“You will be able to edit the content yourself” sounds reassuring until someone needs to change opening hours, add a table and publish an urgent notice. That is when you discover how much everyday work the administration area involves.
When choosing a CMS, ask to see tasks your editors actually perform. The product name and a long feature list cannot replace that demonstration.
Prepare three ordinary tasks
Bring a news item with a photograph, a contact-details update and a notice that needs to appear on a scheduled date. Ask to follow each task from login to publication, including previewing the result and correcting a mistake.
Invite someone who will manage the website to join the demonstration. Record their questions and where they need help. Check whether they can find an older item without remembering its exact title.
Establish what editors can change themselves
| Task | Question for the supplier |
|---|---|
| New page | Does it use existing layouts or need new design work? |
| Menu change | Who approves it, and can it be reversed? |
| New form | Can an editor create it, or must it be commissioned? |
| Multiple contributors | How do review and approval work? |
For each task, mark whether it is included in implementation, requires an extra module or becomes separately charged work. “The CMS supports it” does not always mean “this proposal includes it”.
Include preparation for everyday use
Compare configuration, content migration, training and post-launch support as well as the software itself. Ask who updates additional modules and how custom changes will be handled during upgrades.
After the demonstration, answer one question: can an editor complete their core tasks without calling the supplier? If not, identify whether the gap is functionality, configuration or training. Each answer points to a different piece of work and a different cost.
Every number in this article, plus thousands of other contracts, is in the database.
Open the database