Bring a small, repeatable test pack
Prepare an invented quality record called “Example handover follow-up”. Give it an owner, a due date and a short description. Attach a harmless one-page file marked FICTIONAL. Add a comment, correct one fact and record a review. Keep a list of exactly what you entered. Use this same pack for every vendor so the demonstrations remain comparable. Do not put participant, worker or customer information into a sales demonstration.
The purpose is narrow: can you retrieve a usable account of the work? It is not a test of whether an organisation will pass an audit. Agree which product plan and user role the vendor is demonstrating. A capability shown by a sales administrator may not be included in your proposed subscription.
Open the export somewhere independent
Download the result to an authorised test computer and open it without the vendor application. Look for the record identifier, title, current facts, actor, dates, review decision and attachment. Check that long text survives, special characters remain readable and dates include enough context to interpret them. If the attachment is provided separately, ask how its connection to the record is retained.
Now find the corrected fact. Can you distinguish the original entry from its amendment? Does the export explain who changed it and when? A file containing only the latest text may be useful for one purpose and unsuitable for another. Record the limitation rather than awarding a universal pass or fail.
Test the boundary as well as the button
Ask the vendor to show the same workflow using an account that should have less access. The expected result depends on your approved role design: some users may export their assigned records while others should be denied. Write the intended rule down before testing. Check that a copied download link does not reveal a record to an unauthorised test account. Have the vendor perform any security test within its agreed demonstration environment.
Also ask about bulk exports, attachment size limits, deleted or archived records, export fees and access after cancellation. A successful single-record test does not establish that a complete migration will work. Request a separate sample migration with counts and exception handling if you are considering switching.
Turn the demonstration into a buying decision
Use three outcomes: observed working, limitation observed, or not tested. Keep the product, plan, test date and exact output filenames beside each result. Ask the vendor to explain missing items in writing. If an essential evidence field is absent, decide whether a supported workaround is acceptable and count its ongoing effort in your comparison.
A fictional example: Vendor A exports the record and history but provides attachments in a separate folder with matching identifiers. Vendor B produces a polished PDF but omits amendments. Neither invented result is a statement about a real product. The useful question is which result meets your actual retrieval and record-keeping needs. Repeat the agreed test after configuration, before importing real data.
Make it useful today
Your working checklist
Use example data here. Answers stay in this page until you choose to save a file. Closing the page loses unsaved answers. No account or email is required.
Make your shortlist earn its place
Compare the same retrieval task across your shortlist. Use our multi-vendor catalogue, then ask each vendor to demonstrate the proposed plan.
Compare the multi-vendor catalogue →Sources and scope
Official and vendor sources provide context. The worksheet and example are our practical editorial method, not an official form, independent product certification or audit result. Check requirements that apply to your service.