A4 document

format

IT services

industry

Modern

design

Proof of concept template

A free proof of concept template for B2B sales: success criteria agreed before the test starts, a tight scope and timeline, owners on both sides, and the purchase decision the buyer commits to if the criteria are met. Cobl builds it from your discovery notes.

Try it out

Make this template yours

Turn this template into a real document for your company. Cobl adapts the content, branding and structure to your context.

Use this template

We never train a model on your content.

Format

A4 document

Length

4 to 6 pages

Sections

8 sections

Exports

PDF · Word

Hosted in the EU. No model training on your data.

What's inside

The eight sections of a POC that ends in a decision

A proof of concept is a short project with a sales goal. Each section keeps the test small and the decision visible.

Business problem

The problem the buyer wants solved and what it costs them today, in their words. The test checks whether you solve this, and nothing else.

Success criteria

Three to five measurable criteria, agreed before the test starts. Without them, a technically successful POC can still end without a decision.

Scope and exclusions

The use cases, data and integrations in the test, and what stays out. A POC that grows during the test rarely finishes on time.

Environment and data

Where the test runs, which data it uses, and the access, security approvals and test accounts the buyer provides.

Timeline and check-ins

Start date, weekly check-ins and a fixed end date. Each check-in compares progress against the criteria, not against the demo.

Owners on both sides

Who runs the test, who provides access and who evaluates the results, on the buyer's side and on yours.

Results review

A dated meeting where each criterion is marked met or not met, with the people who make the decision in the room.

Decision and next steps

What happens if the criteria are met: commercial proposal, procurement steps and a target signature date, agreed before the POC starts.

How it works

From this template to client-ready

Start from the template

Click “Use this template”. You start from a real example, with its structure, its method and its design.

Add your context

Nothing to prepare. Cobl asks you the right questions and pulls your company knowledge: your CRM, your tools, your past work and your branding.

Get the best of both

Cobl assembles the two. The rigour of the template, with your content and your branding. So, what comes out is client-ready.

Why this template

A test that ends in a decision

Many proofs of concept prove the product works and still stall. The decision was never part of the plan.

Criteria are agreed first

The buyer agrees what success looks like before any work starts. The result is judged against that list, not against new requests that appear in week three.

The decision is in writing

The template records what the buyer will do if the criteria are met. A POC without that commitment is free consulting.

Security and access come early

Environment access, data approvals and the security review are planned in week one, not discovered when the test should already be running.

FAQ

Questions about this template

Is the proof of concept template free?

Yes. You can use the structure on this page as it is, for free. You only need a Cobl account when you want Cobl to fill it in with your own deal details, criteria and branding.

What should a proof of concept include?

The business problem, three to five success criteria, the scope and exclusions, the test environment and data, a timeline with check-ins, owners on both sides, a results review and the decision that follows. The decision section is the one most templates leave out, and it is what turns a successful test into a signed deal.

How long should a sales proof of concept last?

Long enough to test each success criterion once, and no longer. Set a fixed end date before the test starts and agree what happens on that date. A POC without an end date tends to grow in scope until the buyer's priorities change.

What is the difference between a proof of concept and a pilot?

A proof of concept tests whether the solution can meet specific criteria, usually with limited data and users. A pilot runs the solution for real with a small group, often after purchase or with a paid agreement. Many complex deals use a POC to reach a decision and a pilot to start the rollout.

Proof of concept template

The eight sections of a POC that ends in a decision

From this template to client-ready

A test that ends in a decision

Questions about this template

Related templates

Every deal deserves the right move. Make it.