How to choose COI tracking software

COI tracking tools fall into four kinds: spreadsheets, enterprise compliance platforms, outsourced services and self-serve software. The right one depends mostly on how many vendors you have, who you want doing the chasing, and whether you want a sales process and an annual contract. Ask every option the same handful of questions before you decide.

We make Okay to Work, one of the self-serve tools, so read this with that in mind. We've tried to be fair, including about when we're the wrong choice.

The four kinds of tools

• Spreadsheets. Free and flexible. Fine for a small, steady vendor list and one careful owner. Nothing reads, checks or chases for you. See spreadsheet or software.
• Enterprise compliance platforms. Built for large portfolios and big general contractors: many locations, many users, integrations, custom workflows. Usually sold through demos and annual contracts, with pricing quoted per company.
• Outsourced services. A team collects and reviews certificates for you, often with software on top. Useful when you want the work off your desk entirely and are happy to pay for people's time.
• Self-serve software. You sign up, add vendors and start the same day, at a published monthly price. Built for smaller teams that want the work done without a project to set it up.

Questions to ask any tool

• Does it read certificates, and what happens when it isn't sure? Typing in limits by hand is where errors start. Automatic reading helps only if unclear values are flagged for a person, not guessed.
• Does it check against your requirements? Limits, dates, certificate holder, additional insured and waiver of subrogation, by trade or tier. Ask to see a failed certificate and the explanation it gives.
• Who chases the vendor? The most time goes into follow-up. Does the tool email vendors with the exact fixes, follow up on its own, and stop when the right certificate arrives?
• What do vendors have to do? If vendors must create accounts or log into a portal, many won't. Replying to an email or forwarding it to their agent is easier for them.
• How much of your time does it need each week? The best tools only show you what needs you. A dashboard you have to read every day is a job of its own.
• Can you prove coverage on a date? Auditors, owners and lenders ask who was covered when. You want a record of each certificate, each check and each request.
• How is your data protected, and can you leave? Certificates hold policy and contract details. Ask about encryption, who can see them, and how to export everything if you switch.

Questions about cost

• Is the price published, or quoted after a demo?
• Is it per month, per year, per vendor or per location?
• Is there a setup or onboarding fee?
• Is there a minimum contract length, and how do you cancel?
• Do vendors pay anything? Some services charge vendors fees, which slows them down.
• Can you try it on your own certificates before paying?

Compare the total for a year at your current vendor count, plus where you expect to be in two years.

Where Okay to Work fits

Okay to Work is self-serve software for US contractors, property managers and venues with roughly 20 to 300 vendors. You forward certificates by email; it reads them, checks them against your requirements, and emails vendors exactly what to fix until they're okay to work. You only hear about the few that need you. Pricing is published on the pricing page, there's a free trial with no card, and vendors never pay or create an account.

It's probably not the right fit if you manage thousands of vendors across many locations, need deep integrations with project management or accounting software, or want a team of people to handle compliance for you. A larger platform or an outsourced service will suit you better there.