Case Study - A real-time price calculator that quotes print jobs in seconds

Overview

Archetype Print Shop handles a high volume of customer quote requests across a wide range of print configurations — different paper types, weights, sizes, finishes, quantities, and cutting layouts. Their team was spending significant time manually cross-referencing pricing tables, checking inventory, and calculating totals before they could give a customer a number.

We built a dedicated web application that replaces that manual process entirely. Staff can configure a job through a guided multi-step form and get an accurate, tiered price in real time — no spreadsheets, no manual math.

What we built

The estimating engine

The core of the application is a pricing engine that calculates costs across every configuration Archetype offers:

Print jobs — blank sheets, black-and-white (1-sided and 2-sided), color (1-sided and 2-sided), and mixed 4-over-1 layouts. Pricing scales dynamically across quantity tiers, so a quote for 25 sheets reflects different unit economics than a quote for 500.

Cutting jobs — text and cover stock cutting across 1-up through 18-up layouts. Cutting costs are similarly tiered and calculated per configuration.

All pricing data is precomputed with index maps so every calculation resolves in a single lookup — the form is fully responsive with no perceptible delay as users adjust quantities or options. A 4% processing fee is applied automatically to all totals and surfaced clearly in the real-time sidebar.

AI assistant

We integrated a Claude-powered chatbot directly into the application. The assistant has full context on Archetype's pricing catalog and inventory, allowing it to answer questions about paper types, finish options, and pricing ranges without pulling staff away from other work.

Responses stream in real time, giving the interface a natural, conversational feel. The chatbot is accessible from any page via a floating button and is available to both staff and customers.

Inventory and authentication

Inventory is managed through a Google Sheet that Archetype's team already maintained. A sync script pulls the latest stock levels into the application, and the estimating form automatically flags when a requested paper type or quantity is out of stock — preventing quotes from being issued for unavailable materials.

Access is secured through a magic-link system: authorized users receive a time-limited login link via email, with no passwords to manage. The email allowlist ensures only approved staff can generate estimates.

Estimate history

Every estimate is saved locally to the user's browser session, organized by day. The dashboard gives staff an at-a-glance view of the quotes they've generated that day — useful for tracking activity and following up with customers.