Stack Decision Checklist

Inventory what you pay for

List tools before you argue about them. If it is not on the list, it cannot earn its place.

Every recurring SaaS charge on cards and invoices (last 12 months)
Seats vs active users for each tool this month
Owner or admin for each tool (named person, not “the team”)
Contracts / renewal dates in the next 90 days
Data exported or exportable from each critical tool

Map real use, not wishful use

Sprawl is usually overlap and habit—not missing features.

Primary job each tool does for the business (one sentence)
Overlap: two or more tools covering the same job
Workflows that still live in spreadsheets, chat, or email despite paid tools
Tools nobody would notice if turned off for a week
Security or compliance constraints that block simple swaps

Apply Keep / Configure / Replace / Build

Solution first. Custom only where nothing else creates the value you need.

Keep: tool fits, cost is sane, team already uses it well
Configure: tool fits if settings, roles, or integrations are fixed
Replace: mature SaaS or open-source alternative is clearly better
Build: no existing product solves the differentiating problem
For each Replace/Build choice: total cost of ownership (hosting, ops, training)—not license alone

Decide the next 30 days

A checklist without dates becomes shelfware. Pick a few moves.

Cancel or downgrade at least one low-use subscription (or document why not)
One configure project with a clear owner and done definition
One replace candidate with success criteria and rollback plan
Build only if Keep/Configure/Replace were honestly ruled out
Write the decision down so the team can own it after you

After the checklist

Want a structured review, not just a list?

A Reframe Stack Review turns this inventory into keep / configure / replace / build decisions with clear reasoning—and implementation only if you want it next. Principal-led; usually a reply within one business day.

Book a stack review hello@emiote.com