Trade business software checklist: know what you need before you book a demo
This free software checklist asks five questions about your team, office cover, type of work and current setup. You get three things to prioritise in software and questions to put to suppliers on a demo, without any product ranking.
This gives you a shortlist of what to look for, not a rating of suppliers. Your answers produce three priorities and matching demo questions using the rules set out below. There is no performance score and no “best software” claim.
How your answers become three priorities
The checklist follows fixed rules, set out here. Priority 1 always covers the biggest gap you picked. Priority 2 covers a backup for callbacks if the office is not covered full-time, or a diary everyone can see if it is. Priority 3 covers a tested link to your other system if you ticked that box. Otherwise it depends on your current setup: one record for each job if you use spreadsheets, messages or paper; getting your data in and out if you use separate tools; or checking your current system first if you already have one.
Your team size changes the question about logins and handovers. Your work mix changes the question about the diary. Your answers are not sent to anyone or saved by this page.
Read the guide to choosing software for a trade business