Evidence-state labels describe the evidence you have, not a vendor score.

A demonstrated workflow can leave a material question unresolved. Documentation can support a different claim without a sales demonstration.

Evidence breadth

Editorial classification informed by assessment methods

Where this applies

Material claims in CMMS comparisons and demonstrations.

Last evidence review

September 24, 2026

What happened

NIST SP 800-53A Rev. 5 describes assessment objectives, evidence-gathering methods and specific findings. CMMS Buyers Guide defines its own five evidence-state labels for documenting procurement observations. The publication does not define these labels or a vendor score.

Why it matters

Evidence that a particular action occurred and an unanswered condition can coexist. A label must retain the scope of the evidence instead of implying a product-quality verdict.

What a buyer should do

Record STATED, SHOWN, TESTED, SUPPORTED and UNRESOLVED only as descriptions of evidence and outstanding questions.

Use evidence-state labels as a record of what is known and unknown. Do not aggregate them into scores or rankings.

Documented evidence

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Information Systems and Organizations

NIST SP 800-53A Revision 5

Section 2.4.2 defines examine, interview, test; used for broader principles adapted to CMMS evaluation, not CMMS-specific advice

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What happened

Why it matters

What a buyer should do

What this evidence does and does not establish

Documented evidence