This prompt library was curated and tested by our team, drawing on feedback from procurement and category management professionals. Organized by common sourcing workflows, these prompts help you engage Phil with precision and purpose. Whether you're building a category strategy or preparing for a supplier negotiation, these examples are designed to deliver actionable insights, fast.
For more information on Phil, visit our comprehensive FAQ Article.
How to use these prompts
Start with any Procurement Report.
Launch Phil from the right-hand toolbar.
Copy and paste a prompt below into the chat window.
Customize the category name or context if needed.
Prompts by sourcing workflow
Category strategy and planning
Provide a current overview of this category's supply market for a global manufacturer, including pricing trends, cost drivers and the main challenges buyers are facing right now. Structure the response for use in a category strategy document.
What are the main cost drivers in this category, and how are they projected to change over the next few years? Explain how these shifts might affect budgets and contract planning.
Explain how supplier pricing and availability for this category vary by region for a regional healthcare provider. Identify which regions offer the most favorable terms and explain the structural, economic or regulatory factors behind these differences. What should sourcing teams consider when planning regional supplier diversification?
Spend analysis and should-cost modeling
Break down the main cost components for this category, such as materials, labor, overhead and margin, and explain how each one contributes to overall pricing. I want to build a should-cost model for comparing supplier bids at a purchase volume of [insert volume] over a [insert term]-year contract.
What factors beyond unit price should I include in a total cost of ownership analysis for this category? My scope includes [insert service scope, e.g. installation, maintenance, support]. Include considerations like logistics, quality, lead time and switching costs.
Based on current cost and pricing trends in this category, does a proposed unit price of [insert price] look reasonable for a purchase volume of [insert volume], a [insert term] contract term and [insert implementation complexity, e.g. standard rollout vs. custom integration]? Explain what I should ask the supplier to justify.
Bonus tip: Prompt Phil to present the cost breakdown in a table, so it's easy to plug into a should-cost model. Including commercial details like purchase volume, contract term, service scope or implementation complexity helps Phil explain why similar quotes may price out differently.
Supplier evaluation and RFP/RFQ
I'm building an RFP for this category. What evaluation criteria should I include to assess supplier capability, financial stability and capacity?
Draft five RFP questions specific to this category that will help me compare suppliers on the factors that matter most.
What are the barriers to entry and competitive dynamics among suppliers in this category? I want to understand how much negotiating room exists with new entrants versus established suppliers.
Bonus tip: Ask Phil to weight the criteria so you can build a scoring rubric.
Supplier negotiation
I'm negotiating a contract renewal for this category in the next 12 months. What are the top five factors I should raise with suppliers, and why?
Write a set of talking points I can use with our incumbent supplier, who has proposed a [insert #]% price increase for this category, referencing current market conditions to support my position.
I'm running a competitive sourcing event for this category against our incumbent supplier and [insert # of vendors, e.g. two new vendors]. Explain how supply and cost conditions are expected to change over the next six months, and how those changes should inform my negotiation strategy.
Bonus tip: Ask Phil to frame supplier power using a strategic framework. Whatever the scenario, a price increase and its size, a contract renewal, a competitive sourcing event or an incumbent negotiation, name it in the prompt. The scenario shapes the strategy Phil recommends, so it's worth including every time.
Supply risk and resilience
What are the main risk factors affecting supply of this category? Identify current and emerging threats related to price volatility, supplier concentration and disruption. Score each risk on a scale of 1 to 5 and recommend ways to mitigate it.
We currently source this category from a single supplier or region. What is our exposure if that supply is disrupted, and what alternative sourcing options should we consider?
How exposed is this category to tariffs? Include information on foreign trade partners, tariff rates, and how sourcing teams should plan around this exposure.
Bonus tip: Ask Phil to frame the analysis as a risk matrix.
Supplier diversity and ESG
What ESG issues in this category's supply base pose the greatest financial or reputational risk? Offer practical steps for building ESG requirements into our sourcing process.
What does the diverse supplier base look like for this category, and what steps can we take to expand diverse spend without compromising cost or quality?
Disclaimer: ESG prompts are supported for categories with a corresponding ESG assessment.
Supplier relationship management and business reviews
I'm preparing for a quarterly business review with a strategic supplier in this category. Summarize the category conditions most relevant to raise, and recommend talking points for contract terms, performance and risk.
Draft an email to a transactional supplier addressing a cost increase request, referencing current market conditions in this category to support our position.
Bonus tip: Tell Phil more about your relationship with the supplier, including whether it's strategic, preferred or transactional, so he can customize his output.
Reporting to stakeholders and leadership
Write a category brief for procurement leadership. Include current pricing trends, supply risks and forecasted cost direction, and note any budget implications for the coming year.
Summarize this category's performance and outlook in five paragraphs for an internal stakeholder update.
Bonus tip: Tell Phil about the tone of your internal reporting to help him deliver the best possible draft.
Tips to get the most out of Phil
Sharpen your prompts with these five tips to get more relevant responses from Phil:
Add structure: Ask Phil to format results in a table, list or common framework (like Porter's Five Forces or a risk matrix). Structured outputs are easier to scan and reuse.
Specify the style and tone: Tell Phil to match your writing style, tone or intended audience (e.g. "Reply in a tone suited to an executive stakeholder update").
Give context: Briefly explain who you are and what you need (e.g. "I'm a category manager preparing for a supplier renewal next month"). The more context Phil has, the more targeted and credible the insight.
Define your goal: Whether you're writing a sourcing strategy, an RFP scorecard or a risk analysis, mention the deliverable so Phil can tailor his response.
Refine with follow-ups: If Phil's answer is close but not perfect, build on it rather than starting over. Ask for a specific word count, a different tone or additional detail to improve his initial response.
Conclusion
Phil's answers are only as good as the prompts you give him. How you craft your prompts will determine the quality of Phil's output.