Guides
8 guides on procurement. Practical writing from the team building Atlas, useful whether or not you buy anything.
A vendor demonstration is a performance of the product working. An evaluation is your attempt to find where it does not.
A scorecard will not make the decision for you, but it will stop you deciding on the last impressive demo. Its real value is forcing you to name what matters before you look.
The demo is designed to impress. Your job is to notice what it is steering you away from. These are the warning signs that separate a good fit from an expensive regret.
Most trials prove nothing because they test the tool the vendor wants to show, not the work you actually do. A useful trial is designed before it starts, around your own scenarios.
The sticker price of software is the smallest number in the decision. Implementation, training, integration, and the cost of switching later usually dwarf the subscription you compared.
A good RFP describes the problem you need solved, not the solution you have already imagined. The best vendors answer the former; a feature checklist only surfaces who can tick boxes.
The instinct to buy a specialized tool for every need feels prudent and quietly becomes a liability. Smarter procurement means consolidating toward fewer, better vendors, and the benefits go far beyond the budget line.
The cheapest software decision is the one you do not have to redo. Choosing tools you will not outgrow means evaluating for the company you are becoming, not just the one you are now. Here is how to do that without over-buying.
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