Definition
Match score (confidence score)A number on each line of an automatically prepared quote or sales order showing how well the proposed product fits the customer’s request. It tells the reviewer where to look. It does not approve the line.
What does a match score mean in wholesale distribution?
Enquiries arrive in the customer’s words, not your item codes: “M10 nyloc A2”, a competitor’s part number, a customer part number, a size with no unit. Some lines leave no doubt. Others leave a choice open: which length, which material, angled or straight.
The match score tells the two apart. Without one, a rep checks every line and saves little, or trusts every line until a wrong product reaches a customer. With one, the rep reads the doubtful lines closely and skims the rest. The score drives the review step in AI quote automation for distributors and order entry automation.
What moves a match score up or down?
The evidence that usually moves it:
| Evidence on the line | Typical effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Your product code, or a customer or competitor code with a known cross-reference | High | “4471205”, “our ref 22-0187” |
| Every stated attribute agrees with one product | High | “M10 x 40 hex set screw A2” |
| An attribute is missing and several products fit | Lower | “M8 washers”, no material |
| A stated attribute contradicts the candidate | Much lower | “24 V” against a 230 V product |
| Vague wording, or an item outside your range | Low, or no match | “fixings as last time” |
ERP Agent pushes down candidates that contradict a stated size, voltage or rating class. A line with no plausible match goes on the organisation’s placeholder code rather than a forced guess.
Example: match scores on a fixings enquiry
A fastener distributor gets this enquiry from a contractor’s buyer. Prices are left out.
Email from a contractor’s buyer
- 200 x M10 x 40 hex set screw A2
- 200 x M10 nyloc A2
- 50 x our ref 22-0187
- 500 x M8 washers
- 10 x M12 anchors
| Customer wrote | Proposed product | Match | Rep |
|---|---|---|---|
| M10 x 40 hex set screw A2 | Hex set screw DIN 933 M10 × 40, A2 | 97 | Approves |
| M10 nyloc A2 | Nylon insert lock nut DIN 985 M10, A2 | 93 | Approves |
| our ref 22-0187 | Socket cap screw ISO 4762 M6 × 20, A2 | 91 | Approves: same product as last time |
| M8 washers | Flat washer DIN 125 M8, zinc plated | 71 | Marked: takes the A2 alternative |
| M12 anchors | Through bolt anchor M12 × 110, zinc plated | 48 | Marked: asks for type and length |
Illustrative example with invented data and scores. In ERP Agent, lines under 80 are marked for review.
How do you read a confidence score on a quote line?
- Start with the marked lines, under 80 in ERP Agent. Open one to read the agent’s reasoning, then take an alternative or change the line in quote chat.
- Read it as confidence in the product. Quantity, unit and price still need a glance, especially on lines sold by the box, by length or by weight.
- The score guides the review; your team approves. Your team stays in control: by default a person reviews before anything reaches your ERP, CRM or other system.
- Do not compare scores across tools. Each vendor calculates its own.
Is a match score the same as accuracy?
No. A match score is an estimate for one line before anyone checks it. Accuracy is a result: the share of lines that turned out right, measured afterwards over many lines. At LVI-WaBeK, ERP Agent automates quote lines with over 95% accuracy.
In a pilot, compare the agent’s lines with what the rep sent, and count the lines that scored high and were still wrong. The AI quote agent pilot checklist shows how.
