A blank replacement cost is not a zero-dollar quote: working sheet
A quote-completeness worksheet that prevents unpriced replacements from becoming invented savings.
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| Expense being compared | Current monthly cost | Proposed price status | Written evidence reference | Missing condition | Follow-up date or owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business software | $120 | Not priced | Quote requested | Required integration | Owner follow-up |
- Use actual invoices and written proposals where available.
- Mark unknowns explicitly rather than entering zero.
- Review the public calculator's assumptions before relying on an annualized result.
You know what the shop pays today, but you don’t have the replacement quote yet. Put zero in the proposed-cost box and you’re claiming the replacement is free.
The Savings Audit handles a blank proposed cost differently. The expense stays at its entered current cost until you add a comparison. That keeps the total from looking better just because the research isn’t done.
Use with this guide
Savings Audit
Continue with Savings Audit.
BlueFinch pricing terms
Continue with BlueFinch pricing terms.
dedicated advisor workflow
Continue with dedicated advisor workflow.
Free payment terminals: ownership, returns and costs
Check free payment terminal ownership, return obligations, connectivity costs and replacement support. Use the equipment offer worksheet for written evidence.
Give every number a status
Sort proposed costs into three groups: confirmed amounts, confirmed zero under the stated terms, and not yet priced. Keep the source for each amount. A verbal description of “included software” doesn’t confirm every cost of using it.
The BlueFinch pricing terms spell out the difference between eligible 0% merchant processing and other account-specific charges. Keep that distinction in view across the whole proposal. Monthly fees, required connections, migration work, and other quoted costs still count, even when one component has no separate subscription price.
Compare only the rows you can support
Here’s a hypothetical shop: it pays $200 for one service and $120 for another. The first replacement quote is $150, while the second service has no price yet. So the supported monthly difference is $50, not $170.
The audit holds the second service at its current amount. That’s just a modeling choice for an unchanged row, not a promise the replacement will cost $120. Log the open quote request, then update the scenario when evidence arrives.
Sources for this section: BlueFinch: Savings Audit methodology
Ask for the missing conditions
A useful price request spells out what the business actually needs. Ask about required features, user limits, usage charges, supported connections, and one-time work. If eligibility affects the price, note whether this merchant’s eligibility has been confirmed.
Use the dedicated advisor workflow to organize your questions. An advisor discussion should produce a specific next step or written clarification. Don’t treat an unanswered question as a favorable assumption just to finish the comparison on the call.
Keep zero meaningful
Use zero when you’ve confirmed the cost is zero under the conditions you’re comparing. For example, an authorized written offer may say a particular setup item has no charge. Keep the terms and date with the entry.
A zero monthly software line doesn’t mean staff training takes no time, or that every third-party subscription is unnecessary. The audit adds up what you enter. It won’t find missing labor or decide which features your team needs. Keep those decisions in the supporting worksheet.
Sources for this section: BlueFinch: Savings Audit methodology
Review the result before sharing it
Count the rows with real comparisons, then count the unpriced ones. A proposal with two confirmed lines and eight unknowns? That’s an early working scenario, not a complete operating-cost forecast, even when the display shows a precise dollar amount.
IRS recordkeeping guidance supports keeping the paperwork behind business transactions. Do the same with proposed costs: save dated quotes and notes explaining their scope. Keep confirmed invoices separate from planning estimates, so a later reviewer can see what you knew at the time.
Track the current cost, proposed-cost status, evidence, missing condition, and next review date on the worksheet. Keep sensitive account data in your business’s approved records. The browser tool can compare without those details.
When the missing quote comes in, update the row and recalculate. The result may get better or worse. Either way, it beats an attractive total built on services without prices.
If a proposal is time-limited, add an expiry date. Once its offer period ends, check any previously confirmed amount again.
Sources for this section: IRS: business recordkeeping
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 23, 2026. Check the linked sources for current requirements and product details.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.