Decision matrix template
Compare your options against the criteria that matter, weighted by importance. The sheet does the maths, ranks the options and names the strongest one.
Download for Excel (XLSX). Free to use, no sign-up needed.
| Criteria | Weight | Supplier A | Supplier B | Supplier C | Supplier D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Must-have: Can deliver within two weeks of an order | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Must-have: Holds the food-safety certificate we need | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Price per unit | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Quality of samples | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Delivery reliability | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Minimum order size | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Support and communication | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Contract flexibility | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Weighted score (out of 5) | 3.68 | 4.05 | 3.41 | 3.55 | |
| Rank | 2 | 1 | 3 | Ruled out |
What is a decision matrix?
A decision matrix is a table for comparing options against the things that matter to you. The options go across the top, the criteria go down the side, and each option gets a score for each criterion. In a weighted decision matrix, every criterion also has a weight that says how much it matters, so a high score on something important counts for more than a high score on something minor.
The result is a single score for each option. It does not make the decision for you, but it turns a tangle of trade-offs into something a team can look at, question and agree on. You may also see it called a weighted scoring model, a prioritization matrix, a grid analysis or a Pugh matrix.
When to use a decision matrix
- You have several options and more than one thing that matters: choosing a supplier, a software tool, a job candidate, an office, a project to fund.
- The options are good at different things, so no one is the obvious winner.
- More than one person has a say, and you need a way to make the reasoning visible.
- You will have to explain the decision afterwards.
It is the wrong tool when one factor outweighs everything else, when the choice is a simple yes or no, or when you do not yet know enough about the options to score them. In that last case, do the research first.
How to use this decision matrix template
- Write the decision as a question. "Which packaging supplier should we use from next quarter?" is easier to answer than "Suppliers".
- List the options across the top. The template has room for five. If you have more, cut the weakest first.
- Set your must-haves. These are the conditions an option has to meet to be considered at all. Mark each option Yes or No. An option with a No is ruled out, however well it scores.
- List the criteria you will judge the remaining options on, and note what a good result looks like for each.
- Weight the criteria from 1 (matters a little) to 5 (matters most). The sheet shows each weight as a share of the total.
- Score every option on every criterion from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Work across one row at a time, so each criterion is judged the same way for every option.
- Read the result. The sheet works out the weighted score, ranks the options and names the strongest one, along with how far ahead it is.
- Check it, then decide. Record the choice, the reasons and the next steps at the bottom of the sheet.
Set the criteria and weights before you score anything. Choosing weights after you have seen the scores is the easiest way to end up with the answer you already wanted.
What the template includes
- A decision matrix sheet for up to five options and ten criteria, with the decision, its owner and the deadline at the top.
- Must-haves that rule an option out before scoring.
- Weights and scores chosen from drop-down lists, with each weight shown as a percentage.
- Automatic results: a weighted score out of 5 for each option, its share of the best possible score, its rank, and how many criteria have been scored.
- A recommendation that names the strongest option and shows its lead over the runner-up, with a warning when the result is close.
- Color that makes strong and weak scores easy to spot, and highlights the leading option.
- Space for pros, cons and risks for each option, and to record the final decision, the reasons and the next steps.
- A fully worked example, and a guide with scoring and weighting advice.
How the scores are calculated
For each option, multiply every score by the weight of its criterion, add the results, and divide by the total of the weights. That gives a weighted average on the same 1 to 5 scale as the scores.
In the example above the weights add up to 22. For Supplier B: (5 × 3) + (5 × 5) + (4 × 5) + (3 × 3) + (3 × 4) + (2 × 4) = 89, and 89 ÷ 22 = 4.05. Supplier A scores 3.68 and Supplier C scores 3.41. Supplier D would have scored 3.55, but it fails a must-have, so it is ruled out.
Supplier B leads by 0.36. That is a clear lead, but not a huge one, which is a prompt to check the result before acting on it.
Choosing criteria and weights
Good criteria
- Few enough to think about. Five to eight is usually right. With fifteen, the important ones are drowned out.
- Separate from each other. "Price" and "value for money" measure much the same thing, and counting it twice tilts the result.
- Possible to judge. If you cannot say what a 5 and a 1 would look like, the criterion is too vague.
- About the outcome you want, not about one option's features.
Setting weights
Start by picking the single most important criterion and giving it a 5. Weight the others in comparison with it. If everything ends up as a 4 or a 5, the weights are not doing any work: force yourself to spread them out. When a group is deciding, agree the weights together before anyone scores, because most disagreements about the answer are really disagreements about what matters.
A scoring scale everyone reads the same way
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Excellent: fully meets what good looks like, or better |
| 4 | Good: meets it with minor gaps |
| 3 | Acceptable: does the job, nothing more |
| 2 | Weak: noticeable shortcomings |
| 1 | Poor: does not meet the need |
Base scores on evidence where you can: quotes, samples, references, trial results. Where a score is a judgment, write the reason in the notes so it can be challenged.
Check the result before you trust it
- Is it close? If the top two are within a few tenths of a point, the matrix has not separated them. Look at where they differ and decide on those points directly.
- Does it survive a change of weights? Raise or lower the weight of your most debatable criterion by one. If the winner changes, the decision rests on that judgment, and it deserves a proper conversation.
- Does it feel wrong? If the result surprises you, do not ignore the feeling and do not override the matrix either. Ask what you know that the criteria did not capture, and add it.
- What could go wrong? A high score does not cover risk. Note the main risk of the leading option and how you would handle it.
Common mistakes
- Deciding first, scoring afterwards. The matrix then only decorates a choice already made.
- Too many criteria, so that small things outvote the things that matter.
- Everything weighted the same, which hides your real priorities.
- Scoring one option at a time instead of one criterion at a time, which lets a general impression of an option color every score.
- Treating must-haves as criteria. A deal-breaker should rule an option out, not just lower its score.
- Mistaking precision for accuracy. A score of 4.05 against 3.98 is a tie.
Using a decision matrix with a team
Agree the options, criteria and weights together. Then have each person score on their own before comparing, so the first or loudest opinion does not set the scores for everyone. Where scores differ widely, talk about why: the difference usually means people know different things, and that conversation is often worth more than the final number.
Once the decision is made, it needs to turn into work. In Coavon, the completed matrix can sit in Drive beside the project, the reasoning can be written up in Docs, and the next steps can become tasks in Flow with owners and dates. If you are working out where you stand before choosing a direction, the gap analysis template is a useful companion.
Frequently asked questions
Is this decision matrix template free?
Yes. You can download the Excel file and use it without creating an account.
What is the difference between a weighted and an unweighted decision matrix?
In an unweighted matrix every criterion counts the same, so you simply add up the scores. In a weighted matrix each criterion has a weight showing how much it matters, and scores are multiplied by that weight. Use weights whenever some criteria are clearly more important than others, which is most of the time.
How many criteria should a decision matrix have?
Usually five to eight. Fewer than four and the matrix adds little. More than ten and the important criteria are diluted by minor ones.
What scale should I use for scoring?
A 1 to 5 scale is enough for most decisions and is what this template uses. Wider scales such as 1 to 10 suggest more precision than a judgment can really carry.
What if two options score almost the same?
Treat it as a tie. Look at the criteria where they differ most, check whether the result changes when you adjust a weight, and consider risk and cost of switching. The template flags a close result for you.
Is a decision matrix the same as a Pugh matrix?
They are closely related. A Pugh matrix compares each option with a baseline, marking it better, the same or worse on each criterion. A weighted decision matrix scores every option on a numeric scale and applies weights. Both aim to make a comparison explicit.
Can I use the template in Google Sheets?
It is built for Excel. The scoring, totals and ranking generally work when the file is opened in Google Sheets, though some of the automatic coloring may look different.