Vendor Evaluation
Business operations skill, available on Zeplik
Vendor Evaluation is a ready-to-run business operations skill on Zeplik. Use to evaluate a vendor -- 'review this vendor proposal', renew-vs-replace decisions, side-by-side vendor comparison, TCO breakdown, risk and negotiation points before procurement sign-off. Ask in plain language and Zeplik applies the skill's method for you inside the conversation, on whichever AI model you prefer.
The Vendor Evaluation skill loads automatically when your request matches it, or you can invoke it directly by typing /vendor-review in any chat. It works with attachments, connectors, and any model that supports the task, so you get the same expert method every time without setting anything up.
What the Vendor Evaluation skill can do
- Break down total cost of ownership across license, implementation, and support
- Assess vendor risk including financial stability, security, and lock-in
- Score performance metrics like SLA compliance, uptime, and support response
- Build a side-by-side comparison matrix for multiple vendor options
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Pick a prompt to open it in the Zeplik app. If you are not signed in yet, your prompt is waiting for you the moment you do.
How the Vendor Evaluation skill works
/vendor-review
Evaluate a vendor with structured analysis covering cost, risk, performance, and fit.
Usage
/vendor-review $ARGUMENTS
What I Need From You
- Vendor name: Who are you evaluating?
- Context: New vendor evaluation, renewal decision, or comparison?
- Details: Contract terms, pricing, proposal document, or current performance data
Evaluation Framework
Cost Analysis (Total Cost of Ownership)
- Total cost of ownership (not just license fees)
- Implementation and migration costs
- Training and onboarding costs
- Ongoing support and maintenance
- Exit costs (data migration, contract termination)
Risk Assessment
- Vendor financial stability
- Security and compliance posture
- Concentration risk (single vendor dependency)
- Contract lock-in and exit terms
- Business continuity and disaster recovery
Performance Metrics
- SLA compliance
- Support response times
- Uptime and reliability
- Feature delivery cadence
- Customer satisfaction
Comparison Matrix
When comparing vendors, produce a side-by-side matrix covering: pricing, features, integrations, security, support, contract terms, and references.
Output
## Vendor Review: [Vendor Name]
**Date:** [Date] | **Type:** [New / Renewal / Comparison]
### Summary
[2-3 sentence recommendation]
### Cost Analysis
| Component | Annual Cost | Notes |
|-----------|-------------|-------|
| License/subscription | $[X] | [Per seat, flat, usage-based] |
| Implementation | $[X] | [One-time] |
| Support/maintenance | $[X] | [Included or add-on] |
| **Total Year 1** | **$[X]** | |
| **Total 3-Year** | **$[X]** | |
### Risk Assessment
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|-----------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | [Mitigation] |
### Strengths
- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]
### Concerns
- [Concern 1]
- [Concern 2]
### Recommendation
[Proceed / Negotiate / Pass] — [Reasoning]
### Negotiation Points
- [Leverage point 1]
- [Leverage point 2]
Working with the user's data
Zeplik chat has no live workplace connectors. When a step below expects system data, ask the user to paste the relevant export or upload the file, then proceed the same way.
If the user can share knowledge base data (paste or upload):
- Search for existing vendor evaluations, contracts, and performance reviews
- Pull procurement policies and approval thresholds
If the user can share procurement data (paste or upload):
- Pull current contract terms, spend history, and renewal dates
- Compare pricing against existing vendor agreements
Tips
- Upload the proposal — I can extract pricing, terms, and SLAs from vendor documents.
- Compare vendors — "Compare Vendor A vs Vendor B" gets you a side-by-side analysis.
- Include current spend — For renewals, knowing what you pay now helps evaluate price changes.
How to use the Vendor Evaluation skill
Sign in to Zeplik
Create a free Zeplik account or sign in. New accounts start with free credits, so you can try the Vendor Evaluation skill right away.
Describe your business operations task
Ask in plain language, or type /vendor-review to invoke the skill directly. Zeplik recognizes the Vendor Evaluation skill and applies its method.
Review and refine the result
Zeplik returns a clear, structured answer. Ask follow-ups in the same chat to refine it or take the next step.
Source and credit
- Author
- Anthropic
- License
- Apache-2.0
Adapted from the open-source anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins project and tuned to run natively on Zeplik. View source on GitHub.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Vendor Evaluation skill?
- Vendor Evaluation is a ready-to-run business operations skill on Zeplik. Use to evaluate a vendor -- 'review this vendor proposal', renew-vs-replace decisions, side-by-side vendor comparison, TCO breakdown, risk and negotiation points before procurement sign-off. Ask in plain language and Zeplik applies the skill's method for you inside the conversation, on whichever AI model you prefer.
- How do I use Vendor Evaluation on Zeplik?
- Sign in to Zeplik and ask in plain language, or type /vendor-review in any chat to invoke it directly. The skill applies its method and returns a result you can refine in the same conversation.
- Which AI model does the Vendor Evaluation skill use?
- Any model you choose. Zeplik works across every model in one chat, so the Vendor Evaluation skill runs on your preferred model for the task.
- Where does the Vendor Evaluation skill come from?
- The Vendor Evaluation skill is adapted from the open-source anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins project (Apache-2.0) and tuned to run natively on Zeplik. The original source is linked on this page.
- How much does the Vendor Evaluation skill cost?
- Using the skill is free to start. You only spend Zeplik credits when the assistant runs, and new accounts begin with free credits.
Related business operations skills
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- Compliance TrackerUse to track compliance programs and audit readiness -- 'where are we on SOC 2', ISO 27001 / GDPR requirement tracking, evidence collection status, control gaps and remediation owners. Not for checking whether one launch or campaign is compliant (use compliance-check).
- CTO AdvisorUse for technology leadership strategy: engineering org scaling, tech debt, architecture governance, DORA metrics. Not for designing a specific system's architecture (use architecture).
More on Zeplik
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