A simple but finance-grade system to prove savings are real—not just negotiated.
Primary outcomes:
Beginner truth: Negotiated savings aren't savings until they show up in invoices/budgets and are tracked to proof.
Unit price down (e.g., $/hour, $/unit)
Fewer units used (demand management, waste reduction)
Prevented an increase or removed an unnecessary line item
Duplicates prevented, credits recovered, leakage stopped
Copy/paste rules for defining savings baselines
Baseline Definition Rules - Baseline period should be representative (typically 3–12 months) - Use the same scope (sites, services, vendors) pre vs post - Normalize obvious drivers where needed (volume, occupancy, seasonality) - Document assumptions and exclusions - Define savings type (rate/volume/avoidance/process)
Track initiatives from idea to realized
| Initiative | Category | Vendor(s) | Type | Baseline $ | Forecast $ | Realized $ | Proof link | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (add rows as needed) | ||||||||
Prevent overlap between initiatives
| Initiative | Could overlap with | Overlap risk | Rule to prevent double count | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (add rows as needed) | ||||
Finance-friendly proof documentation
| Initiative | Proof method | Evidence | Reviewer | Date reviewed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (add rows as needed) | |||||
Proof methods:
v1.0 (2026-01): Latest release