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Features in Proposal Generation Systems
for Business Development and Marketing
Platforms that create customized, professional client proposals including recommended investment strategies, financial planning services, fee structures, and projected outcomes.
We ask vendors to mark their product against our feature list. It is not available for all products and in some cases we have derived data from publicly available sources. The list of features follows. Vendors can add a further 10 key features of their own.
Analytics & Reporting
Features related to proposal tracking, pipeline analytics, and insights for improvement.
- Conversion Rate Analytics
- Monitor proposal acceptance ratios over time.
- Custom Report Builder
- User-defined reports based on custom fields or filters.
- Customizable Notifications
- Set notification triggers for proposal milestones or deadlines.
- Engagement Analytics
- Track which sections clients spend time reviewing.
- Export to Excel/CSV
- Export analytics and proposal data for offline analysis.
- KPI Dashboards
- Visual dashboards tracking key proposal and team KPIs.
- Number of Built-in Reports
- Count of pre-defined, ready to use analytics reports.
- Proposal Pipeline Visualization
- Graphical representation of proposal progress through sales stages.
- Proposal Tracking
- Track report on status (sent, opened, signed, declined).
- Real-time Data Updates
- Analytics are up-to-date with the latest activity.
- Time to Close
- Track and analyze proposal turnaround time.
Automation & Workflow
Capabilities that speed up and simplify the proposal creation, review, and delivery process with automation.
- Approval Workflow Stages
- Number of sequential reviews/approvals a proposal can require.
- Assignment Automation
- Proposals automatically assigned to team members based on rules.
- Automated Proposal Assembly
- Proposal content is automatically populated based on client or opportunity profile.
- Automated Reminders
- Automatic reminders for tasks, deadlines, or outstanding approvals.
- Automated Scheduling
- Schedule proposal sending or follow-ups automatically.
- Automatic Data Validation
- System checks entries for completeness/correctness before advancing workflow.
- Bulk Actions
- Update, send, or archive multiple proposals at once.
- Integration with Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Supports integration with enterprise RPA systems for advanced automation.
- Template Selection Rules
- System recommends templates based on opportunity details.
- Workflow Automation
- Automate actions, approvals, and notifications at specific workflow stages.
Client Experience
Functions that directly influence client impression, satisfaction, and ease of receiving and reviewing proposals.
- Automated Welcome/Thank You Messages
- Automatic personalized communications at key milestones.
- Branded Experience
- Firm’s logos and color schemes appear throughout the client journey.
- Client Access Expiry Controls
- Set expiration dates for client access to sensitive proposals.
- Client Feedback Capture
- Clients can leave feedback or questions directly inside the platform.
- Digital Signature
- Clients can review and sign documents online securely.
- Interactive Proposal Viewer
- Clients can interact with proposal sections, e.g., exploring what-if scenarios.
- Mobile-friendly Client Portal
- Clients can easily access and review proposals via mobile.
- Multi-factor Access for Clients
- Clients authenticate using secure multi-factor methods.
- Proposal Co-browsing
- Advisor and client can jointly view and discuss the proposal in real time.
- Track Document Views
- System records when and how clients viewed the proposal.
Collaboration & Communication
Features that enable teams to collaborate internally and with clients efficiently.
- Change Notifications
- Notify users of updates, comments, or required actions.
- Client Collaboration Portal
- Dedicated area for clients to review, comment, and request changes.
- Collaboration Permissions
- Granular control over who can view/edit/comment/review proposals.
- Comment Resolution Tracking
- System tracks and displays resolved/unresolved comments.
- Integrated Messaging
- Built-in chat or messaging for swift communications.
- Internal Comments
- Ability for team members to leave internal notes and discuss specific sections.
- Maximum Simultaneous Editors
- The highest number of users who can co-author simultaneously.
- Real-time Coauthoring
- Multiple users can simultaneously edit a proposal document.
- Shared Analytics Dashboard
- Collaborative access to metrics related to proposals’ performance.
- Task Assignment
- Assign sections or responsibilities to different team members.
Compliance & Security
Critical features to ensure the platform meets financial, regulatory, and data security requirements.
- Audit Logs
- Comprehensive logging of who did what and when for each proposal.
- Automated Compliance Checks
- System automatically flags compliance risks or incomplete information.
- Data Residency Controls
- Configure where proposal data is physically stored.
- Document Encryption
- End-to-end encryption for all stored and transmitted proposal documents.
- Multi-factor Authentication
- Require two or more authentication methods for access.
- Redaction Tools
- Ability to redact sensitive information from proposals before sharing.
- Regulatory Compliance Tools
- Built-in features for financial compliance (SEC, FINRA, GDPR, etc.).
- Retention Policy Management
- Set automatic proposal retention/deletion policies.
- Role-Based Security
- Security enforced depending on user function and access level.
- Third-party Penetration Testing
- System is tested against vulnerabilities by external security experts.
- Time to Detect Unusual Activity
- Average latency in flagging suspicious actions.
Cost & Licensing Model
Key attributes of the product’s pricing and subscription for effective budgeting.
- Bulk Discounting/Volume Pricing
- Discounts available at higher usage or user thresholds.
- Cost per Proposal Generated
- Variable or overage fee per generated proposal, if charged.
- Cost per User/Month
- Specific minimum price for a single advisor or user.
- Flexible Licensing (per user, per proposal, enterprise)
- Choice of pricing schemes to match organization size and need.
- Free Feature Upgrades
- New features rolled out without added cost.
- Free Trial Availability
- Trial period offered with full or partial features.
- Included Support Levels
- How many support/escalation tiers are included in base price.
- No Long-term Contract Required
- Option for monthly, cancel-anytime plans.
- Scalable Pricing
- Cost increases only as usage or user count rises.
- Transparent Pricing
- All costs, optional add-ons, and overage charges are clearly disclosed.
Integration Capabilities
Features related to how well the proposal system connects with other enterprise and financial systems.
- API Availability
- System provides APIs for custom integrations and process automation.
- Bank Data Connectivity
- Secure connections to client or advisor bank data sources.
- CRM Integration
- Seamless import/export of client data from major CRMs.
- Calendar Sync
- Integration with calendar systems for scheduling proposal follow-ups.
- Document Management Integration
- Ability to integrate with document storage systems like SharePoint or Dropbox.
- Email Platform Integration
- Sync with email clients for sending and tracking proposals.
- Financial Planning Tools Integration
- Integration with financial planning and portfolio modeling tools.
- Number of Supported Integrations
- Count of third-party integrations supported out-of-the-box.
- Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Support for SSO via enterprise authentication systems.
- e-Signature Integration
- Support for digital signatures with platforms like DocuSign or Adobe Sign.
Proposal Customization & Content Management
Capabilities related to constructing, editing, and managing proposal content effectively.
- Automatic Data Merge
- Auto-populate proposals with client-specific data from CRM.
- Brand Compliance Tools
- Automated checks to ensure proposals adhere to firm branding.
- Bulk Proposal Generation
- Generate multiple proposals simultaneously for marketing campaigns.
- Conditional Logic
- Show/hide or customize content based on client profile or responses.
- Content Approval Workflow
- Multi-level review and approval process for proposal drafts.
- Content Library
- Central library for reusable text, disclaimers, images, and legal clauses.
- Dynamic Content Blocks
- Ability to insert live data, charts, or tables that auto-update.
- Media Embedding
- Support for embedded videos, PDFs, or external media.
- Multi-currency Support
- Display financial data in client-preferred currencies.
- Number of Templates Provided
- Count of ready-to-use templates included.
- Version Control
- Track changes, roll back, and view past versions of proposals.
Scalability & Performance
Determines how well the platform supports large numbers of users, proposals, and concurrent activity as a firm grows.
- Bulk User Onboarding
- System can onboard hundreds or thousands of new users programmatically.
- Concurrent Proposal Edits Supported
- Number of proposals that can be edited concurrently without degradation.
- Disaster Recovery RTO
- Maximum recovery time objective in case of a critical failure.
- Elastic Resource Scaling
- Automatically scales infrastructure resources with demand.
- Geographic Data Center Distribution
- System is backed by multi-region or global data centers for speed and redundancy.
- Max Proposal Document Size Supported
- Maximum file size (including embedded media) supported for a single proposal.
- Maximum Concurrent Active Users
- How many users can work simultaneously with strong performance.
- Performance Monitoring Tools
- In-built tools for system performance visibility.
- Proposal Generation Throughput
- Number of proposals that can be generated per hour.
- System Uptime SLA
- Guaranteed uptime commitment from the vendor.
Support & Onboarding
Vendor and platform features to support successful adoption and long-term use by firms and advisors.
- 24/7 Support Availability
- Technical support is reachable any time, globally.
- Average Support Response Time
- Vendor’s typical first-response time for support tickets.
- Custom Onboarding Plans
- Tailored adoption and migration plans for large clients.
- Dedicated Account Manager
- Each client has an assigned account representative.
- Knowledge Base
- Extensive searchable help articles and FAQs.
- Live Training Sessions
- Regular instructor-led group or private onboarding sessions.
- Multi-channel Support
- Support can be reached via phone, email, chat, or ticket system.
- Onboarding Time
- Typical duration to onboard a standard advisory team.
- Training Materials Provided
- Comprehensive videos, walkthroughs, and documentation.
- User Community/Forum Access
- Access to an online community for sharing best practices.
User Interface & Experience
Features that determine the ease of use, accessibility, and adaptability of the proposal generation system for different users.
- Accessibility Compliance
- Compliance with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1).
- Customizable Templates
- Range of editable proposal templates for diverse client needs.
- Dark Mode Support
- Option to switch to dark mode for visual comfort.
- Drag-and-Drop Editor
- Visual editor allowing drag-and-drop component placement.
- Guided Workflows
- Step-by-step walkthroughs to reduce user error.
- Intuitive Dashboard
- Central hub that summarizes proposal statuses and quick actions.
- Mobile Accessibility
- Capability to use the system via mobile devices (app or responsive web).
- Multi-language Support
- Ability to present content and interface in multiple languages.
- Personalization Options
- Ability to tailor interface and branding for specific firms or advisors.
- Response Time
- Average time to load and interact with proposal editor.
- User Profiles & Roles
- Role-based access and personalized dashboards.