The short answer
A MEDDIC template is a deal qualification sheet with one section per element: Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain and Champion. MEDDPICC adds Paper Process and Competition. For each element you record what you know, the evidence behind it and the gaps, so you can see what's missing before you forecast the deal.
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Key takeaways
Evidence, not opinion: Each field needs proof: who said it and when. 'Champion: yes' without evidence is a guess.
Gaps are the point: The template's value is the empty boxes. Each gap becomes the goal of your next meeting.
Test your champion: A champion has influence and sells for you when you're not in the room. A friendly contact isn't one.
Map the paper process early: Legal, security and procurement steps take time. Ask about them in discovery, not the week you expect to sign.
The MEDDPICC Template (Copy and Paste)
One sheet per opportunity, eight elements, each with what you know, the evidence and the gap. Copy it into your CRM or deal review doc.
MEDDPICC: [Account] / [Opportunity] / [Owner] / [Last updated]
M METRICS
Outcome they'll measure: [number, from what to what, by when]
Evidence: [who said it, when] Gap: [what we still need]
E ECONOMIC BUYER
Name and title: [ ] Met? [yes/no, date]
What they care about: [ ] Gap: [ ]
D DECISION CRITERIA
Their criteria: [technical, business, commercial]
Criteria we shaped: [ ] Gap: [ ]
D DECISION PROCESS
Steps to a decision: [step, owner, date]
Gap: [ ]
P PAPER PROCESS
Legal, security, procurement steps: [step, owner, typical time]
Gap: [ ]
I IDENTIFY PAIN
Pain in their words: [ ] Cost of doing nothing: [ ]
Who feels it most: [ ] Gap: [ ]
C CHAMPION
Name: [ ] Influence: [how we know] Has sold for us: [example]
Gap: [ ]
C COMPETITION
Alternatives: [vendors, in-house build, do nothing]
Our edge: [ ] Gap: [ ]
NEXT MEETING GOAL: [the biggest gap above, and how we'll close it]
The last line matters most. Every deal review should end with the single biggest gap and a plan to close it at the next meeting.
MEDDIC Questions for Each Element
Each element has a few questions that get to evidence fast, and a red flag that tells you the field is weaker than it looks. Use this table to prep before a discovery or deal review.
| Element | Questions to ask | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics | "How will you measure success a year from now?" "What's that number today?" | No number, only "efficiency" |
| Economic Buyer | "Who owns the budget this comes from?" "What would they need to see?" | You've never met them and nobody will introduce you |
| Decision Criteria | "What matters most when you compare options?" "How will you weigh them?" | Criteria look copied from a competitor's spec sheet |
| Decision Process | "What happens between now and a signed agreement?" "Who's involved at each step?" | Nobody can describe the steps |
| Paper Process | "What does legal and security review look like here?" "How long did it take last time?" | First mention of procurement is at the end of the quarter |
| Identify Pain | "What happens if this isn't fixed this year?" "Who feels it most?" | Pain belongs to your contact only, not the business |
| Champion | "How would you make the case for this internally?" "Who might push back?" | They like you but won't introduce you to anyone |
| Competition | "What else are you considering, including doing nothing?" | "No one else" in a deal of this size |
Ask one or two per element. MEDDIC is filled over several conversations, not in one discovery call. For the early questions, a bank of discovery call questions helps.
MEDDIC Template Example: Northwind and Kestrel Logistics
Here's the template filled in mid-deal for a fictional opportunity. Northwind sells freight quoting software; Maya Chen is the AE on Kestrel Logistics.
MEDDPICC: Kestrel Logistics / Pricing desk rollout / Maya Chen
M Cut spot quote time from about 4 hours to under 1 by Q3.
Evidence: Director of Pricing, discovery call. Gap: margin target.
E COO. Not met yet. Cares about margin per load (public interview).
Gap: meeting; champion has offered an intro.
D Speed to quote, TMS integration, setup time, price.
Shaped: 'live in weeks, no IT project'. Gap: weighting.
D Pricing team trial > IT review > COO approval > procurement.
Gap: dates for IT review.
P Security questionnaire (2 weeks, per IT), MSA via legal.
Gap: who signs the order form.
I Losing spot loads to faster brokers; two new hubs will add volume.
Felt most by the 12-person pricing desk. Cost: unknown.
C Director of Pricing. Influence: reports to COO, owns the budget
request. Has sold for us: set up the IT review unprompted.
C Tarnwick Quote (fictional) and 'hire more analysts'.
Edge: setup time. Gap: their pricing.
NEXT MEETING GOAL: Meet the COO with the champion; agree a margin metric.
Notice the evidence notes. "Has sold for us: set up the IT review unprompted" is what makes the champion field credible. Without an example like that, it's just a friendly contact.
MEDDIC vs MEDDICC vs MEDDPICC
The framework has grown letters over time, and the version you pick depends on how complex your deals are. All three share the same six-element core.
- MEDDIC. The original six elements, developed at PTC in the mid-1990s and usually credited to Dick Dunkel.
- MEDDICC. Adds Competition, because every deal has an alternative, even if it's doing nothing.
- MEDDPICC. Adds Paper Process, because legal, security and procurement steps are where "closing this quarter" deals slip.
Larger buyers? Start with MEDDPICC. The two extra letters cover the two places enterprise deals most often stall late. For smaller, faster deals, BANT qualification may be all you need; our lead qualification guide compares the main frameworks side by side.
Testing Your Champion
The champion field is the one reps most often fill with hope. A real champion passes three tests.
- Influence. They have credibility with the economic buyer, and others listen when they speak.
- Personal win. They gain something if your solution succeeds: a goal hit, a problem gone, a promotion case.
- Action. They've already done something for you, such as sharing internal information, arranging a meeting or coaching you on the process.
Test with a small ask. "Could you introduce me to the COO?" or "Can you walk me through how the last purchase got approved?" A champion says yes. A friendly contact finds a reason not to.
Running MEDDIC in Deal Reviews
MEDDIC earns its keep in deal reviews, where it replaces "how do you feel about this deal?" with "what's the evidence?" Keep the review short and focused on gaps.
- Only review real opportunities. A deal should meet your sales qualified lead bar before it gets a MEDDPICC sheet.
- Review the gaps, not the whole sheet. Spend the time on empty or weak fields.
- Ask for evidence. "How do we know?" is the most useful question a manager can ask.
- Set the next meeting goal. One gap, one plan, one owner.
- Update after every call. Fill fields within an hour, while quotes are fresh.
Do the research before discovery. Metrics and pain are easier to uncover when you know the account. An account research template captures the background, and a call prep template turns it into questions for the next meeting.
Start with the right accounts. Edithly's lead qualification flow finds companies that match your ICP, each with why it fits and a source. Its Cold Call Script writes account-specific discovery questions with what to listen for, a fast start on Identify Pain.
How Edithly does it
Start MEDDIC discovery on well-fit accounts in three steps
MEDDIC starts with pain and metrics, and both start with research. Edithly's Suggested Prospects lists companies that fit your ICP with why each fits and a source, and the Cold Call Script writes discovery questions, with what to listen for, around each account's business.
- 1
In Strategy, click Generate all
In your playbook's Strategy tab, click Generate all to draft your potential ICP, customers, markets and outreach angles.
- 2
Click Find prospects
Open Suggested Prospects, choose how many companies and click Find prospects. Read why each one fits and check the source.
- 3
Use in Generate, then discover
Click Use in Generate on an account and generate a Cold Call Script. Use its discovery questions to start filling Identify Pain and Metrics.
How many
Ready
- Why they fit
- Signal
- Visit site
- Source
- Use in Generate
- By hand
- 20 to 30 minutes per account to research and draft discovery questions
- With Edithly
- A couple of minutes per account
Frequently asked questions
What does MEDDIC stand for?
MEDDIC stands for Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain and Champion. Metrics are the measurable outcomes the buyer expects. The economic buyer controls the money. Decision criteria and process describe how they'll choose and the steps to get there. Identify Pain is the problem driving the purchase. The champion sells for you internally.
What is the difference between MEDDIC, MEDDICC and MEDDPICC?
They are versions of the same framework. MEDDICC adds a second C for Competition: who and what else the buyer is considering, including doing nothing. MEDDPICC also adds P for Paper Process: the legal, security and procurement steps between a verbal yes and a signed contract. Most enterprise teams today use MEDDPICC.
Who created MEDDIC?
MEDDIC was developed at PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) in the mid-1990s. Dick Dunkel is usually credited with creating it, working with Jack Napoli under sales leader John McMahon. The original story comes from people involved, so details vary by source, but it spread from PTC through enterprise software sales.
How is MEDDIC different from BANT?
BANT is a quick, four-question check of whether a lead is worth pursuing. MEDDIC is a deeper framework for qualifying and managing complex deals: it asks how value will be measured, who really controls the money, how the decision will be made and who will champion it. Teams often use BANT early and MEDDIC for live opportunities.
Can Edithly fill in a MEDDIC template?
No. MEDDIC fields need evidence from conversations with the buyer. Edithly helps you get to those conversations prepared: Suggested Prospects lists ICP-fit companies with why each fits, and the Cold Call Script writes discovery questions with what to listen for, which help you start on Identify Pain and Metrics.