How price checks work

Every material line on every invoice gets checked. CostCrunch works out exactly what the product is (size, material, pack quantity, unit) and then compares the price you paid per unit against the best benchmark it has.

What your price is compared to

Depending on what data exists for that product, a line is compared to one of these:

• Your usual price: what you normally pay for this product, across your own past invoices.
• The typical price other companies pay: what other CostCrunch customers pay for the same product.
• The top of the typical market range: when prices vary a lot, you're only flagged if you paid above the normal range, not just above the average.
• Your quote: if the invoice is tied to a quote, the price you were quoted.

The hover text on each line tells you which one was used.

Local prices

Prices vary by region, so CostCrunch compares against prices from your area when it can. It uses the invoice's shipping address. If an invoice has no shipping address, it uses the Default ZIP code in Settings → General. Set this so you get local comparisons.

Quotes and credits

Quotes are never marked as overpaid. They show a neutral comparison, since you haven't paid anything yet. Credit lines aren't checked.

It gets better over time

The more invoices you upload, the more of your own history CostCrunch has to compare against. Uploading a few months of past invoices is the quickest way to get useful checks from day one.