Select the right software by assessing features and functionality with this downloadable template.
Choosing new software can be a timely process from start to finish. Before you reach a decision, you have to build a list of potential software options to assess which solutions have the features you need to get the job done.
While this is a good starting point, make sure you aren’t looking past the functionality of those features.
Think of it like shopping for a new house—you see a few listings that meet your needs for square footage, bedrooms, and bathrooms. But you can’t really figure out the differences between the listings without taking a tour and assessing what will work best for your needs.
It’s important to avoid committing to a product simply because it boasts your list of needed features without taking a deeper look at how those features perform in terms of functionality.
Assessing the functionality of software features
To distinguish the two, features are the tools you use within a solution to complete a set of tasks while functionality is how well those features actually work within a software system.
For example, let’s say you are in the market for new warehouse management software. In your research, you see necessary features such as billing and invoicing, backorder management, and supply chain management. But with a system that requires different components to talk to each other and make real-time updates that can impact the entire business, how can you be sure that this solution will cohesively integrate with your existing tools?
That’s where assessing the functionality of software features comes into play.
To take a closer look at features and learn more about their specific functionality, Capterra’s software directories let you filter by features, read reviews from real software users, and even proceed to the demo stage so you can assess functionality.
Many software reviewers on Capterra detail how they use particular software features in their day to day. Read through user reviews and take note of any features they call out as essential.
Whether you are utilizing user reviews, comparing notes taken during a software demo, or a combo of both—we built a template to help you stay organized and document different features during your search.
Use our free software comparison template to assess functionality in a few steps
Navigate to the Capterra page for each software option on your shortlist
Enter the software's ratings from that page into the template/spreadsheet
Choose the tools with the highest rating at the top
After you’ve filled out the template, you’ll see an aggregate rating at the top of the spreadsheet. The software product with the highest rating offers the most of your predetermined requirements.
Now that you’ve put in the work, the final step can be as easy as pressing “purchase” on a vendor’s website or as difficult as going through a stakeholder approval process that can last weeks, or even months.
Either way, with this template and assessment, you can feel confident in your choice and have the answers in hand when it comes to doing your due diligence to get buy-in.
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