Store FAQ — Licensing, Delivery, and Formats
Straight answers to the questions buyers ask most about Capstera Store products: what the files are, how licensing works, how delivery happens, and how to judge fit before you buy.
Is this software or code? Do we need special tools?
No. Every Store product is a set of editable business documents — Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, with some PDFs. There's nothing to install, no code, and no special software needed beyond standard Office tools. If you own architecture software, you can typically export our Excel capability and data models to CSV and import them there — though we don't provide technical support for third-party tools. (Capstera also offers a separate business architecture software platform — that's a different product.)
Do your models conform to BIZBOK or TOGAF?
We deliberately don't follow any single framework, BIZBOK, TOGAF, or otherwise. The concepts our products are built on — business capabilities, value streams, business data models, and related structural artifacts — are well accepted across the industry and translate readily into whichever framework your organization practices. We'd rather give you a rich, usable model than a certificate of conformance, and we leave it to you to evaluate whether our approach fits your needs — the detailed product descriptions exist precisely so you can make that call before buying.
What's the difference between the Enterprise and Consultancy licenses?
The Enterprise Edition licenses one organization — of any size — for internal use, with unlimited internal users. The Consultancy Edition licenses a consulting, professional services, or IT services firm to use the deliverables across multiple client engagements (you can build them into your client work, but not resell or distribute the products as-is). Both are one-time purchases — pay once, use forever — and both are non-transferable. A personal-use Individual license is available on a small number of products.
How long is the license valid? Do we have to pay annually?
The license is perpetual. It's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no annual renewal, no recurring fees. Buy it once, use it for as long as it serves you.
How often are the products updated?
We revise products periodically as frameworks and industry practices evolve — but not that frequently, and deliberately so: business capabilities are structural, not ephemeral, so a well-built capability model stays useful for years. Your purchase delivers the current version, and if we publish an update to this product within the next 180 days, you'll receive it as well.
How do I receive the files? Is there a download limit?
Immediately after checkout you'll get a secure download link, which is also emailed to you — no waiting, no shipping. Please download your files promptly: the links are time-limited, and downloads are limited to three per item, both to prevent misuse. Three is comfortably enough to cover a misplaced or corrupted file, and your license to use the deliverables doesn't expire. If anything goes wrong — a missed window, a failed download — email support@capstera.com and we'll make it right.
Will an off-the-shelf product really fit our needs?
Think of restaurants: cuisines, ingredients, and service styles vary enormously, yet every restaurant shares a core set of functions. Companies are the same — similar at the core, divergent at the edges. Our products aim to cover roughly 60–80% of a typical organization's capability spectrum, giving you a genuine head start; the remainder — the part that's uniquely yours — is where your team customizes. Every product page includes an honest, deliverable-by-deliverable note on exactly where that line sits. And if you'd rather not do the tailoring yourself, our consulting team can customize and extend the products in a paid engagement.
Do we need your help to use the deliverables?
Usually not. If you have architecture expertise in-house (business, enterprise, or data architects) or domain experts in the relevant function or industry, you can put the products to work without any assistance — that's how they're designed. Some companies do hire us for orientation, customization, or extension, but that's entirely optional; professional services are available as paid engagements (rates start at US $300 per hour). Contact the consulting team if you'd like that route.
Can I get a refund, sample, demo, or preview?
No — and here's the honest reasoning. These are digital products: once seen, they can't be "returned" or unseen, so all sales are final. We also no longer schedule product demos — experience taught us they mostly attracted browsers curious about what's inside rather than buyers, at real cost to our practitioners' time. Instead, we put the effort into what you're reading: detailed descriptions, complete file manifests, At-a-Glance summaries, and honest notes on fit, so you can make a genuinely informed decision. If you're still unsure whether a product suits your situation, contact us before purchasing and we'll give you a straight answer.
Who is behind these products?
Capstera is a digital publisher and consulting firm specializing in business architecture, in business since 2010; our principals have been doing this work since 2005, primarily consulting for Global 2000 companies. The products distill that consulting work into reusable accelerators — most companies, however different they believe they are, are similar at the core and diverge at the edges, and these deliverables capture that well-understood core. Our customers range from global giants to midsize companies, and from solo consultants to major consulting and IT services firms. (As a matter of policy we don't publish customer names or logos.)
Still have a question? Contact us and we'll give you a straight answer before you purchase.