What's the same?
Before we compare, it is worth being clear about what the two products share, because the answer is "the part that matters".
- The 0-5 scale and descriptors. Identical in both products. Identical to the descriptors in the competency policy guide.
- The four-step method. Define people & skills → set policy → rate → read heat-map. Identical.
- Role-target overlay. Both products support targets per role × skill.
- Heat-map visualisation. Same colour scale, same logic.
- Training plan generation from gaps. Both produce per-person development plans automatically.
If you swap one for the other, the data carries across, the language carries across, and your managers don't have to re-learn anything.
What's different?
| Capability | Excel template (£199) | PulseAI (£1 year 1, £199/yr after) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | One Excel file, on your machine or SharePoint | Web + iOS + Android apps |
| Multi-user, real-time | One editor at a time | Concurrent, real-time |
| Cadence reminders | Manual | Automated email + push |
| Self-rating workflow | Worksheet entry | 1-tap mobile rating |
| Calibration sessions | Manual extract | Built-in calibration view |
| AI-assisted gap analysis | , | Built-in |
| Audit log | Excel change history | Full per-cell audit trail |
| Role-based access | By file permission | Org / team / individual |
| API / SSO | , | Available on enterprise |
| Cost | £199 one-off | £1 in year 1 of template ownership; £199/yr after |
When the Excel template is the right call
- You have under 100 people in scope.
- You are on a single site or your managers are all desk-based.
- Your governance is comfortable with file-based data (most are).
- You want the cheapest possible way to prove the method internally before asking for a platform budget.
- You want to keep all data inside your own tenancy with zero third-party involvement.
When PulseAI is the right call
- You have 100+ people or multiple sites.
- Significant portion of your workforce is mobile, shift-based, or on the floor, and unlikely to open Excel.
- You need automated cadence (auto-reminders, auto-flags on stale ratings).
- You need a per-cell audit trail (regulated industries, customer-facing competence).
- You want AI-assisted gap analysis on top of the matrix.
The £1 upgrade path
The reason this site recommends starting with the Excel template, even when you suspect you'll outgrow it, is the upgrade economics:
- Buy the Excel template today: £199 (50% off £399 RRP), one-off, instant download.
- Run a 90-day pilot. Build internal evidence using real data from your real team.
- When you're ready, upgrade to PulseAI for £1 in your first year of template ownership (RRP £199/year thereafter).
- Your data migrates. Your scoring policy carries across. Your managers don't have to re-learn.
The Excel template doubles as a proof-of-concept tool for the platform. That's deliberate.
A one-question decision tree
If you can answer "yes" to any of these, jump straight to PulseAI:
- "My workforce is mostly mobile and won't open a spreadsheet."
- "I need a per-cell audit log for a regulator."
- "I have 5+ sites or 200+ people and cannot manage version control on a single file."
Otherwise, and this covers most teams, start with the Excel template. The £1 upgrade is your safety net.
Pick your fit
Both routes use the same methodology. Both are reversible. The decision is about delivery model, not method.