# Lean Stack Audit Worksheet

Use this worksheet before buying another software subscription. The goal is not to make the stack smaller for its own sake; the goal is to protect revenue workflows, reduce tool overlap, and make the next buying decision obvious.

## 1. Current tool inventory

| Tool | Monthly cost | Main job | Used weekly? | Owner | Keep / downgrade / cancel / replace |
| --- | ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |

## 2. Revenue workflow map

Pick the workflow closest to money right now:

- Lead capture
- Newsletter/email
- CRM/follow-up
- Content production
- Automation/handoffs
- Outsourcing/delivery
- Checkout/payments
- Reporting/analytics

Write the workflow in five steps:

1. Trigger: 
2. Capture: 
3. Follow-up: 
4. Delivery: 
5. Measurement: 

## 3. Overlap check

List any tools doing similar jobs:

| Job | Tool A | Tool B | Decision |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Email/newsletter |  |  |  |
| CRM/follow-up |  |  |  |
| Content/editorial |  |  |  |
| Forms/landing pages |  |  |  |
| Automation |  |  |  |

Decision rule: choose one owner tool per workflow unless there is a clear revenue reason to keep both.

## 4. Cancel or downgrade candidates

A tool is a candidate if it is not used weekly, does not protect a revenue workflow, duplicates another paid tool, or requires more maintenance than value.

| Candidate | Why it may go | Risk if removed | Review date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |

## 5. Next buying decision

Before buying, answer:

- What exact workflow breaks without this tool?
- What revenue, retention, speed, or quality metric should improve?
- What tool will it replace or consolidate?
- Who owns setup and weekly maintenance?
- What is the rollback plan if it does not help?

## 6. Result-specific stack order

Use the Interactive Stack Audit result to fill in the four-step stack order before clicking into another vendor.

| Audit result | Stack order | Buy-later trap to avoid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Newsletter/email | Landing page or site signup form → newsletter platform → reusable lead magnet → weekly publishing checklist | Paying for growth features before the opt-in promise and cadence work |
| CRM/follow-up | Lead source capture → simple CRM/pipeline → next-action field → weekly stale-lead review | Migrating into a complex CRM before every active lead has an owner and next action |
| Local leads/missed calls | Phone/SMS or form intake → owner-visible lead log → fast response script → booked-job review request | Buying more traffic before inquiry visibility and follow-up are fixed |
| Content production | Recording source → transcript/editor hub → clip or repurpose workflow → human claim review | Adding another AI writing tool when recording, editing, or publishing ownership is the bottleneck |
| Automation/handoffs | Manual workflow map → trigger/action pair → owner alert → rollback or review step | Connecting every app before the highest-value handoff is reliable and reversible |
| Outsourcing/delivery | One-page task brief → reference examples → access boundaries → acceptance checklist | Outsourcing strategy, passwords, or customer promises before the task can be judged objectively |

## 7. Recommended next StackPilot guide

- Newsletter/email: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/best-newsletter-platform
- CRM/follow-up: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/best-crm-for-one-person-business
- Local leads/missed calls: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/local-business-stack
- Content production: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/best-content-repurposing-stack
- Automation/handoffs: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/workflow-automation-tools
- Outsourcing/delivery: https://stackpilotguides.com/pages/freelancer-outsourcing-stack

## 8. Copyable audit plan

Paste or rewrite the copied Interactive Stack Audit result here:

```text
StackPilot audit result:
First move:
Budget rule:
Recommended stack:
Avoid:
Next guide:
```

Affiliate disclosure: StackPilot Guides may use affiliate links on outbound routes. Recommendations should stay based on workflow fit and tradeoffs, not commission size.