Choosing a hotel PMS starts with the work your team must complete each day. A comparison is more useful when every supplier demonstrates the same scenarios and explains the full implementation scope. Use the blank scorecard below to record evidence rather than a generic feature count.
List your operational requirements
Document property size, room categories, arrival patterns, user roles and existing systems. Identify essential workflows and optional conveniences. Record which requirements need configuration, integration or manual handling. A sales claim should become a testable question.
- Include arrivals, departures, room readiness and guest requests.
- List migration and data access needs.
- Separate essential requirements from preferences.
Run the same demonstration with each supplier
Prepare fictional reservations with a room move, a pending payment and a housekeeping restriction. Ask the supplier to show the complete workflow with the relevant user role. Record what was demonstrated, what was explained and what remains unverified.
- Check permissions and audit records.
- Ask how exceptions and errors are handled.
- Confirm which integrations are included and supported.
Compare onboarding, support and total scope
Ask about setup, migration, training, ongoing support and any separate service or integration charges. For an Indian property, verify the applicable currency, billing and payment workflows with your own finance and operations team. Do not assume every local requirement is covered because a product is sold in the region.
- Request written scope and commercial terms.
- Confirm support hours and escalation routes.
- Check export options and transition arrangements.
Score evidence and resolve the gaps
Use the same scoring scale for all candidates. Leave an untested item unverified instead of assigning a confident score. Include the people who will use the system and document the reasons behind the decision. Vendor comparison should reflect your property rather than unsupported rankings.
- Assign an owner to each unanswered question.
- Use fictional data in demonstrations.
- Confirm critical requirements before committing.
Practical worksheet
Download editable worksheet (CSV) ↓
Open the CSV in Excel, Google Sheets or another spreadsheet editor. Use fictional sample rows as examples and review the template before operational use.
Original editable planning resource. Examples are fictional; adapt and review before operational use.
| Requirement | Priority | Evidence requested | Supplier A | Supplier B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival and room assignment | Essential | Demonstrated scenario | ||
| Housekeeping restriction | Essential | Role-based workflow | ||
| Data migration | Essential | Written scope and validation plan | ||
| Support and training | Essential | Hours, escalation, training scope | ||
| Total cost and exit/export | Essential | Written terms and export example |
Example scoring method: 0 means not supported, 1 means partially supported and 2 means demonstrated for the required scenario. Mark items not tested as unverified. No vendor has been scored or ranked in this original blank worksheet.
Put the guide into practice
Compare verified workflows, implementation scope and support. Use a PowerOTA demonstration to test the same requirements you ask of other suppliers.
Explore hotel PMS software, read the related practical guide, or book a demonstration to verify the workflows for your property.