Download the evaluation scorecard
Use the Excel scorecard to evaluate one product at a time. It includes 12 practical requirements, suggested must-have or optional priorities, a trial test for each requirement, and space for scores, evidence, and follow-up. Keep a separate copy for each product and use the same priorities across your shortlist.
Download the free evaluation scorecard →Agree on the scoring before you start
Choose your must-haves before testing. Leave a score blank until you have checked the workflow. The workbook shows an overall percentage only after all 12 requirements have a numeric score; all requirements contribute equally. Must-have gaps are reported separately, so a high total cannot hide a missing requirement.
| Score | Meaning | Evidence to record |
|---|---|---|
| Blank | Not tested | The question or test still outstanding. |
| 0 | Does not meet the requirement | The missing capability or failed test. |
| 1 | Partly meets the requirement | The limitation or manual workaround. |
| 2 | Meets the requirement | What you tested, the result, and the date. |
Register and import requirements
- Import CSV or XLSX files without rebuilding the complete register.
- Validate required fields before records become active.
- Keep stable asset or gage IDs and prevent case-insensitive duplicates.
- Store serial number, manufacturer, model, category, location, owner, provider, notes, interval, and due dates when available.
- Export a current register so the organization retains a usable copy.
Control and evidence requirements
| Requirement | Question to ask during a trial |
|---|---|
| Status | Can the team see current, due-soon, overdue, and out-of-service instruments? |
| History | Can a user move from an instrument to its calibration events and notes? |
| Certificates | Can certificate metadata and files stay connected to the right event? |
| Reminders | Can owners or workspace members receive configurable due-date summaries? |
| Failure handling | Does a failed result remain visible as an exception? |
| Exports | Can the register and evidence be retrieved without a support request? |
Adoption and administration requirements
- A quality or metrology lead can understand the first setup without a consulting project.
- The workspace supports the people who maintain, review, and act on the register.
- The common path works in a browser without a desktop installation.
- Pricing makes instrument limits, invited users, exports, support, and billing clear.
- The product states what it does not replace, including approved procedures and larger QMS workflows.
Use the checklist with a real instrument
- Import one representative fileInclude both clean rows and a row that needs correction.
- Follow one instrument end to endOpen the record, inspect the due date, record a result, and attach evidence.
- Invite the next personCheck whether ownership and access are understandable to someone who did not configure the trial.
- Record the decisionCompare the complete workflow and administrative burden, not only the feature list.