# Start a new RFP

Starting an RFP is three moves: upload the file, check the questions that came
out of it, then answer them.

You need write access to your account.

## Upload the RFP

1. Go to **RFPs** and select **New RFP**.

2. Drag your file onto **Drag and drop an RFP to get started**, or select it from
   the file picker.

   Excel (`.xlsx`) and Word (`.docx`) files are accepted, one at a time.

ResponseHub reads the file and extracts the questions it finds. The RFP appears
in your list with its items once that finishes.

## Check the questions before answering

The extraction pulls out everything that looks like a question, which usually
means some tidying up. Two things are worth doing first, and both are much easier
now than after every item has an answer:

**Delete anything that isn't a question.** RFP documents carry instructions,
section headers, and notes to the vendor. Those get extracted alongside the real
questions and are not worth answering.

**Switch off sync for anything you want to answer yourself.** An item with
**Sync disabled** is skipped by automatic answering and left for you. Use it for
questions only a person can answer — pricing, named references, anything needing
a commercial decision.

Every item shows its setting as **Sync enabled** or **Sync disabled** at the
bottom of its answer. Select the badge to switch it.

## Answer the questions

1. Select **Answer all questions**.

2. Confirm with **Proceed**.

ResponseHub answers every synced item from your knowledge base and your sources,
and works through them in the background. Items you unsynced are left alone, and
items you deleted are gone.

**Tidy up first:** The confirmation repeats this for a reason: delete the non-questions and set your
sync toggles *before* you start. Answering everything and cleaning up afterwards
means reviewing answers to questions you never needed.

Once answering has run, each item can be reviewed, edited, and approved exactly
as a questionnaire item is — see
[questionnaire items](/questionnaires/questionnaire-items/).

## Next steps

- [What are RFPs?](/rfps/what-are-rfps/)
- [Questionnaire items](/questionnaires/questionnaire-items/) — reviewing and approving an answer