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Deal Scoring

Deal scoring is the core of MarginArc. You provide deal information, and MarginArc analyzes it against OEM-specific intelligence, competitive data, and pricing patterns to give you actionable margin recommendations.

There are three ways to score a deal. Each one has different strengths depending on your workflow.

Method 1: PDF Upload​

Best for: Scored quotes from distributors where you want the most detailed analysis.

How it works​

  1. Click New Deal on your dashboard or drag a PDF anywhere onto the page.
  2. MarginArc extracts all pricing data from the quote -- line items, part numbers, quantities, unit costs, extended pricing, distributor information, and any special pricing notes.
  3. The extracted data is analyzed against our OEM research database and competitive intelligence.
  4. Your scored results appear within seconds.

What formats work​

  • Standard distributor PDFs from Ingram Micro, TD SYNNEX, D&H, ScanSource, Pax8, and most other major distributors
  • OEM-generated quotes from Cisco, HPE, Dell, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Aruba, Juniper, and others
  • Multi-page quotes -- upload the full document for best results
  • Scanned PDFs -- we can read them, though digital PDFs provide cleaner extraction

What gets extracted​

Data PointHow It's Used
Line items & part numbersMatched against OEM product databases for category intelligence
Unit pricingCompared to known pricing tiers and discount levels
Extended pricingUsed to calculate total deal value and margin
QuantitiesFactors into volume-based pricing analysis
Distributor nameEnables distributor-specific pricing intelligence
Special pricing notesIdentified and factored into recommendations
Deal registration referencesDetected automatically when present on the quote

Tips for best results​

  • Upload the complete quote, not just a summary page
  • If you have quotes from multiple distributors for the same deal, upload each one separately and compare
  • Make sure the PDF isn't password-protected
  • Digital PDFs (not scans) give the cleanest extraction

Method 2: Email Forwarding​

Best for: Reps who get quotes via email and want scoring without leaving their inbox.

How it works​

  1. Forward the email containing the quote to quotes@score.marginarc.com.
  2. Add context in the body of the forwarded email. For example:

    Customer: Acme Corp. We have deal reg with Cisco. Competing against CDW. I'm a Gold partner.

  3. MarginArc processes the email, extracts the quote (from attachments or the email body), and combines it with your context.
  4. You receive a reply email with a summary of the score and a link to the full results on your dashboard.

What to include in the forward​

The more you add, the better your Deal IQ:

  • Customer name and industry -- helps with category-specific intelligence
  • Deal registration status -- significantly impacts margin recommendations
  • Your partner tier -- affects pricing expectations
  • Competitor information -- enables competitive analysis
  • Incumbent vendor -- changes the strategy for displacement vs. renewal
  • Any special circumstances -- "customer is comparing cloud vs. on-prem" or "this is a refresh of a 3-year-old deployment"

What the reply looks like​

You'll get an email back within a few minutes containing:

  • The arch gauge position (as a text summary)
  • Your three margin positions with dollar amounts
  • Top-priority action items
  • A link to view the full interactive results on your dashboard

Setting up email scoring​

Your account email is automatically authorized. To add team members or configure a shared mailbox, see Email Scoring Setup.

Method 3: Manual Entry​

Best for: Quick what-if scenarios, early-stage deals without a formal quote, or when you want to explore pricing strategies.

How it works​

  1. Click New Deal and choose Manual Entry.
  2. Fill in the fields you know. No field is strictly required, but more is better.
  3. Click Score Deal.

Fields and their impact​

FieldImpact on Analysis
OEM / VendorRequired for OEM-specific intelligence. This is the most important field.
Product categoryDetermines which pricing benchmarks and patterns to use.
Deal size (total)Affects volume-based pricing analysis.
Your costThe distributor's price to you. Core to margin calculation.
Customer sell priceWhat you plan to charge. If blank, MarginArc suggests positions.
Deal registrationYes/No. Dramatically changes margin expectations.
Partner tierYour level with the OEM (e.g., Gold, Platinum, Premier).
CompetitorWho you're competing against. Enables competitive analysis.
Incumbent vendorThe vendor currently in place at the customer.
Customer nameEnables customer-specific history if you've scored deals for them before.
Customer verticalIndustry matters for pricing patterns (education vs. enterprise vs. healthcare).

When manual entry shines​

  • You're on a call with a customer and want to quickly check margin expectations
  • You're exploring different scenarios ("what if we had deal reg?" or "what if the competitor is SHI?")
  • You're preparing for a deal review and want ballpark numbers before the formal quote arrives

Comparing the Three Methods​

CapabilityPDF UploadEmail ForwardManual Entry
SpeedSecondsMinutesSeconds
Deal IQ (typical)60-8555-8030-60
Line-item detailFull extractionFull extractionNot available
Context from youOptional (add after)In the email bodyIn the form fields
Best forFormal quotesInbox workflowQuick estimates
Requires dashboardYesNo (email reply)Yes
Supports rescoringYesYes (forward again)Yes

After Scoring​

Regardless of which method you use, every scored deal shows up on your dashboard. From there you can:

  • View the full results with the arch gauge, positions, and action items
  • Rescore with additional context to improve Deal IQ
  • Export the score summary as a PDF for deal reviews
  • Track the deal outcome to improve future scoring accuracy
  • Compare multiple deals side by side

Next Steps​