# Chatbot budget worksheet

Copy and edit this worksheet. Amounts are blank on purpose. Use one currency, record taxes separately and label assumptions. This is a planning template, not a quote, market benchmark or automatic calculator.

## Scope and billing

- Currency and tax treatment:
- Period and expected seasonality:
- Vendor / plan / quote checked on:
- Billable unit and definition:
- Included units and reset period:
- Rule when allowance is exceeded, with verified rate or hard limit:
- Required seats, chatbots, sources, integrations and features:
- Billing interval, amount due upfront, renewal and cancellation terms:

## Usage scenarios

| Input | Low | High | Observed or assumed? Source and date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Conversations per month | | | |
| Billable units per conversation | | | |
| Total units = conversations × units per conversation | | | |
| Does the plan cover this usage and required features? | | | |

Do not convert conversations to messages or outcomes without a documented rule. Use observed billable units directly when you have them. If usage exceeds the allowance, do not assume overages can be bought. Check whether service stops or another plan is required.

## One-time setup

| Item | Hours | Cost per hour | External fee | Total | Evidence / owner |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Source preparation and approval | | | | | |
| Configuration and integration | | | | | |
| Answer testing and launch review | | | | | |
| Other setup | | | | | |

For each row, total = hours × cost per hour + external fee. Do not count the same work in both staff hours and a contractor fee. Sum rows for one-time setup. Mark a deliberately excluded cost as excluded, not zero.

## Monthly operation

Enter a subscription here only when billed monthly. For annual billing, leave
the subscription row marked "annual, excluded here" and enter the full annual
charge in the next section. Keep other recurring costs in this table.

| Item | Low estimate | High estimate | Verified rule / evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription | | | |
| Additional usage, only where supported | | | |
| Separate services or add-ons | | | |
| Content maintenance hours × cost per hour | | | |
| Answer review hours × cost per hour | | | |
| Other recurring costs | | | |
| Monthly total | | | |

## First-year estimate

- Full annual subscription charge, if billed annually:
- Annual charge verified on / source:
- Other one-time charges not included in setup:

For monthly billing, first-year estimate = one-time setup + 12 × monthly total + other one-time charges. This assumes constant monthly costs.

For annual billing, first-year estimate = one-time setup + full annual
subscription charge + 12 × other monthly costs + other one-time charges.
The monthly table excludes the annual subscription in this case. For a $360
annual subscription, $20 of other monthly costs and $100 of setup, the estimate
is $100 + $360 + 12 × $20 = $700 before any separately recorded taxes.

Enter a confirmed absence of other charges as zero. An unknown input makes
the full total incomplete. Adjust the periods for seasonality or price changes.

## Decision and next review

- Unconfirmed costs or requirements:
- Person who will verify them:
- Usage observation period:
- Review date:
- Selected option and reason: