What should be settled before signing?

Confirm the contracted service boundaries and data sources; the response permissions; service reporting; customer duties; fees and usage assumptions; incident and recovery exclusions; start/acceptance milestones; renewal rules; and exit responsibilities.

For the financial comparison, separate recurring services from incremental licenses, setup, consumption, optional work and internal labor. Public software pricing, such as Defender for Business's US page, is a reminder that a license cost is only one component of a functioning operation.

Go/no-go questions:

1. Is each mandatory legal, technical and operational condition met?
2. Can the internal team perform the work left to it?
3. Is the implementation calendar plausible against the actual notice deadline?
4. Will both parties recognize what counts as accepted service?
5. Can the buyer leave without losing access to necessary records or leaving privileged access behind?

If an answer is unresolved, document the condition and owner. Do not hide it in an optimistic weighted average.