Make each account decision auditable
Separate the fact from its interpretation. 'The company published an enterprise pricing tier' is an observation; 'access administration is delaying launches' is a hypothesis unless a buyer confirms it. Put them in different fields so later sellers do not accidentally repeat assumptions as facts.
Use confidence to express evidence quality rather than a predicted purchase probability. Record the source's freshness and whether it is company-authored, independent or inferred. A disqualifier should describe a real boundary: missing required integration, unsuitable contract size or a solved problem. Maintain the worksheet as a working record rather than a static list.
| Decision | Evidence to use | What changes next |
|---|---|---|
| Observation | Source URL, date and exact relevant fact | Allows the seller to verify what is known |
| Interpretation | Pain hypothesis, confidence and alternative explanation | Keeps assumptions open to correction |
| Action boundary | Role, disqualifier and next question | Tells the team what to validate or reject |
Work through the decision
Illustrative row: account 'Example Platform'; fact 'new enterprise plan'; source 'public pricing documentation, checked today'; hypothesis 'plan access may be difficult to administer'; alternative 'the company already has a robust internal system'; question 'how are plan changes handled today?'
A second row might be rejected because its product does not use differentiated access at all. Retain that reason rather than deleting the record and researching it again next month. The worksheet is useful because it records judgment and prevents repetitive mistakes, not because every row receives a high score.
The confidence field becomes a fictional intent score
A numerical score can imply precision the sources do not support. Use plain evidence categories and explain their meaning. Do not translate a funding event or website change into a claimed probability of purchase without validated data.
A concrete next step
Download the ICP worksheet and fill one strong account and one rejection. Ask a seller to explain the next action without additional verbal context; revise fields they cannot interpret.
Sources and research notes
- GitLab sales development handbookCompany operating handbook
- Schematic product documentationCompany product description
Primary sources reviewed October 6, 2026. The operating recommendations and worked scenarios are Daavid’s analysis. Illustrative numbers are assumptions, not measured client results. Company marks identify sources and prior experience; they do not imply a customer relationship or endorsement.
Schematic