We do not know what to ask.
Use a ready-to-send 20-question questionnaire instead of drafting a new email every time.
A practical place to begin · Version 2.0
Vendor Pre-Screening Starter Kit
Collect the basic facts, identify warning signs, assign an initial risk level, and decide whether a prospective vendor can proceed—or needs a closer look.
Buy the Starter Kit — $15$15 · Excel workbook + PDF guide and questionnaire
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Who it is for
Built for teams that need more than a gut check, but not a full program yet.
- Owners and operations leaders onboarding new vendors
- Small teams without a dedicated risk or compliance function
- Finance, IT, security, and administrative staff
- Businesses that want a consistent first-pass review
- Organizations that need a documented handoff to a deeper assessment
Problems it solves
A practical response to the questions that slow important decisions.
Every vendor gets reviewed differently.
Follow the same guided intake and classification process for each prospective vendor.
We are spending too much time on low-risk vendors.
Use initial risk tiers to identify which relationships deserve more attention.
We see a red flag but do not know what comes next.
Translate the responses into a practical next step: proceed, clarify, escalate, or perform deeper review.
What is included
Know exactly what you are getting.
Built for practical use without specialized software or a consulting engagement.
- Excel pre-screening workbook with guided workflow and dashboard
- PDF step-by-step instructions
- Ready-to-send 20-question PDF vendor questionnaire
- Low, Moderate, High, and Critical risk classifications
- Space to record decisions, notes, owners, and follow-up
- Built-in references to the complete toolkit when deeper oversight is needed
How it works
A clear path from initial setup to a documented, repeatable process.
- 01
Send the questionnaire
Ask the prospective vendor for the same essential business, insurance, service, and data-handling information.
- 02
Enter the responses
Record the answers in one place rather than leaving the review scattered across email.
- 03
Review the calculated classification
Use the initial Low, Moderate, High, or Critical result as a decision aid—not a substitute for judgment.
- 04
Choose the next step
Proceed, request clarification, escalate internally, or move to a more detailed vendor assessment.
Practical uses
Use it when the decision matters, but time is limited.
- Pre-screening a SaaS provider
- Checking a contractor before paying a deposit
- Reviewing a payroll, HR, or accounting provider
- Creating a consistent intake process for growing vendor volume
- Deciding which vendors warrant the complete toolkit
Frequently asked questions
What to know before you download.
Is this the same as the complete toolkit?
No. The Starter Kit is focused on the initial pre-screen. The complete toolkit adds full inventory, tiered due diligence, evidence review, remediation, monitoring, reporting, and offboarding.
Can I send the questionnaire directly to vendors?
Yes. The PDF questionnaire is designed to be completed electronically or printed.
Does the risk classification approve or reject the vendor automatically?
No. It provides a consistent starting point. The user should consider the facts, business context, unanswered questions, and any professional advice needed.
What software is required?
Microsoft Excel or compatible spreadsheet software is required for the workbook, plus a PDF reader for the instructions and questionnaire.
Related practical guidance
Use these guides to make the next decision easier.
This is a general business resource intended to help organize internal reviews and decisions. It is not legal, insurance, cybersecurity, or regulatory-compliance advice and does not guarantee compliance with any requirement.
Need a complete process?
Move from pre-screening to ongoing vendor oversight.
The Third-Party Vendor Risk Toolkit adds tiered questionnaires, evidence review, documented approvals, remediation, monitoring, reporting, and offboarding.
Practical Business Works, LLC