QEHSHow to choose EHS software: the 30-minute evaluation framework
A practical, no-vendor-call framework for evaluating EHS software. The 5 dimensions that matter — and the 10 questions that disqualify a vendor in the first demo.
Founder & CEO
Anil built the QEHS platform after a decade managing EHS programs in heavy industry. He writes about safety culture, regulatory strategy, and how software can get out of the way.
7 min read
Reviewed by Anil Khanna — Founder & CEO
Most EHS software evaluations take three to six months and involve a 50-question RFP that every vendor answers the same way. This guide proposes a faster path: five dimensions, ten dealbreaker questions, and a 30-minute live demo script that surfaces real platform depth versus slide-deck claims.
Dimension 1: Configurability. Can a super-admin build a new inspection type without vendor involvement? Ask the vendor to build a simple module — three fields, one workflow, one report — during the demo. If they defer to "professional services," disqualify. A true no-code platform lets super-admins author modules in minutes using a visual [Composer](/product/composer). Look for [field blocks](/glossary) that are typed (text, number, date, select, user, location) and [capability blocks](/product/composer) that add behaviour (computed fields, conditional visibility, repeaters).
Dimension 2: Workflow. Does the platform have a visual state machine with guards, approvals, SLAs, and side-effects? Or does it just move records through status labels? A real workflow engine can branch on record data ("if severity = high, require director approval"), escalate overdue items, and trigger side-effects (email, webhook, record creation). Test this by asking the vendor to add an approval step with a 48-hour SLA and an auto-escalation rule.
Dimension 3: Evidence grade. Every record should be auditor-ready on creation — immutably timestamped, user-attributed, and region-pinned. The platform should produce signed evidence bundles (ZIP with timestamped manifest) that survive chain-of-custody challenges. Ask whether the audit log is tenant-level and SIEM-exportable. For more on audit readiness, see our [audit management use case](/use-cases/audit-and-inspection) and [ISO 45001 guide](/guides/iso-45001-evidence-collection-guide).
Dimensions 4 and 5 cover data residency and integration depth — both are table-stakes for enterprise buyers. The platform should pin data to a specific region and offer SSO (SAML + OIDC), SCIM provisioning, and a published [subprocessor list](/trust/subprocessors). For integration evaluation, start with the [integrations directory](/integrations).