What sort of tasks will the software be used for?

How much does the software cost and how much money is available to buy it?

What operating system does the software need? Software will only work with the operating system that it was designed for;

What are the minimum system requirements for the software? Every application package has a minimum set of hardware requirements such as how much hard disk space and memory are needed;

Will the software be used on a single computer or on a network? If the software is going to be used on a network a special version of it may be needed;

How much support is available for users? This could be in the form of on-line help, telephone support lines, internet sites and printed manuals. More popular software will have more of these resources;

How easy is the software to install — can an ordinary user carry out the installation or will an IT expert be needed to do it?