SideQuest for welding supply distributors on QuickBooks Online
Welding POs encode process, base metal, and joint type. MIG vs TIG vs stick. Carbon steel vs aluminum vs stainless. Wire diameter, rod classification (E7018, ER70S-6), gas mix (75/25, tri-mix). Get the classification wrong and the weld fails. SideQuest reads the inbound PO out of Gmail, parses the welding-specific fields, and lands the right rod and right gas. Your team confirms instead of re-classifying.
What changes for you
Process and classification parse on every line
The matcher reads AWS classifications (E7018, ER70S-6, ER4043), wire/rod diameter (0.035, 0.045, 1/16), and base material (carbon, stainless, aluminum). Lines route to the right SKU even when the buyer's part number is the classification, not your house number.
Gas mix gets matched to your cylinder fill SKU
75/25 argon-CO2, 90/10 argon-helium, tri-mix. SideQuest reads the mix from the description and routes to the right cylinder fill or rental SKU in your QuickBooks catalog. Cylinder deposits and rental terms carry through on the draft.
Customer-specific classifications stick over time
Some shops call ER70S-6 'mild steel wire'. Some call it 'general purpose.' SideQuest learns each customer's terminology over time. The cross-reference auto-learn pipeline records (customer, customer_part, your_SKU) every time an operator manually matches a line, so the same customer-shape is auto-matched on the next PO.
Why this fits
Catalog quirk: AWS classifications as SKU descriptors
Welding consumables are catalogued by AWS classification, not by manufacturer SKU. Buyers write the classification on the PO and your team has to land on a specific brand. The matcher reads the classification first, falls back to brand if specified, then to your preferred-brand default.
Customer mix: fab shops, MRO, industrial gas accounts
Fab shops order steady high-volume consumables. MRO buyers order on plant-shutdown schedules. Industrial gas accounts run monthly cylinder swaps with consumables attached. SideQuest reads each pattern through the same draft pipeline.
Hazmat and DOT compliance on the order
Gas cylinders carry hazmat shipping requirements. SideQuest preserves the cylinder UN number and class on the draft so your shipping team has the right paperwork on the first pull.
Start free for 30 days
The Solo tier covers up to 100 POs per month. Setup is install the connector, point it at your Gmail and your QuickBooks Online file, and let it parse your next inbound PO. No credit card to start.
Quick-start guide See pricingFAQ
Does SideQuest support customer-specific brand preferences?
Yes. Set the default brand on the customer record in QuickBooks (custom field). The matcher prefers that brand when the buyer asks for an AWS classification without naming a brand. If the buyer specifies a brand, the matcher honors the request.
Can SideQuest handle cylinder rentals and deposits separately?
Yes. Rentals and deposits are separate SKUs in your QuickBooks catalog. The matcher reads cylinder lines from the PO and lands the rental SKU plus the deposit SKU as separate lines on the draft. Your inside sales team confirms before submit.
What about POs that mix consumables with hard goods (machines, fixtures)?
Mixed POs work fine. Hard-good lines go through the same matcher with the same exact-SKU + cross-reference + description pipeline. The draft shows all lines together for review and submits as a single Estimate.