Start with the work
List the current tools and the capabilities actually available in the plans you use. Product names are not categories: one platform may combine data, execution, forms and records.
Build the working checklist
- Map the primary job to an existing capability.
- Try the required workflow with a realistic sample.
- Identify whether the gap is functionality, access, configuration or ownership.
- Compare consolidation cost with the cost of a second tool and its integration.
Check it against a real task
Require a precise sentence: “Our current setup cannot do this step under these conditions.” If the sentence only says that the team has not configured a feature, test the feature before buying another platform.
What to take away
A consolidate-first result is a useful outcome. Retain one authoritative record and remove unnecessary copying before expanding the stack.
Separate three different kinds of gap
Scroll horizontally to read all columns.
| Observed problem | Likely investigation | Evidence before another purchase |
|---|---|---|
| A feature exists but is not configured | Configuration or training | Run the actual case in the current plan |
| The right feature exists but nobody owns the task | Operating responsibility | Assign the owner and replay the handoff |
| The required case cannot work under current constraints | A possible capability gap | Record the failed case and compare candidates against it |
| Two tools keep competing versions of a record | Consolidation and authority | Agree which copy wins before connecting another system |
An example of a false software gap
A team wants a new outreach platform because follow-up is inconsistent. Its existing system already supports the required next-action routine. The real problem is that replies are not assigned and nobody reviews overdue items. The better first experiment is a clear owner and a shared queue. A new tool would add migration work without changing that missing decision.
Write the actual gap sentence
Complete: “Under these account, region and plan conditions, our current setup cannot complete this observable step.” Include the test record, date and limitation. If the sentence cannot name an observable step, continue the requirements work. A product spanning several categories should be assessed capability by capability rather than counted as several tools.
Working files
Blank templates for your own planning. These contain no customer records and are not submitted to Sales Fit Lab.
Map required capabilities, current evidence, limitations and possible consolidation.