Making a Business Case for a project is a good discipline that focuses everyone on the pros and cons, and the financial implications. It also makes the decision making process easier as any proposal or dissent has to be based on logic, the benefits easier to understand, and the project has a compelling baseline.
When making a financial evaluation, always take into account the invisible costs, ones that do not involve writing out a cheque.
Example of this hidden costs:-
- A system is cheaper but will take 10 times longer to set up and maintain
- You buy something that will save numerous hours of time during the year
- It seems more expensive but is less stressful to use