with what matters to you. Copilot returns a comparison table. You make the decision. Copilot just lines the facts up.

Last checked against Microsoft docs: Oct 20, 2026

You've seen people upload three PDFs to Claude and ask which vendor is best. Here's how in Copilot: in Copilot Chat or Word, type / to reference each quote and ask for a comparison table.

A common situation (composite)

Each vendor sends a different layout.
One hides the setup fee on page 9.
I need an apples-to-apples view.

What you get

Data: vendor quotes or proposals you can access.
Does: extracts and compares terms.
Output: a comparison table with sources and a list of questions.
How often: each purchase.

Before you start

Needs: Copilot Chat (Basic) or any higher label. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, / can also pull in emails and meetings. Not sure what you have? Start here.
Where: Copilot Chat or Word.
Access: Copilot only uses content you already have permission to open. Use only information your company allows in Copilot.

The steps

Save the quotes to OneDrive or SharePoint, or keep them on your computer.
Open Copilot Chat. Type / to add each quote, or select Add and manage sources > Upload images and files.
Paste the prompt with your criteria.
Open each quote to confirm the prices before you share the table.

Copy this prompt

Compare these vendor quotes in one table.

Rows: total first-year cost, recurring cost, setup or one-time fees, contract length, cancellation terms, support included, start date, anything we must provide.
One column per vendor. Cite the file for each cell. Write NOT STATED if it's missing.

Then list questions I should ask each vendor. Don't pick a winner.

(Prompt from stuckwithcopilot.com/guides/vendor-comparison/)

What a good result looks like

Every price has a source. NOT STATED cells turn into questions for the vendor.

If a feature is missing

On Copilot Chat (Basic), / finds files only. If a quote doesn't show up, upload it from Add and manage sources, or paste the key pages into the chat.

Make it smarter

Keep a short "What it got wrong" note. Paste it above the prompt next time, like "Don't invent dates".

Not sure what to ask? Copy the quick note for your Copilot admin.

Questions people ask

Compare vendor quotes side by side?

In Copilot Chat, type / and add each vendor quote, or upload them with Add and manage sources. Paste the prompt with what matters to you. Copilot returns a comparison table. You make the decision. Copilot just lines the facts up.

What do I need for this?

Copilot Chat (Basic) or any higher label. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, / can also pull in emails and meetings. On Copilot Chat (Basic), / finds files only. If a quote doesn't show up, upload it from Add and manage sources, or paste the key pages into the chat.

Next step

Try it once, then make it yours.

Run the prompt on one real task this week. Then pick your next workflow.

See the workflow library ↗

Cite or share this guide

Compare vendor quotes side by side. Stuck with Copilot. https://stuckwithcopilot.com/guides/vendor-comparison/ Last checked Oct 20, 2026.

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Official references

Last checked against Microsoft docs: Oct 20, 2026.