Free tool
Decision matrix
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- What you'll get
- A weighted total and rank for each option, with the working shown.
List the options, say what matters and how much, then score each option. The matrix adds up the weighted totals, ranks the options and shows every sum. Copy it or print it. Free, with no sign-up.
A decision matrix is a table that scores each option against the criteria that matter to the decision. In a weighted decision matrix, each criterion also gets a weight, and each option's total is the sum of score × weight. The highest total is the option that best fits what you said matters. It doesn't make the decision for you; it shows your reasoning so you, and anyone you show it to, can check it.
Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere. It stays in this browser tab, and closing or leaving the page clears it, so copy or print your matrix before you go.
One question, such as “Which supplier should we use?”
Left blank, it prints as a line to write on.
Your result
Score each option from 1 to 5 on every criterion and the totals appear here.
Decision matrix
The decision
| Criterion (weight) | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criterion 1 (3) | Not scored | Not scored | Not scored |
| Criterion 2 (3) | Not scored | Not scored | Not scored |
| Criterion 3 (3) | Not scored | Not scored | Not scored |
| Weighted total (out of 45) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rank | – | – | – |
Result
Score each option from 1 to 5 on every criterion and the totals appear here.
The working
- Option A: 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored = 0 out of 45
- Option B: 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored = 0 out of 45
- Option C: 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored + 3 × not scored = 0 out of 45
Each score runs 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) and is multiplied by its criterion's weight (1 to 5). The scores are judgements, so treat a close result as a prompt to look again, not an answer.
How to use the decision matrix
- Write the decision as one question. “Which supplier should we use?” is clearer than “Suppliers”.
- Add two to four real options. Include the option of carrying on as you are, if it's a real choice. It's often the one to beat.
- Choose the criteria before you score anything. Two to six things that matter, such as cost, time or how easy it is to change your mind later. Choosing them first stops you picking criteria to suit a favourite.
- Weight each criterion from 1 to 5. 5 is essential and 1 is nice to have. If you can't say which matter more, leave them all on the same weight.
- Score one criterion at a time. Go across all the options on cost, then all of them on time, and so on. Higher is always better, so the cheapest option scores 5 on cost.
- Read the result and the working, then decide. Copy or print the sheet to take to whoever needs to agree it.
A worked example: choosing how to do the bookkeeping
Press “Fill in an example” to load it. This is a typical example rather than a real business: a small team deciding whether to keep doing its own bookkeeping, take on a part-time bookkeeper or use an outside accounting firm. The owner weights four criteria: time it frees up (5), cost each month (4), fewer mistakes (4) and how easy it is to set up (2). The best possible total is 15 × 5 = 75.
Keeping it in-house is cheap and easy to set up, but frees up no time: 5 × 1 + 4 × 5 + 4 × 2 + 2 × 5 = 43. The part-time bookkeeper scores 5 × 4 + 4 × 3 + 4 × 4 + 2 × 3 = 54. The outside firm scores 5 × 5 + 4 × 2 + 4 × 4 + 2 × 2 = 53. The bookkeeper comes out top by a single point, and the matrix says that's close. Here the useful move is to check the scores the owner was least sure of, such as the firm's cost, before deciding. The scores are one person's judgement, there to show how the sums work.
How to read the result, and common mistakes
The matrix ranks the options by weighted total, and options on the same total share a rank. When the top two are within 5% of the best possible total, it calls the result close. That threshold is our rule of thumb, not a statistical test: a gap that small can come down to a single score you could argue either way.
- Scoring cost the wrong way round. If a high score means expensive, the dearest option gets rewarded. Write the direction into the name, such as “Cost (5 = cheapest)”.
- Choosing criteria after you know the answer you want. Set the criteria and weights first, then score.
- Too many criteria. Ten small criteria can outvote the one that matters. If something is a must-have, rule out the options that fail it before you score.
- A criterion every option scores the same on. It doesn't change the order, and the tool tells you so. Drop it or score it more finely.
- Treating the total as the decision. If the result feels wrong, ask what you left out. That missing criterion is often the real reason, and worth adding.
When to use something else
A matrix earns its place when there are several options, several things to weigh and more than one person who needs to agree. For a yes or no question, a short list of reasons for and against is enough. When you're choosing which job to write down first, the three-question score in what to systemise first is quicker. Whichever you use, write the decision down with who made it, why and when to revisit it, so the same argument doesn't happen twice; our meeting minutes template shows where it fits.
Want the full version?
Once you've decided, the Decision Log keeps every decision that matters in one place, so it can be found, and looked at again, months later. It's in the Business Essentials pack, part of the Business Foundations Vault, as a done-for-you template in Word and PDF, not software.
See what's in the Business Foundations Vault →Decision matrix questions
What is a weighted decision matrix?
A table that scores each option against the things that matter, with each of those criteria given a weight for how much it matters. Multiply each score by its weight and add them up, and the option with the highest total fits your criteria best.
What is the difference between a decision matrix and a weighted decision matrix?
A plain decision matrix adds up the scores, so every criterion counts the same. A weighted one multiplies each score by a weight first, so the criteria that matter most count for more. Set every weight to the same number and this tool works as a plain matrix.
How many criteria should a decision matrix have?
Usually three to six. Fewer and you are probably leaving something out; more and the small criteria start to drown out the ones that matter. This tool takes two to six.
What if two options tie or come out very close?
The tool says so. A tie or a gap of a few points means the scores cannot decide for you. Look again at the scores you were least sure of, check you have not missed a criterion, then make the call yourself.
How do I score something where lower is better, like cost?
Turn it round so a higher score is always better: the cheapest option scores 5 on cost and the dearest scores 1. Write it into the criterion name, such as "Cost (5 = cheapest)", so everyone reads it the same way.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The matrix stays in this browser tab and is not stored or sent anywhere. Closing or leaving the page clears it, so copy or print it first.
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