# Market data quality checklist

> Assess whether a market figure is comparable and strong enough to support the claim you want to make. Work through 10 checks, record evidence and owners, and save an editable copy.

Source: https://saas-marketing.net/checklists/market-data-quality-audit/
Topic: SaaS Market and Industry Data
Type: checklist
Published: 2026-09-17
Last updated: 2026-09-17
Publisher: SaaS Marketing (saas-marketing.net)
License: CC BY 4.0. Quote or republish with attribution and a link to https://saas-marketing.net/checklists/market-data-quality-audit/

## Short answer

Market data quality checklist helps a SaaS team assess whether a market figure is comparable and strong enough to support the claim you want to make. Mark each check only after reviewing the evidence. Record unresolved items with an owner and next action; a completed checklist records the review, not a guarantee of business results.

## Key takeaways

- Assess whether a market figure is comparable and strong enough to support the claim you want to make.
- Do not average incompatible market estimates into a more precise-looking number.
- Record evidence and an accountable owner for each unresolved check.
- The editable download includes status, owner and evidence columns.

---

Assess whether a market figure is comparable and strong enough to support the claim you want to make. For the wider context, see the [saas market hub](/saas-market/).

## Work through the checks

**Market data quality checklist**

## Save the evidence

| Check | Status | Owner | Evidence and next action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The original publisher is identified | Not reviewed | | |
| Publication and collection dates are distinct | Not reviewed | | |
| Market boundaries are stated | Not reviewed | | |
| Geography and currency are clear | Not reviewed | | |
| Revenue and spending definitions are understood | Not reviewed | | |
| Sample and methodology are available | Not reviewed | | |
| Forecasts are separated from observations | Not reviewed | | |
| Source incentives and limitations are recorded | Not reviewed | | |
| Figures are not added across overlapping categories | Not reviewed | | |
| The claim retains the source's qualifications | Not reviewed | | |

## A situation to test

Two reports can both be reasonable while estimating different definitions of SaaS spending. Explain the boundary before comparing the totals.

Use this example as a review prompt. Ask the owner to demonstrate the real behavior or show the underlying record. A screenshot of settings can help, but it does not replace testing the outcome the customer experiences.

## When to stop and fix the issue

Do not average incompatible market estimates into a more precise-looking number.

Prioritize failures that mislead customers, lose data, break the promised action or make measurement unreliable. Cosmetic improvements can be scheduled separately when they do not prevent the task from being completed. Record the reason for any accepted exception so the next reviewer does not mistake it for an overlooked problem.

## How to close the review

Assign every unresolved item to a named person and a date. Keep the evidence close to the checklist, using links with appropriate access rather than copying sensitive records into a public document. After the fix, repeat the relevant check and record what changed.

The final review should answer three questions: what passed, what remains uncertain, and what action follows. If a requirement does not apply, state why. A blanket tick against every row provides less value than a shorter list with specific evidence and a clear next step.

## Related resources

- [Global SaaS Market Size](/guides/global-saas-market-size/)
- [SaaS Market Growth Rate](/guides/saas-market-growth-rate/)
- [SaaS Industry Growth](/guides/saas-industry-growth/)
- [B2B SaaS Market Size](/guides/b2b-saas-market-size/)
- [The B2B SaaS Industry](/guides/b2b-saas-industry-overview/)

Browse more [checklists](/checklists/) or save the [resource index](/resources/).
{/* expanded-practice-2026-09 */}
## Apply market data quality checklist in a working review

Treat each check as a request for evidence, not a box to tick from memory. Inspect the actual behavior or record, note the result and assign an owner to any failure. Distinguish a blocking issue from a deferred improvement. Keep the reason for an exception so a later reviewer can understand why the work proceeded.

For this topic, involve the research owner and the person using the estimate for a decision and work from source method, market boundary and assumption table. The relevant unit is a clearly defined population, period and value measure. State the question the review should resolve before choosing a chart, an asset or a tool. If participants disagree about the unit or scope, resolve that disagreement before combining their evidence.

### Evidence to prepare

Read the original definition before combining figures. Publication date, collection period and forecast horizon answer different questions. A market estimate can be useful without being directly comparable to another publisher’s number.

| Review field | What to record |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | Market data quality checklist |
| Decision | The specific action this explanation should help you choose |
| Working evidence | source method, market boundary and assumption table |
| Unit and scope | a clearly defined population, period and value measure |
| Responsible people | research owner and the person using the estimate for a decision |
| Remaining uncertainty | The missing fact that could change the decision |

### Two situations that can change the interpretation

#### When source incentives are absent from research notes

A useful vendor survey may still overrepresent the kinds of customers the vendor serves.

Use this check: Identify the publisher, sponsor, sample recruitment and measures used. A respected brand name does not replace methodological scrutiny.

The [focused diagnostic guide](/guides/market-source-incentives-are-ignored/) provides the correction process and a working evidence sheet.

#### When a market estimate mixes unlike measures

A software-only estimate and a software-plus-services estimate can both be reasonable while answering different questions.

Use this check: Read each source's market boundary, unit, period and included products. Do not average conflicting definitions to create a falsely precise number.

The [focused diagnostic guide](/guides/market-size-estimate-mixes-revenue-and-spend/) provides the correction process and a working evidence sheet.

### Record the decision and the limit

A software-revenue estimate and a broader customer-spending estimate may both be credible within their own definitions. Averaging them does not create a better answer. Explain the boundary and choose the measure that matches the decision being made.

Keep the conclusion beside the evidence that supports it. Record what the team will do, who owns the next action and which event or date will trigger a review. If the underlying definition, audience or product behavior changes, revisit the conclusion rather than assuming the old result still applies. A clear limit is useful information; it tells the next reader where additional investigation is required.

Use the [complete topic collection](/topics/saas-market/) for related methods and the [category field guides](/industries/) when the product's buying situation or implementation requirements change how the method should be applied.

## Frequently asked questions

### How should I use this checklist?

Choose one campaign, page, process or account group. Review each check against actual evidence, record exceptions and assign follow-up work before marking the review complete.

### What should stop the work from proceeding?

Do not average incompatible market estimates into a more precise-looking number.

### Does a completed checklist guarantee success?

No. It records a structured review of known risks and requirements. Customer behavior, market conditions and facts outside the review can still change the outcome.

### Can I save the checklist?

Use the download form for an editable CSV copy. Browser checkmarks are saved on this device where local storage is available; they are not shared with your team.