A manufacturing RFQ should connect the buyer’s quantity and requirements to the correct drawing reference and revision. Offer direct upload only when the file restrictions, private storage, staff access and failure handling have been implemented and tested. An agreed email or secure-transfer follow-up can also work if the request reference stays attached to the documents.
Collect enough context before the file
Ask for the part or drawing number, revision, requested quantity and unit, delivery destination and required date. Allow “not sure” where sales must clarify a value. Avoid making the buyer repeat details the product page already supplies.
Record whether the drawing is supplied for review or has been approved for manufacture through your own process. Receiving a file does not establish that its revision, tolerances or intended use have been accepted.
Upload or follow-up: compare the handoff
| Route | Useful when | Check before using it |
|---|---|---|
| Direct upload | The buyer can attach an allowed file to the RFQ. | File limits, private access, validation, retention and recoverable upload errors. |
| Email after request | Sales reviews the inquiry before receiving drawings. | A clear recipient, request reference, attachment limits and receipt acknowledgment. |
| Agreed secure transfer | The files or project require a reviewed sharing route. | Access permissions, recipient identity, expiry, allowed documents and the reference tying them to the RFQ. |
These are process choices, not interchangeable security guarantees. Use the route your team can actually operate. Our studio inquiry form does not accept drawing uploads; discuss the handoff first rather than sending confidential technical files through it.
Write the file rules before building
Agree allowed formats, individual and total size limits, file count, access and retention. Treat a browser’s file picker as a convenience, not server-side validation. OWASP recommends layered file checks and storage outside the public web root; a filename extension alone is insufficient. See its File Upload Cheat Sheet for implementation guidance.
For a proposal, an illustrative policy might allow up to three PDFs at 10 MB each. That is a discussion example, not a limit implemented on this site or a recommendation for every manufacturer. CAD formats, archives, previews and scanning each require deliberate implementation choices.
A drawing reference that sales can trace
Request RFQ-DEMO-014 · drawing DEMO-SPR-014 · revision B · 500 pieces · delivery ZIP 60607 · requested by 16 November 2026. File: DEMO-SPR-014-rev-B.pdf, received for review. Sales still confirms the revision, specification, price and timing.
The example describes a record; no drawing file was uploaded or accepted. If revision C arrives later, preserve the earlier record and show which revision the current quote uses. Do not quietly replace a document behind an unchanged sales reference.
Test receipt and failure separately
Use nonconfidential test documents. Confirm that the allowed file reaches the approved storage and can be opened by the intended staff. Check that a person without permission cannot retrieve it. Test oversized and disallowed files, interrupted uploads, missing required fields and notification failure.
Keep the buyer’s filled fields when an upload fails and give a usable next step. A success message should identify what was received; if notification delivery is still pending, do not claim the sales inbox has already received it. Assign someone to check unresolved requests and the agreed retention process.
What our spring-maker study can tell you
In our dated snapshot, 25 of 78 readable quote/contact forms did not show an attachment option. The spring-maker quote-form study explains the sample and exclusions. We did not submit drawings, test email alternatives or measure lost sales. A missing visible upload is a question to investigate, not proof that a manufacturer cannot receive a drawing.
Use that question to examine your own route: can a buyer send the right document, can sales match it to the request, and does everyone understand what remains to be approved? The supplier request worksheet is a starting point for defining those fields.