Define the workload before collecting prices
Write down who needs access, which tasks they perform and the monthly volumes involved. Separate people who edit records from those who only need reports or approval access. For automation, count expected executions; for HR, count employees; for CRM, count the people managing customer records.
Ask vendors to price that exact scenario. A quote for five users is not comparable with one that assumes ten. Record the currency, billing period, minimum commitment and whether the quoted amount includes applicable taxes.
Build a first-year and renewal budget
Include subscriptions, compulsory add-ons, setup, migration, training and paid integration work. Add the time your own team will spend cleaning records, learning the system and supporting the rollout. Keep internal time separate from cash spending so the budget is easy to explain.
Model the renewal year separately: introductory discounts may end, annual billing may require payment upfront, and additional users may change your plan. Request written confirmation of renewal pricing rules and cancellation deadlines.
Worked example: the cheaper subscription costs more
This is an illustrative calculation, not a vendor quote. Product A costs £12 per user per month for ten users: £1,440 per year. Add £900 for migration and £600 for training, and first-year cash cost becomes £2,940. Product B costs £18 per user per month with the same setup included: £2,160 per year.
Product B is £780 cheaper in the first year under these assumptions. In a renewal year without further setup charges, Product A could be £720 cheaper. The decision depends on how long you expect to use it and whether both products actually cover the required work.
Test growth and overages
Compare your expected workload with a busier scenario, such as twenty users instead of ten or twice the automation volume. Identify where limits trigger an upgrade. Check charges for storage, messages, API access, payroll runs, support or additional entities where relevant.
Use this worksheet: subscription + required add-ons + usage charges + implementation + migration + training = cash cost for the period. Add internal effort and an explicitly chosen contingency separately. Do not treat a contingency as a quoted vendor fee.
Include the cost of leaving
Ask which records, attachments and history can be exported, in which formats, and whether an export needs a paid plan. Check the notice period and the time allowed to retrieve data after cancellation.
Choose on workflow fit and total cost together. A lower price is little help if the team must keep a second tool to complete essential work. Save the written quote and assumptions alongside your shortlist so the comparison can be repeated at renewal.
Before you decide
- Same users, workload and contract period for each quote
- First-year and renewal budgets kept separate
- Growth scenario and usage limits priced
- Export and cancellation terms confirmed in writing