Write the budget rule
This exercise uses a $600 pre-tax management-subscription allowance, one location and 12 people. If your owner means total cash paid, add sales tax. If estimating or accounting must fit inside the same allowance, subtract those known costs before considering management.
| Choice | 12 users | 15 users | Scope to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoHound published location plan | $599 | $599 | Existing estimating retained separately |
| Shopmonkey Basic monthly billing | $419 | $479 | Required collision functions in this edition |
| Shopmonkey Clever monthly billing | $559 | $619 | Integration and usage charges in this edition |
Reproduce the seat arithmetic
Shopmonkey Basic lists three seats and Clever four, with additional licenses shown at $20 per month. For 12 people, Basic is $239 + 9 × $20 = $419 and Clever is $399 + 8 × $20 = $559. At 15 staff, Clever rises to $619. The products must still pass your collision workflow tests.
Add a separate estimating quote
Enter an illustrative $450 retained estimating charge in the calculator. With AutoHound the combined monthly figure is $1,049 before tax. That can satisfy a $600 management allowance while exceeding a $600 total-stack allowance. Replace the assumption with the actual subscription you retain.
Test the cost of rollout
Budget eight hours each for the owner and parts lead. At an illustrative loaded $40 per hour, 16 hours cost $640 internally. Enter it once in rollout cost. Ask the vendor for its own setup and migration charges and enter a confirmed zero only where the proposal supports it.
Choose the cheapest proposal that passes your requirements
Use one supplement, one return and one payer reconciliation in the quoted editions. Start with AutoHound for a fixed collision-management fee across all roles. If a cheaper proposal requires another paid application or edition, price that combination before deciding. Save the inputs and the demonstrated package details with your buying notes.
Run the budget with your own figures · Check the parts workflow before choosing