A short paid engagement at the start of a project. We dig into the problem, sketch a real solution, and put real numbers on it. If you move forward with the build, the cost is credited toward the project.
Most projects benefit from one. The bigger or fuzzier the work, the more upfront clarity tends to matter. A few of the most common reasons people start here.
"We bought Zoho One. We're staring at 55 apps. Where do we start?"
Picking the right starting point, sequencing the rest, and putting numbers on the foundation. The scope study turns Zoho One from a list of icons into a phased plan you can actually fund.
"Salesforce is too expensive. Can Zoho really do this?"
Migrations from Salesforce, HubSpot, QuickBooks, and similar platforms. The scope study confirms feature parity, sizes the data migration, and prices the rebuild before you commit.
"We have a process the standard apps don't fit. Is this even buildable?"
Scoping custom Creator work where the answer isn't obvious. Architecture sketch, data model, build estimate, and an honest read on whether Creator is actually the right tool.
"We need Zoho talking to QuickBooks, Stripe, our shipping platform, and SharePoint."
Mapping the integrations, picking the right mechanism for each (native, Flow, custom API), and sizing the work. Most integration projects fail at the planning stage, not the build.
"A previous partner started this and we're stuck. Can it be saved?"
Audit of what's been built, an honest read on what's keepable and what isn't, and a plan to finish. Sometimes that means continuing the existing work, sometimes a partial rebuild.
"We just need a second opinion on our roadmap."
Pure advisory work. Zoho One audits, build-vs-buy reviews, vendor comparisons, architecture reviews. No build commitment. The credit applies if a project comes out of it later.
Every scope study produces a tangible package you can take to your team or your board. The proposal doesn't disappear if you decide not to move forward, and it's not written to lock you in.
A written proposal covering the recommended approach, the starter scope, what's in and what's not, a phased build plan, and estimated cost. Lightweight enough to read in 10 minutes.
A high-level diagram of the proposed system. Which Zoho apps, which custom Creator work, which integrations, where the data lives. Enough to evaluate the shape of the solution, not so much that we've started building.
A real number for the build, with the assumptions behind it written down. If something changes, you know which assumption shifted and what the impact is. No fine print, no surprise line items later.
A realistic timeline for the starter build and the layers that would come after it. Tied to the cost so you can decide what gets funded first. We don't try to sell you on phases two and three before phase one is even started.
The things most likely to make the project harder, longer, or more expensive than the headline number suggests. Data quality issues, integration unknowns, decision-makers we haven't met yet. Better to surface these now.
We present the proposal live, walk through the reasoning, and answer questions. Your team can push back on assumptions, change priorities, or ask for a second cut. The deliverable is the conversation as much as the document.
Most scope studies fall into one of two shapes. Smaller, focused engagements use the standard tier. Larger Zoho One implementations or complex Creator and integration work need the extended version.
Whatever you spend on the scope study comes off the price of the build. If you decide not to move forward, you keep the deliverables and there's nothing further owed. We'd rather earn the build than hold it hostage to the proposal.
The shape of a scope study is consistent across engagements. Standard tier wraps in 1 to 2 weeks. Extended tier runs 2 to 4 weeks depending on the depth needed.
A 30-minute call to understand what you're trying to do. Sometimes the answer is 'you don't need a scope study, here's what to do.' When a study makes sense, we'll tell you which tier fits.
One to a few sessions with the people who actually do the work. We're listening for the real problem, not just the headline ask. We also look at your existing systems where it helps.
We turn what we learned into the deliverables: snapshot, architecture sketch, cost estimate, timeline, and risk review. The same people who'd build the project are the ones writing the estimate.
We present the proposal live, take your questions, and adjust if priorities shift. Then it's your call. Move forward and the cost credits to the build, or take the package and decide later. Either way the deliverables are yours.
Most engagements are scope studies tied to a specific build. Some are pure strategy work where there's no project on the table yet. The mechanics are similar; what they produce is different.
Tied to a specific project you're considering. The output is a real proposal you can fund: scope definition, architecture, cost estimate, timeline. If you move forward, the cost credits to the build.
Pure advisory work where there's no specific project on the table yet. Zoho One audits, build-vs-buy reviews, vendor or platform comparisons, architecture reviews of existing systems. Output is a written recommendation, not a build proposal.
A regional manufacturer came in convinced they needed a full custom Creator app to run their production tracking. Another partner had already quoted them around $90,000 for it. They wanted a second opinion before signing.
Two weeks of scope study later, the answer was different. About 70% of what they needed was already in Zoho Inventory and Projects, configured the right way. The remaining 30% was a small Creator extension on top of those apps, not a standalone system. Total estimated cost came in at roughly a third of the original quote, with a faster path to live.
They ran the proposal past their CFO, signed for the build the following month, and the scope study cost credited toward the work. The first working version went live in 11 weeks. They've since added Books, Analytics, and a customer portal on the same foundation.
If something here isn't covered, the consultation call is the right place to dig in. It's free either way.
For very small or well-defined work, sometimes yes. A focused single-app setup or a clearly-scoped Creator form might not need one. For anything larger, we'd rather do the scope study than guess. Quotes built from a 30-minute call tend to be wrong, and we'd rather deliver to a real number than back out of one later.
The free 30-minute consultation is the right place to figure out which path fits your situation.
You keep the deliverables. The proposal, architecture sketch, cost estimate, and risk review are yours. There's nothing further owed and no clawback. We'd rather you walk away with a real plan than feel obligated to a build that isn't right.
Plenty of scope studies don't turn into builds, and that's fine. Some clients use the proposal to evaluate other consultancies, some take the work in-house, some decide the timing isn't right. We learn something either way.
Whatever you paid for the scope study comes off the price of the build, dollar for dollar. If the build is fixed cost, the credit reduces the fixed cost. If the build is hourly, the credit applies as a starting balance against billed time.
The credit applies to the project that came out of the scope study, not future projects. It also applies if you proceed within a reasonable window — usually 6 months, but we're flexible if you're working through internal approvals.
Fair question, and no. A discovery call is to qualify the prospect. A scope study is real work that produces real deliverables you can take to your team or your board, regardless of what you decide.
The reason it's paid is because it takes real time from the people who'd actually build the project. An accurate scope means we're not running internal estimates between sales calls. It means we're sitting with your team, looking at your data, and writing down a number we can stand behind.
Standard tier is 1 to 2 weeks from kickoff to walkthrough. Extended tier is 2 to 4 weeks depending on how many stakeholders are involved and how complex the architecture is.
We can usually get started within a week or two of the consultation, sometimes sooner if there's an opening. Smaller scope studies tend to slot in faster than larger ones.
Yes. We've done scope studies where the conclusion was that the client's internal team should build it, with our work serving as the architecture and plan they followed. We'll give you our honest read on whether the build is something we should do, something you should do, or something that shouldn't be built at all.
The credit on this kind of engagement applies if you ever decide to bring us in for any portion of the build later, or for a follow-on project.
The consultation is free. We'll listen, give you our honest take, and tell you whether a scope study makes sense or not. If it doesn't, we'll say so. No pitch deck either way.
Tell us a little about your situation. We'll get back to you within one business day.
