# CRM evaluation worksheet for consultants

Published by Nynch. Use with any CRM. This is an evaluation method, not an independent product ranking.

## 1. Define the decision

- Practice and evaluator: [name]
- Date: [date]
- Current CRM and problem to solve: [specific friction]
- Shortlisted CRM, plan and billing period: [vendor / tier / annual or monthly]
- Selling users / view-only users: [counts]
- Required integrations: [email, calendar, meeting recorder, delivery tools]
- Data and permissions that must remain private: [requirements]
- Must-have outcomes: [three observable results]

Use fictional or anonymised records until data handling is agreed. Do not upload a client's private material to a trial just to complete this worksheet.

## 2. Test the same three workflows

### A. Reconnect with a former client

Give the demonstrator an earlier note, a reason to reconnect and a follow-up date. Ask them to find the history and prepare a relevant draft.

- Where did the context come from?
- Did the draft use accurate, useful details?
- Can I correct the context, edit the message and choose whether to send?
- What did I have to enter or configure manually?
- What happens when the person has no open opportunity?

### B. Prepare for a meeting

Give the demonstrator two attendees, an earlier conversation and an unresolved commitment. Ask for a brief and the evidence behind it.

- Did it distinguish known facts from assumptions?
- Can I find the original conversation?
- Are the right stakeholders and outstanding questions visible?
- Does each user see only the information they should?
- Which account connection and plan features were required?

### C. Progress a consulting opportunity

Use a possible engagement with a buyer, a sponsor, an unanswered question and an agreed next step.

- Can I see scope, people, history, owner and next action together?
- Is a suggested action supported by evidence?
- Can I change or reject an AI assessment?
- What happens after the engagement is won, lost or postponed?
- Can the next account conversation use the relevant earlier history?

## 3. Record results

Score each task independently. Do not convert a vendor's feature list into a passing result.

- 0: Required outcome was not demonstrated.
- 1: Outcome required substantial manual correction or setup.
- 2: Outcome was useful with manageable review and effort.
- 3: Outcome met our agreed requirements with traceable evidence and acceptable effort.
- Not tested: Leave the score blank and record why. Do not count it as zero or a pass.

| Task | Score or not tested | Evidence observed | Manual steps | Remaining question |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Former-client follow-up | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Meeting preparation | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Opportunity next step | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

Keep your must-have requirements separate from the total. A high score does not compensate for an integration or permission failure.

## 4. Compare the actual commitment

| Cost or allowance | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Plan, currency and quote date | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Paid seats and access roles | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Annual subscription | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| One-time onboarding | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Other required products and integrations | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| AI, data and automation allowances | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Overage controls and optional usage | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| First-year total before tax | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Renewal terms and cancellation | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Internal setup owner and effort | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

An annual plan's monthly equivalent is not a monthly subscription. Do not compare a one-user licence with a team quote. Record unquoted extras as unknown, not zero.

## 5. Prove the migration

- Keep an untouched original export.
- Agree fields, objects, identifiers and associations to transfer.
- Test a contact linked to a company, note, opportunity and follow-up date.
- Check emails, attachments, chronology and permissions separately.
- Compare record counts and sample the important relationships.
- Confirm export options from the proposed destination.
- Keep the old system available until the required work survives the move.

Record what does not transfer and the fallback. Do not treat reconnecting an inbox as proof of a complete historical migration.

## 6. Fictional scoring example

An imaginary consultancy tests an unnamed CRM. It finds the right former client and drafts a relevant message, but the evaluator has to correct an old job title. They score the task 2 and note: "Useful with review. Verify how role changes reach the record." This is an illustration of the method, not a test result for Nynch or another vendor.

## 7. Make the decision

- Decision: [keep current CRM / change configuration / run further test / switch]
- Evidence that supports it: [observations]
- Unresolved must-haves: [items]
- What would change the decision: [conditions]
- Migration owner and fallback: [owner / plan]

Compare Nynch's published guides at https://www.nynch.com/compare. Confirm current vendor terms and your account's enabled features before buying.