Version 1.0 · August 19, 2026

A recommendation should show its work.

The calculator is a planning model, not a quote. This page documents every material formula, threshold, inclusion rule, and limitation in the current version.

What the baseline measures

The model estimates the economic room available to reduce administrative friction. It does not assume that every lost hour can be recovered or that software alone fixes a broken process.

  1. Monthly friction value = weekly admin hours × stated hourly value × 4.33 weeks.
  2. Lower budget bound = 8% of monthly friction value, rounded to $5, with a $25 floor and $250 ceiling.
  3. Upper budget bound = 17% of monthly friction value + $7 per team member, rounded to $5, with a $65 floor and $600 ceiling.
  4. Payback requirement = upper budget bound ÷ stated hourly value, rounded up to a whole hour.
Interpretation: a stack at the upper bound should recover at least the displayed number of hours every month. If the workflow cannot plausibly do that, the visitor should not buy it.

Stack maturity levels

LevelRuleDefault posture
Lean1–2 people and no more than 35 jobs/monthAccounting/invoicing plus disciplined calendar; avoid separate CRM or full field-service software until needed.
Coordinated3–7 people or 36–110 jobs/monthOne shared job workflow, automated reminders, and clear accounting handoff.
Integrated8+ people or more than 110 jobs/monthDocument the system of record and integration owner before adding point solutions.

How vendors enter an evaluation lane

A public partner program is evidence of monetization availability, not evidence that a product deserves a recommendation. A vendor may be named only when it fits the audience and workflow being discussed, its official destination is current, and the relationship can be disclosed clearly.

  • Commission size does not change calculator output, placement, or editorial scoring.
  • Sponsored placement must be labeled and cannot replace an editorial result.
  • Hands-on claims require a documented test date, plan, inputs, and limitations.
  • Price and feature claims require an official source and checked date.
  • Free access, review units, or vendor assistance must be disclosed.

Known limitations

  • Inputs are self-reported and may overstate recoverable time.
  • The model does not include payment-processing fees, implementation services, migration, training, or annual discounts.
  • Industry, geography, regulation, existing contracts, and integration constraints can materially change the right choice.
  • The initial vendor lanes are candidates for comparison—not a conclusion that one product is best.
  • This is educational planning information, not accounting, tax, legal, or investment advice.

Change control

Material formula, threshold, or ranking changes will be dated on this page. We will not rewrite historical test results after a payout change. Corrections will identify what changed and why.