Why write a brief?
If you tell three companies "we need a system for our business", you will get three prices for three different things. A short written brief makes companies quote for the same work, shows gaps in your own thinking, and becomes the base of the contract. One or two pages is enough.
What to include
1. About the business
What you do, how many branches and staff you have, and who will use the software.
2. The problem
Describe what goes wrong today, in plain words. "Fee collection is recorded in three registers and the totals never match" is far more useful than "we need a modern solution".
3. The users
List each type of user and what they need to do: for example the accountant records payments, the manager approves discounts, the owner views reports.
4. Must-have and nice-to-have features
Split the list in two. Must-haves decide the first version; the rest can come later.
5. Existing data and systems
Say what you use now, such as Excel files, registers or other software, and whether old records must be moved in.
6. Nepal-specific needs
Bikram Sambat dates, Nepali language, VAT billing, eSewa or Khalti payments, SMS alerts.
7. Budget range and deadline
Even a rough range helps a company propose something realistic instead of guessing.
8. How you will judge success
For example: "month-end closing takes one day instead of five".
Template you can copy
- Business name and location:
- What we do:
- The problem we want to solve:
- Who will use the software (roles and number of people):
- Must-have features:
- Nice-to-have features:
- Current tools and data to migrate:
- Language, calendar, payment and SMS needs:
- Web, mobile app or both:
- Budget range (NPR):
- Target launch date:
- Decision maker and contact person:
- What success looks like:
Common mistakes
- Listing screens and buttons instead of describing the problem.
- Asking for every possible feature in the first version.
- Leaving out the people who will use the software daily.
- Sharing real customer data in sample files. Remove personal details first.
Next step
Send the brief to two or three companies and compare their answers using our twelve questions to ask a software company. For a planning figure, try the budget estimator, or send your brief to us.
