How do you calculate a quote accuracy score?

Divide the number of jobs that closed within cost or margin tolerance by the total closed jobs reviewed, then multiply by 100. With 84 of 105 jobs in tolerance, the rate is 80%.

What is a good quote accuracy rate for a job shop?

Most well-run shops target 85-95% within tolerance. Below 80% means estimating variance is large enough to threaten margins. The example's 80% sits 10 points under a 90% target, signaling real room to improve.

How do you define within cost or margin tolerance?

Set a band, often plus or minus 5-10% of estimated cost or a minimum acceptable margin, and count a job as accurate only if actuals land inside it. The band should reflect how much variance your margins can absorb.

Why track accuracy rate instead of just average estimating error?

An average can hide offsetting errors, a big overshoot canceling a big undershoot to look fine. The accuracy rate counts how often you actually land the job, which is what protects margin on each individual quote.

What does the gap-to-target number tell me?

It's the points between your current rate and where you want to be. A 10-point gap means lifting roughly 10% more jobs into tolerance, which usually points at a few specific estimating drivers like material yield or setup time.

Contract Manufacturing, Job Shop Quoting & Make-to-Order calculator

Quote Accuracy Score Calculator

Quote Accuracy Score measures the share of closed jobs where the estimate held up against actual cost or margin, the single best gauge of whether your estimating process is reliable or quietly bleeding profit. Estimators and shop owners in job-shop and make-to-order work use it to know if their quotes can be trusted or if every job is a roll of the dice. A low score means you're winning some jobs you'll lose money on and losing others you priced too high. Tracking it over time tells you whether estimating improvements are actually working.

What this calculator does

Measure how often quoted jobs stay within expected cost or margin tolerance.
reviewing estimator performance, routing standards, and closed-job variance
It calculates the percentage of reviewed closed jobs whose actual cost or margin fell within tolerance of the quote, then compares that rate to your target.

Formula used

quote accuracy rate = quotes within cost or margin tolerance ÷ closed quoted jobs reviewed × 100
quote accuracy gap to target = quote accuracy rate - target quote accuracy rate

Inputs explained

Jobs that landed within cost or margin tolerance:
Closed quoted jobs reviewed in the period:
Target quote accuracy rate:

How to use the result

Use it in a monthly or quarterly estimating review after jobs have closed and actual costs are booked.
It treats every job equally, so a shop with a high count but most misses on its largest jobs can show a healthy rate while losing real money; weight by job value for a dollar-true picture.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The U.S. prime lending rate is 6.75% (Federal Reserve via FRED, 2026-07-02). Payback and financing math should start from today's rate, not a remembered one.

Common questions

How do you calculate a quote accuracy score? Divide the number of jobs that closed within cost or margin tolerance by the total closed jobs reviewed, then multiply by 100. With 84 of 105 jobs in tolerance, the rate is 80%.
What is a good quote accuracy rate for a job shop? Most well-run shops target 85-95% within tolerance. Below 80% means estimating variance is large enough to threaten margins. The example's 80% sits 10 points under a 90% target, signaling real room to improve.
How do you define within cost or margin tolerance? Set a band, often plus or minus 5-10% of estimated cost or a minimum acceptable margin, and count a job as accurate only if actuals land inside it. The band should reflect how much variance your margins can absorb.
Why track accuracy rate instead of just average estimating error? An average can hide offsetting errors, a big overshoot canceling a big undershoot to look fine. The accuracy rate counts how often you actually land the job, which is what protects margin on each individual quote.
What does the gap-to-target number tell me? It's the points between your current rate and where you want to be. A 10-point gap means lifting roughly 10% more jobs into tolerance, which usually points at a few specific estimating drivers like material yield or setup time.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.