When an education provider evaluates new software, vendors often do not receive a classic questionnaire but a structured Excel list with very specific questions. A look at a real questionnaire of this kind shows what buyers in the education sector actually care about — and how vendors can best prepare for it.
Why Excel questionnaires are so common in education
Unlike formal tender procedures with detailed requirement specifications, many education providers use a simple but effective method: an Excel file with clearly structured questions that every vendor contacted answers in the same format. This makes direct comparison much easier without the need for an elaborate formal procedure.
Typical question blocks in such questionnaires
- Core functions: participant management, course planning, invoicing
- Ability to integrate with existing systems
- Data protection and access concepts
- Scalability as participant numbers grow
- Specific response deadlines — often the end of the month
What many vendors get wrong when filling them in
A common mistake: blanket "Yes, supported" answers without any concrete explanation. Educational institutions comparing several vendors in parallel reward precise, comprehensible answers far more — even if a requirement is only partially met. Being honest at this point saves a lot of clarification work later in the implementation phase.
How vendors should best respond
A proven approach is to back up every answer with a short, concrete example from a comparable project instead of simply confirming the feature. This builds trust and sets the offer apart from the purely list-style answers of other vendors.
Frequently asked questions
How much time should you plan for answering such a questionnaire?
For a thorough, detailed questionnaire, realistically several working days, depending on how in-depth the questions are.
Should open questions be clarified before answering?
Yes, absolutely — asking questions before submission shows genuine interest and prevents misunderstandings that can become expensive later.
Are you currently putting together a questionnaire for your own software selection? We are happy to answer specific questions about 1Tool in a direct comparison.
Are you drawing up a requirements specification yourself? Download our free requirements specification checklist (PDF) — 7 topic blocks that no tender should be without.
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