# AI Tool Consolidation Audit Template

> A 2–4 hour audit framework for creative teams that have accumulated AI tool sprawl. Copy this file, fill in your inventory, then run the decision matrix at the end.

**Auditor:** [Name]
**Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Team size:** ___ people
**Audit timeframe:** [Trailing 6 months / 12 months]

---

## Section 1: Inventory every AI tool in use

Survey your team. Pull credit-card statements. Check expense reports. Include personal-card subscriptions and trial accounts.

| # | Tool name | Category (image / video / audio / editor / specialized) | Primary user(s) | Frequency (daily / weekly / monthly / rarely) | Billing (corporate / personal / expensed) | Visible cost (USD/month) | Hidden cost source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | | | | | | | |

**Inventory totals:**
- Total tools: ___
- Total visible monthly cost: $___
- Total visible annual cost: $___
- Hidden personal-card spend (estimated): $___

---

## Section 2: Document use-case per tool

| Tool | What jobs it does for your team | How often a single team member uses it | Can another tool do the same job? |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
| | | | |

---

## Section 3: Compute total cost honestly

Direct subscription cost is the obvious line. It's not the biggest cost.

| Cost category | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visible subscriptions (annual) | $___ | From Section 1 |
| Hidden personal-card subscriptions | $___ | Discovered during audit |
| Switching cost (workflow time) | $___ | Hours/week × hourly rate × 52 |
| Decision overhead (which tool for which job) | $___ | Estimated team hours |
| Brand consistency cost (review time, off-brand outputs) | $___ | Senior creative review hours |
| Compliance and risk cost (legal, IT review per tool) | $___ | Per-tool overhead |
| Hidden inflation (cumulative price increase exposure) | $___ | Estimated annual increase |
| **TOTAL real annual cost** | **$___** | Typically 1.5–2.5× visible spend |

---

## Section 4: Group by category overlap

| Category | Tools in this category | Consolidation candidate? (Y/N) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image generation | | | |
| Video generation | | | |
| Image upscaling / enhancement | | | |
| Voice / audio | | | |
| Editing / refinement | | | |
| Character consistency / specialized | | | |
| Workflow / orchestration | | | |

Tools with no overlap (sole entry in their category): ___

---

## Section 5: Decision matrix — keep, consolidate, or eliminate

For each tool from Section 1, apply the test below.

| Tool | Does it genuinely outperform alternatives for at least one job? | Is the team fluent in it? | Is it used at least weekly by 2+ people? | Decision (KEEP / CONSOLIDATE / ELIMINATE) | Migration target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |

**Decision summary:**
- Keep: ___ tools
- Consolidate (migrate to one): ___ tools
- Eliminate (stop paying): ___ tools

---

## Section 6: Migration plan

For tools being consolidated, sequence the migration.

| Tool to retire | Target replacement | Workflows affected | Migration target date | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |

**Migration principles:**
- Run new and old in parallel for at least 2 weeks before cancelling
- Migrate one team at a time, not all at once
- Document the workflow handoff in the same format your team uses for other workflow docs
- Keep a 1-week rollback window per migrated team

---

## Section 7: Expected outcome

| Metric | Before audit | After consolidation (target) | Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible tool count | | | |
| Annual visible cost | $___ | $___ | $___ |
| Annual real cost | $___ | $___ | $___ |
| Workflow switching time per week | ___ hours | ___ hours | ___ hours |
| Brand consistency review time | ___ hours/wk | ___ hours/wk | ___ hours/wk |

Typical reductions for teams running this audit: 30–60% visible tool spend, 25–40% real total cost when workflow friction is included.

---

## Section 8: Sign-off

- [ ] Audit reviewed with creative leadership
- [ ] Audit reviewed with finance / procurement
- [ ] Migration plan approved by stakeholders
- [ ] Quarterly review scheduled to re-run a lightweight version

**Reviewed by:** [Name, role]
**Sign-off date:** [YYYY-MM-DD]

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*This template is part of the DesignerBox tool consolidation framework. See the full cornerstone guide at /guides/tool-consolidation-audit for context on each section.*