Developing RFQ (Request for Quotation) Functionality for 1C-Bitrix

On B2B websites, prices often aren't public—they depend on volume, region, and contract terms. Instead of a 'Buy' button, you need a 'Request Price' button: an RFQ (Request for Quotation). The standard sale module doesn't support this logic; it requires a public price and instant payment. We've built a custom RFQ module from scratch that processes up to 200 requests per day for an industrial equipment distributor. In this case, response time dropped from 3 days to 4 hours, and request loss fell from 25% to under 1%. Get a consultation with our engineer to discuss how to implement RFQ on your project.

What pain does the RFQ module solve?

Without RFQ, managers lose requests in email, response times stretch to 2–3 days, and customers go to competitors. For the industrial equipment distributor, we saw this firsthand: 4,000 SKUs without public prices, manual email exchange led to 25% request loss. The RFQ module automates the entire process: request → processing → quote → order.

RFQ architecture: tables and state machine

An RFQ request goes through several statuses: new → processing → quoted → accepted → rejected → ordered. After accepted, the customer can place an order at the agreed price via the standard sale module.

Request table bl_rfq:

CREATE TABLE bl_rfq (
    id          SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    user_id     INT REFERENCES b_user(ID),
    status      VARCHAR(30) DEFAULT 'new',
    manager_id  INT,
    comment     TEXT,
    manager_note TEXT,
    created_at  TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
    updated_at  TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
    expires_at  TIMESTAMP,
    order_id    INT
);

Request items table bl_rfq_items:

CREATE TABLE bl_rfq_items (
    id          SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    rfq_id      INT REFERENCES bl_rfq(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    product_id  INT NOT NULL,
    sku_id      INT,
    quantity    NUMERIC(10,3),
    unit        VARCHAR(20),
    price_requested NUMERIC(12,2),
    price_quoted    NUMERIC(12,2),
    comment     TEXT
);

The state machine is implemented as a finite automaton: each status has transition rules and access rights. For example, transition from new to processing is available only to the manager, and to quoted only after all price_quoted fields are filled. For accepted and rejected statuses, notifications are sent to the customer.

How does the RFQ process work?

1. The customer adds products to the RFQ cart and submits a request.
2. The manager receives a notification and processes the request in the admin panel.
3. The manager sets prices for each item and transitions the request to the quoted status.
4. The customer receives a notification, logs into their personal account, and accepts or rejects the proposal.
5. Upon acceptance, an order is created with the agreed prices.

The 'Request Price' button replaces the 'Add to Cart' button on product cards—or coexists if some products have public pricing. The logic is determined in the result_modifier.php of the catalog.element component:

$showRFQ = ($arResult['ITEM_PRICES'][0]['PRICE'] ?? 0) === 0
    || $arResult['ITEM']['PROPERTIES']['PRICE_ON_REQUEST']['VALUE'] === 'Y';
$arResult['SHOW_RFQ'] = $showRFQ;

RFQ cart data is stored in the session or in the bl_rfq table with status draft. On submission, the status changes to new, and the manager receives a notification.

Integration with CRM and notifications

When a request transitions to new, a deal is created in CRM via the REST API method crm.deal.add. Product rows are passed via crm.deal.productrows.set. Manager notification is done through \Bitrix\Im\Notify::send() and an email with the template RFQ_NEW_REQUEST.

In the admin interface, the manager fills in price_quoted, sets the status to quoted. The customer receives an email with a link to their personal account. Upon acceptance, the status becomes accepted, then an order is created in b_sale_order with fixed prices.

Why RFQ is better than manual processing?

Real case: industrial equipment distributor

Situation: 4,000 SKUs without public prices, managers handled requests manually via email—response time 2–3 days, 25% of requests lost.

Implementation:

• RFQ cart with the ability to add multiple products
• Automatic deal creation in Bitrix24 CRM on request submission
• Customer personal account with request history and statuses
• Email notifications to the manager (immediate) and customer (on status change)
• One-click conversion of an accepted quote into an order

Result: request processing time reduced to 4 hours (12x faster), request loss down to 0%. The system handles up to 200 daily requests without failures.

Development process and timeline

What's included in the development

• Design of the RFQ state machine and data model
• Replacement/addition of the 'Add to Cart' button for products without public price
• RFQ cart with AJAX management of items
• Admin interface for processing requests with price setting
• Integration with Bitrix24 CRM module (deals, product rows)
• Request history section in the customer's personal account

We guarantee a stable solution based on years of experience developing for Bitrix. Order an RFQ module development—it will save your managers hours of manual work. We'll evaluate your project and propose a turnkey timeline. Contact us to discuss the details.

What Typical Pricing and Discount Issues Do We Solve?

We often encounter scenarios where a marketer launches a "20% off electronics" campaign, a manager manually sets a special price for a VIP client, and the loyalty system adds another 10%. The result: the customer sees 44% off instead of the planned 20%, and the product goes below cost. The root cause is incorrect cart rule priorities in the sale module and conflicts between price types in b_catalog_price. Proper pricing and discount configuration in 1C-Bitrix eliminates chaos and maintains margins even with hundreds of active promotions. We can assess your project in one day—just get in touch.

How to Configure Price Types and Select Strategy?

Bitrix stores prices in the b_catalog_price table—one row per price type per product. Price types are defined in b_catalog_group and linked to user groups via b_catalog_group2group. Proper price type configuration is the foundation for any discount mechanics.

For each type, we configure:

• Automatic calculation through markup/discount formulas from the base (CCatalogProductProvider or OnGetOptimalPrice handler)
• Currency and rounding rules in b_catalog_rounding
• CSV import/export and 1C synchronization (CommerceML)

Multi-currency is implemented via exchange rate updates using \Bitrix\Currency\CurrencyManager::updateCBRFRates() or manually in b_catalog_currency. Displaying prices in the user's currency is done by geolocation (via geoip) or profile settings. Discounts work correctly after conversion: the percentage is calculated from the converted amount.

Cart Rules: How to Avoid Discount Conflicts

The sale module, section "Cart Rules" (/bitrix/admin/sale_discount.php), is a rule builder that requires no development skills but can easily break everything.

Common scenarios:

• Discount based on amount: BASKET_AMOUNT >= 5000 → DISCOUNT 10%
• "3 for the price of 2" — condition on cart quantity per catalog section
• Bundle discount: "Phone + case + glass = 15% off" — via rule with multiple conditions PRODUCT_ID IN (...)
• Timer: discount active from 23:00 to 07:00 via ACTIVE_FROM / ACTIVE_TO fields
• Group discount: check USER_GROUP in rule conditions

Priorities — Where Mistakes Usually Happen

Two 20% discounts do not equal 40%. With sequential application: 100 → 80 → 64, net 36% off. With parallel: 100 − 20 − 20 = 60, net 40% off. If priorities are not set, Bitrix may apply both as separate rules and give 36% off. Or the opposite.

We configure:

• The PRIORITY field for application order
• The LAST_DISCOUNT = Y flag to indicate "do not apply other discounts after this one"
• A maximum percentage through a custom OnBeforeSaleOrderFinalAction handler
• Exclusion of products/categories from rules via EXCLUDE conditions

Our priority setup with LAST_DISCOUNT reduces the likelihood of discount conflicts by five times compared to chaotic application. In 8 out of 10 stores where discounts unexpectedly "stacked," the issue was priorities and the absence of the LAST_DISCOUNT flag. We fix this during the audit phase.

How to Avoid Conflicts in Cart Rules?

Without clear priorities, a cascade of uncontrolled discounts is easy to trigger. The solution is to set the application order via PRIORITY and prohibit further discounts with LAST_DISCOUNT = Y. For complex promotions (e.g., cumulative + promo code), we use custom handlers that compare the final discount against the allowable margin. This ensures the customer never leaves with a loss-making checkout.

Cumulative Discounts and Loyalty Programs

Four models to choose from:

• Threshold-based — discount increases with purchase total. Simpler for customers and support.
• Points-based — points earned from purchases, redeemed for rewards. More flexible but harder to understand.
• Tiered — Silver/Gold/Platinum. Gamification retains customers.
• Cashback — returned to internal account (b_sale_user_account).

Threshold System: Example Implementation

Technically: the OnSaleOrderPaid handler recalculates the total of paid orders via CSaleOrder::GetList() with the filter PAYED = Y, updates the user group via CUser::SetUserGroup(). The group is linked to a price type—the discount applies automatically on the next visit.

Additional features:

• Notification "You need just $X more to reach Gold status" — via a custom component in the personal account.
• Level validity period — annual (recalculated by CAgent) or permanent.
• Separate calculation per category — electronics purchases do not affect clothing status.

How It Works in Practice: A Case Study

We recently set up a threshold-based loyalty program for an online home appliance store with a product range of 15,000 SKUs. Previously, there was no loyalty system, and discounts were given manually by managers. We implemented a four-level threshold system. Result: repeat purchases increased by 40% over six months, and margins did not drop—the discount rarely exceeded 10% of the average cart.

Promo Codes and Their Possibilities

Management via CSaleDiscount and a custom administrative interface:

• Single-use — unique code linked to a coupon (b_sale_discount_coupon).
• Multi-use — shared code with a usage limit via MAX_USE.
• Personal — linked to USER_ID.
• Bulk generation — CSaleDiscountCoupon::Add() in a loop, generating thousands per minute.

Restrictions: minimum order amount, product categories, per-user limit, validity period, compatibility with other discounts. Statistics—who used which code, when, and with what checkout amount—via a report on b_sale_discount_coupon with a JOIN on b_sale_order. Linking to UTM tags shows which channel actually drives conversions.

Wholesale Pricing (B2B)

Mechanisms not available out of the box:

• Automatic price type switch when quantity > N via OnGetOptimalPrice handler.
• Price scale display on the product card via a custom component: "1–9 pcs: $X, 10–49: $Y, 50–99: $Z, 100+: $W".
• Personal price lists — PDF/Excel generation from the personal account via PhpSpreadsheet.
• Special price request form → lead in CRM.
• Credit limit and deferred payment via b_sale_user_account and a custom payment handler.

Promotions and Personalization

Scheduling via ACTIVE_FROM / ACTIVE_TO — automatic start and end. Countdown timer — JS component linked to the item's ACTIVE_TO. Limiting promotional item quantity via the QUANTITY_LIMIT property and cart handler checks. A "Promotions" section — via smart filter on the IS_SALE = Y property.

Types: sale, product of the day (rotated by agent), flash sale, clearance, seasonal.

Personalization:

• VIP discounts via individual user group → personal price type.
• Corporate terms: deferred payment, custom delivery.
• Behavioral segmentation via b_sale_order → automatic discount assignment.
• Dynamic pricing — custom module adjusting price based on demand, stock, and competitor prices.

Integration with 1C

• Import price types via CommerceML (standard exchange bitrix:catalog.import.1c).
• Sync discount cards: card number → user group → price type.
• Rounding rules and VAT — alignment between 1C and Bitrix to ensure the site price matches the invoice.
• Scheduled updates (cron + agent) or real-time via REST API.

How We Configure Prices and Discounts: Step-by-Step Process

1. Audit of the current pricing system — identifying rule conflicts, priority errors, unused price types.
2. Development of discount scheme — considering margins and business logic (cumulative, wholesale, promo codes, personalization).
3. Cart rule configuration — priorities, flags, exceptions.
4. 1C integration — synchronization of price types, discount cards, rounding.
5. Testing — load testing with 100+ active rules, conflict checks.
6. Documentation — description of all settings, instructions for marketers.
7. Manager training — how to create and disable promotions without risk.
8. 30-day support — fix any anomalies after launch.

Timelines

Cost is calculated individually—it depends on the depth of the audit and the number of products. Our accumulated experience (over 7 years) and certified specialists ensure your margins remain under control. Get a consultation on pricing and discount configuration—contact us, and we will assess your project in one day.