1. How to create your own Cost Template
Version 2.0
For support-

2. Important FAQ’s Why use a standardized cost template?
Using a standard cost template while sending out an RFP ensures that you are able to automatically use our Comparator Tool in comparing line item wise costs across multiple vendor quotes.
Can I send out an RFP without using a standard cost template?
Yes, you can. However you will be unable to use the Comparator Tool to do line item wise comparison of multiple quotations that you will receive. You will need to do this offline in excel.
Can I use the template that I have created in another RFP?
Yes. Once you have created your standard cost template, simply save it in your dashboard inside Agencyonnet and next time you want to use it, go to My Cost Template section, select the cost template you want and use it.

3. Important FAQ’s Can the vendor change the cost template?
Each cost template will have only certain fields that are editable by the vendor. These would be typically the value fields. Rest of the cost template would be locked and non-editable by him
What if the vendor wants to add a line item which I have not specified?
Not a problem. Every cost template that you create will need to carry rows that are editable by the vendor to insert any additional line item he feels he needs to quote for. The Comparator will capture these fields and display it to you on your dashboard.

4. A typical cost template
Item Description
Unit/Nos
Rate
Mandays
Amount
Project Manager 5
2000 10
100000
Programmer 2
500
5000
Web Designer 3
60000
Graphics Designer 1
4000
40000
Content Writer 4
400
16000
Wire Framer/System Analyst
50000
Please add any new additional line items below this
Add New Item Description
20000
Total
351000
Please mention taxes and fees if any below this
Agency Fees if any
Taxes if any
25000
Total of Fees and Taxes
45000
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
There are 3 sections to a cost template
Editable fields are marked in light orange in this example. These are:
Section 1: All value fields in the line items that you have specified in the cost template
Section 2: All text and value fields which are open to the vendor to specify
Section 3: All text and value fields pertaining to taxes and fees

5. Continued Please add any new additional line items below this Total
Item Description
Unit/Nos
Rate
Mandays
Amount
Project Manager 5
2000 10
100000
Programmer 2
500
5000
Web Designer 3
60000
Graphics Designer 1
4000
40000
Content Writer 4
400
16000
Wire Framer/System Analyst
50000
Please add any new additional line items below this
Add New Item Description
20000
Total
351000
Please mention taxes and fees if any below this
Agency Fees if any
Taxes if any
25000
Total of Fees and Taxes
45000
Separator 1
Separator 2
Separator 3
There are 3 separators in each section
PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE TEXT IN THE SEPARATORS!!
If you change the text in the separators, you will not be able to use the Comparator Tool
These fields are already locked in our sample cost sheet.

6. Creating your cost template
Step 1:
Download the sample cost template
Your sample cost template is pre-protected. Please note that certain fields you cannot edit
Item description field
Please add any new additional line items below this field
Total field
Please mention taxes and fees if any field
Total of fees and taxes fields
Please do not change the text in these fields when you create your own cost template!
To unlock the sheet:
Select Review>Select unprotect
You will be prompted for a password
The default password is IMS
Your sheet is now un-protected and you can make changes

7. Instructions to customers Creating Columns
The way you structure your columns will impact the comparator module. Typical structure of the columns should be
Column 1
Item Desription
Text Item
Do not change the text in this column
Column 2
Units/Nos
Calculable Value
You can have as many as 4 columns as you want
Column 3
Rate
Column 4
Open Header
Column 5
Column 6
Amount
Calculable Value in formula.
The last column has to be the total amount.
Your cost template must have a minimum of 2 calculable Values, excluding the Amount column and a maximum of 4 columns excluding the Calculable value.
The Amount Column
Must be the last column in your excel sheet.
Must carry a multiplication formulae as in example
(Col 3 x Col34x Col 5 x Col 6= Amount Col
Please specify the header for all your columns. Do not leave this blank

8. Creating Rows Section 1: Non editable line items
Create your own list of non-editable line items in the Item Description column.
Add as many rows and line items as you want
These fields will be made non-editable later on so that the recipient of the RFP cannot change these line items
Your column header should clearly mention “ ITEM DESCRIPTION” as shown in the sample cost template
Section 2: Editable Line Items
Below the separator titled “Please add any new additional line items below this” insert as many rows as you want
Please allow for at least 4-5 rows in case you feel that the vendor may put in line items that you have not yet specified. However you can add as many or as less as you want.
Please mention the text “ Add new item description if any” in this field under the column Item Description
Your TOTAL field should come at the end to close this section. Please retain the word “Total” as shown in the sample cost template
Section 3:
Below the separator titled “Please mention taxes and fees if any below this” , you can allocate rows for the vendor to mention any additional fees and/or taxes
Your “Total of Fees and Taxes “ should come at the last as a separator. Please do not change the wordings

9. Non-Editable Fields for Vendors
When you send your cost template to agencies, certain cells will need to be made non-editable.
This is to ensure that every agency quotes exactly the way you want them to quote and you are able to compare their individual line items effectively.
The following fields are to be made non-editable when you save your cost template
Columns
All columns are non-editable from the perspective that the agency cannot insert or delete a column specified by you. They will be locked and password protected
Amount Columns- All cells in this column are non editable formulae
Rows
Section 1 line items are non-editable by the agency.
Rows pertaining to Template separators are to be made non-editable. These are :
Please add any new additional line items below this
Total
Please mention taxes and fees if any below this
Total of Fees and Taxes

10. Editable Fields for Agencies
When you send your cost template RFP to agencies, they will have only certain fields which are editable by them. This ensures that they provide you a quote basis your specifications
The following fields will be editable by the agencies
All Value Column Cells excluding the Amount Columns such as Unit Nos, Rate ,
All Section 2 Description Item headers, where the agency can edit to mention the new additional line item
Taxes Value Cell
Fees Value Cell
The rest of the worksheet is protected from being changed or edited in any manner other than by you.

11. How to create a partly editable excel sheet
Congrats! Now that you have created your cost template, you need to make the sheet partly editable and rest of it locked so that nobody can change the fields that you have set
The succeeding slides will give you step by step instructions to do this.
You can also access Microsoft Excel Help tool to learn how to do this
You may also like to view this youtube video

12. Step 1 Unlock the cells that you want the vendor to edit
Select the cells. Select multiple cells by holding the mouse and CTRL key.
Right click & Select format cells
Select to Protection Tab
Uncheck the ‘LOCKED’ BOX

13. Step 2 Now protect your entire worksheet You are good to go!!
Go to Review tab on your excel sheet. It is at the top menu bar
Select Protect Sheet
Uncheck all the boxes shown in the picture
Select locked cells
Insert Columns
Insert Rows
Delete columns
Delete Row
Give a password to your worksheet
Re-enter your password
You are good to go!!
Save your cost template on your compute and upload it