Proof of Value
A Proof of Value (PoV) is the stage where FlowFuse and the prospective customer jointly prove that FlowFuse solves the specific problem uncovered during Discovery and shown in the Demo. Unlike a generic "kick the tyres" trial, a PoV is scoped in the Solution stage — the apps that will solve the use case, the success criteria they are judged against, and the plan are all agreed before it starts — and it ends in a clear decision.
Where a PoV fits in the sales process
A PoV is stage 4 — Validate of the sales process: the technical heart of the Evaluation phase, jointly owned by the AE and SE. It is where a deal moves from best case into forecast — the customer has agreed the problem is worth solving, and the PoV proves FlowFuse is the solution. A completed installation and technical validation against the agreed criteria are the exit signals that carry the deal out of Validate toward Commit.
It runs in three arcs — the same three that shape the Process below and the workbook's Plan tab:
| Arc | Sales stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-PoV | Solution (stage 3) | The gates are produced — use case and value understood, apps and success criteria defined, plan agreed, FlowFuse available (see the Pre-PoV checklist). A PoV should not start until they are. |
| PoV | Validate (stage 4) | Prove each scoping criterion. Completed installation and technical validation are the exit criteria. |
| Post-PoV | Moving to Commit (stage 5) and Closing | A successful PoV feeds the business case, Economic Buyer alignment and paper process that carry the deal to close. |
A PoV is run from the PoV Workbook — the single document that spans the whole engagement — using the shared definitions defined there. This page covers the PoV stage itself: where it fits in the sales process, and the process of running one.
Process
A PoV moves through a small number of phases, all tracked in the workbook's Plan tab: pre-PoV gates clear, then kickoff (agree the plan and success criteria, and schedule every check-in and the wrap-up), install, execute (prove each scoping criterion in turn), and wrap-up (sign-off against the criteria). The commercial follow-on lives in the Post-PoV section of the same plan.
Pre-PoV checklist
Before a PoV starts, five things must be true. The first four are the output of the Solution stage (stage 3) — they are produced there, not during the PoV — and the fifth is getting access. They are also the gates tracked in the workbook's Plan tab. Starting a PoV before they are met is the most common way one stalls.
- The use case and its business impact are understood. Discovery has established the pain and what solving it is worth to the customer.
- The apps are defined. The app or apps that will solve the use case are identified and follow FlowFuse's app delivery methods, so the PoV showcases FlowFuse as an app-building platform — not a test of Node-RED.
- Success criteria are well defined. Each criterion has a concrete, agreed pass signal, so "success" is not open to interpretation when the PoV ends.
- The plan is agreed with the customer. Tasks, owners and dates are agreed jointly, not just internally.
- FlowFuse is available to test. The customer has either installed FlowFuse (self-hosted) or signed up for a Cloud trial — set up as the FlowFuse Trial Environment during the Solution stage. For a self-hosted install this is more than "installed": the environment must be able to reach the hosts FlowFuse needs — in particular to install and update nodes and packages — with any firewall change requested and proven before the PoV starts, not discovered mid-PoV. See Networking requirements.
PoV meetings
Every PoV meeting is scheduled up front, at the kickoff, so the cadence is agreed and the wrap-up is already on the calendar before any testing begins.
- Kickoff — the customer formally agrees to the PoV, the plan and success criteria are confirmed, and every subsequent meeting (the check-ins and the wrap-up) is scheduled. For a self-hosted PoV, this is where the customer receives the trial license key to install on their own server.
- Check-ins — a regular cadence agreed at kickoff. Each check-in reviews progress against the scoping criteria and clears blockers; open items are tracked in the workbook's Questions tab between calls.
- Wrap-up / feedback meeting — a final session, also booked at kickoff, to review the PoV against its success criteria, capture the customer's feedback, and agree the next step toward Commit.
Licensing
Getting the customer a running FlowFuse — the FlowFuse Trial Environment, a Cloud trial or a self-hosted install — is set up in the Solution stage. The licensing tasks the SE performs during the PoV live here. A license key applies only to self-hosting; a Cloud trial never needs one.
Generating a license
- Generate one by filling out this form.
- Trial license expiry date should be set for 30 days, even in cases where longer than 30 days may be warranted.
- Include 10 users, 10 teams, and 10 Node-RED instances on the Enterprise Tier.
All generated licenses are added to this sheet automatically.
Extending a trial
- Cloud — use the 'Extend Trial' button on the Team Settings page (platform Administrators only). Without admin access, raise a CloudProject change request with details.
- Self-hosted — issue a new license key with a later expiry. Trial extensions need to be approved by management.