What will you pay after launch? Price the first three years

The implementation quote fits your budget. Now consider an ordinary Tuesday six months after launch: the server is running, users are reporting problems, someone wants a new report and a licence is due for renewal.

Start by pricing three years. It is a useful comparison period, although a different horizon may suit your system better.

Work through a simple example

These figures are invented to illustrate the calculation. They are all excluding VAT, not market estimates.

This assumes 36 full months of charges after launch and unchanged rates. If implementation already includes the first year of support, do not add it again. If fees can change, calculate a separate scenario.

Ask what triggers an extra charge

Costs may depend on account numbers, data volumes, messages sent or use of an external service. Ask for the billing unit, the included allowance and an example bill after that allowance is exceeded.

Separate defect fixes from new features. “Support” does not tell you whether a supplier will create a new form or only repair an existing one. Record both categories so your comparison does not quietly give one supplier a larger scope.

Include your own team's work

Allow time for content management, support requests and acceptance reviews. That may not appear on a supplier invoice, but it still needs people. Establish what you receive when the relationship ends and whether handover to a new team is included.

This calculation makes proposals with different upfront prices easier to compare. Use the maintenance questions to clarify the recurring part before finalising your budget.