Vendor Comparison Spreadsheet Template
Instructions for Use:
List Vendors: Enter the names of the vendors you are evaluating in the top row.
Define Criteria: Adjust the criteria in the left column to match your specific needs. Add or remove rows as necessary.
Input Data: Fill in the data for each vendor based on their proposals, demos, and your research.
Score & Weight: For the scored sections, rate each vendor on a scale of 1-5 (1 = Poor, 5 = Excellent). Assign a weight to each category based on its importance to your business (total must equal 100%).
Analyze: The spreadsheet will automatically calculate weighted scores and a total. The vendor with the highest total score is, objectively, the best fit for your weighted criteria.
Template Structure
Project: [e.g., Selection of a New CRM Platform]
Date of Comparison: [Date]
Prepared by: [Your Name/Team]
Criteria Vendor A:
[Enter Vendor 1 Name] Vendor B:
[Enter Vendor 2 Name] Vendor C:
[Enter Vendor 3 Name] Notes / Source Links SECTION 1: COMPANY & PROPOSAL Contact Person & Details Proposal Date Reference Customers (Paste links to case studies) Overall First Impression (1-5) SECTION 2: COST ANALYSIS Implementation/Setup Fee Subscription Model
(e.g., Per User/Month) Estimated Annual Cost
(For your team size) =([Cell]*12) =([Cell]*12) =([Cell]*12) Auto-calculates from sub cost Payment Terms
(e.g., Annual discount?) Cost for 3 Years
(Total Cost of Ownership) =([Cell]*3) =([Cell]*3) =([Cell]*3) Auto-calculates from annual cost Additional Costs
(Training, Support, Overage) Cost Score (1-5)
Weight: [e.g., 25%] *1=Expensive, 5=Great Value* SECTION 3: TECHNICAL & FEATURES Core Feature #1
(e.g., Automated Reporting) ☑ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No Core Feature #2
(e.g., Custom Dashboards) ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No Integration #1
(e.g., Slack) ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No Integration #2
(e.g., Mailchimp) ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No ☐ Yes / ☐ No Security & Compliance
(e.g., SOC 2, GDPR) Scalability Ease of Use / UI (1-5) Technical & Feature Score (1-5)
Weight: [e.g., 35%] Average of feature checks & scores SECTION 4: SERVICE & SUPPORT Support Hours
(e.g., 24/7, 9-5 ET) Support Channels
(Phone, Email, Chat) Service Level Agreement (SLA) (e.g., 99.9% Uptime) Onboarding & Training Included Customer Reviews (G2/Capterra) (1-5) Service & Support Score (1-5)
Weight: [e.g., 20%] SECTION 5: CONTRACT & TERMS Contract Length Termination Clause Data Ownership & Portability Contract & Terms Score (1-5)
Weight: [e.g., 10%] *1=Rigid, 5=Flexible & Fair* SECTION 6: SCORING & DECISION Weighted Cost Score =[Cost Score] * 0.25 =[Cost Score] * 0.25 =[Cost Score] * 0.25 Weighted Feature Score =[Feature Score] * 0.35 =[Feature Score] * 0.35 =[Feature Score] * 0.35 Weighted Support Score =[Support Score] * 0.20 =[Support Score] * 0.20 =[Support Score] * 0.20 Weighted Contract Score =[Contract Score] * 0.10 =[Contract Score] * 0.10 =[Contract Score] * 0.10 🚨 TOTAL SCORE =SUM(Weighted Scores) =SUM(Weighted Scores) =SUM(Weighted Scores) The highest score wins. Final Decision & Next Steps
Project: [e.g., Selection of a New CRM Platform]
Date of Comparison: [Date]
Prepared by: [Your Name/Team]
| Criteria | Vendor A: [Enter Vendor 1 Name] | Vendor B: [Enter Vendor 2 Name] | Vendor C: [Enter Vendor 3 Name] | Notes / Source Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SECTION 1: COMPANY & PROPOSAL | ||||
| Contact Person & Details | ||||
| Proposal Date | ||||
| Reference Customers | (Paste links to case studies) | |||
| Overall First Impression (1-5) | ||||
| SECTION 2: COST ANALYSIS | ||||
| Implementation/Setup Fee | ||||
| Subscription Model (e.g., Per User/Month) | ||||
| Estimated Annual Cost (For your team size) | =([Cell]*12) | =([Cell]*12) | =([Cell]*12) | Auto-calculates from sub cost |
| Payment Terms (e.g., Annual discount?) | ||||
| Cost for 3 Years (Total Cost of Ownership) | =([Cell]*3) | =([Cell]*3) | =([Cell]*3) | Auto-calculates from annual cost |
| Additional Costs (Training, Support, Overage) | ||||
| Cost Score (1-5) Weight: [e.g., 25%] | *1=Expensive, 5=Great Value* | |||
| SECTION 3: TECHNICAL & FEATURES | ||||
| Core Feature #1 (e.g., Automated Reporting) | ☑ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | |
| Core Feature #2 (e.g., Custom Dashboards) | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | |
| Integration #1 (e.g., Slack) | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | |
| Integration #2 (e.g., Mailchimp) | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | |
| Security & Compliance (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR) | ||||
| Scalability | ||||
| Ease of Use / UI (1-5) | ||||
| Technical & Feature Score (1-5) Weight: [e.g., 35%] | Average of feature checks & scores | |||
| SECTION 4: SERVICE & SUPPORT | ||||
| Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, 9-5 ET) | ||||
| Support Channels (Phone, Email, Chat) | ||||
| Service Level Agreement (SLA) | (e.g., 99.9% Uptime) | |||
| Onboarding & Training Included | ||||
| Customer Reviews (G2/Capterra) (1-5) | ||||
| Service & Support Score (1-5) Weight: [e.g., 20%] | ||||
| SECTION 5: CONTRACT & TERMS | ||||
| Contract Length | ||||
| Termination Clause | ||||
| Data Ownership & Portability | ||||
| Contract & Terms Score (1-5) Weight: [e.g., 10%] | *1=Rigid, 5=Flexible & Fair* | |||
| SECTION 6: SCORING & DECISION | ||||
| Weighted Cost Score | =[Cost Score] * 0.25 | =[Cost Score] * 0.25 | =[Cost Score] * 0.25 | |
| Weighted Feature Score | =[Feature Score] * 0.35 | =[Feature Score] * 0.35 | =[Feature Score] * 0.35 | |
| Weighted Support Score | =[Support Score] * 0.20 | =[Support Score] * 0.20 | =[Support Score] * 0.20 | |
| Weighted Contract Score | =[Contract Score] * 0.10 | =[Contract Score] * 0.10 | =[Contract Score] * 0.10 | |
| 🚨 TOTAL SCORE | =SUM(Weighted Scores) | =SUM(Weighted Scores) | =SUM(Weighted Scores) | The highest score wins. |
| Final Decision & Next Steps |
How to Implement This in Excel/Sheets:
Copy the Structure: Create a new sheet and copy the table structure above.
Use Data Validation for Yes/No: For the "Yes/No" cells, use Data Validation (in Excel: Data Tab > Data Validation > Allow: List > Source: "Yes,No").
Use Data Validation for 1-5 Scores: Similarly, create a data validation list with "1,2,3,4,5" for the score cells to ensure consistency.
Implement Formulas:
The Estimated Annual Cost and Cost for 3 Years cells should contain simple multiplication formulas referencing the cell where you entered the monthly or annual cost.
The TOTAL SCORE row is the sum of all the Weighted Score cells above it.
Adjust Weights: The weights (25%, 35%, etc.) are examples. Change the percentages in the Weight: fields and the corresponding formulas in the Weighted Score rows to match your priorities. Ensure all weights add up to 100%.
Copy the Structure: Create a new sheet and copy the table structure above.
Use Data Validation for Yes/No: For the "Yes/No" cells, use Data Validation (in Excel: Data Tab > Data Validation > Allow: List > Source: "Yes,No").
Use Data Validation for 1-5 Scores: Similarly, create a data validation list with "1,2,3,4,5" for the score cells to ensure consistency.
Implement Formulas:
The
Estimated Annual CostandCost for 3 Yearscells should contain simple multiplication formulas referencing the cell where you entered the monthly or annual cost.The
TOTAL SCORErow is the sum of all theWeighted Scorecells above it.
Adjust Weights: The weights (25%, 35%, etc.) are examples. Change the percentages in the Weight: fields and the corresponding formulas in the Weighted Score rows to match your priorities. Ensure all weights add up to 100%.
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