Dependence on a provider is not always a mistake. It may buy speed, support and features that a small team could not build alone. Problems begin when nobody knows what switching will cost or which data and processes cannot be transferred.
An exit plan does not mean you expect failure. It means the purchasing decision covers the entire lifecycle.
Map exactly what will live in the platform
Record data, files, automations, templates, permissions, history and integrations. Note which elements have business or regulatory significance and which can be recreated. Do not stop at the obvious customer file: the real dependency often lies in rules and settings.
Test export before committing
Request a trial export and open the files. Check the format, fields, relationships, timestamps and attachments. A promise that export is available does not show whether the result can be imported elsewhere or used without manual reconstruction.
Record everyday workflow dependencies
Which other tools send or receive data? Which links, forms or scripts depend on the platform? Which team has been trained on a particular interface? Migration concerns people and processes, not just database tables.
Calculate switching costs, not just the subscription
Add time for export, cleaning, import, reconnection, training, parallel operation and checking. Record whether API access, extra storage, support or early termination incur charges. A low monthly cost may come with a high exit cost.
Define review triggers
The team should know when it will reconsider the choice: a significant price increase, ownership change, recurring outages, removal of a critical feature or inability to meet a new need. Without a trigger, dependency is usually recognized when migration has already become urgent.
Run a small exit exercise
Once a year, export a representative sample and test whether the team can understand and restore it. Update the runbook and ownership details. You do not have to change suppliers to verify that you retain options.
The exit planning framework is original DigitalNow analysis and does not evaluate a particular supplier.