What is the formal word to say something is 'nice-to-have'? [duplicate]

Question

I am writing a business plan for management, in which I wish to differentiate the options between that something is a must (mandatory) and other thing 'nice-to-have'.

The concatenated word 'nice-to-have' sounds less formal for business proposals, but I am not able to find a proper 'big' word. 'Optional' or 'alternative' might work, but it lacks the meaning that the option is perceived to 'be nice'...

Well, what I am asking is to seek a formal expression, and it doesn't have to be a noun. The context of the business proposal is like below:

After investigation, we believe that (1) The acquisition of XXX is mandatory as it's concerned with XXXX; (2) Taking ownership of XXX is always a nice-to-have, but considering current human resource, we may not take immediate action.

Answer 1

I usually see “desirable” for this usage. “Optional” is also used, but often in RFPs I see both headings, where those features listed under “Desirable” weigh more heavily than those listed as merely “Optional”.

Answer 2

As someone who has read and created business plans and requirement documentation in both my academic and professional career, I'd recommend sticking with "nice-to-have". This is common language in a Request For Proposal (RFP) or business plan, at least for IT Projects.

Alternatively if you are set on avoiding "nice-to-have", I'd recommend one of the following:

• High Priority and Low Priority
• Requirements and Requests

Or another less formal option that is used often in RFP's:

• "Needs" and "Wants"

Answer 3

The word you're looking for is "preferable" or "preferred" depending on the context. Alternatively, you could frame it in the sense that something "would be ideal, but it's not required."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preferable

This stands in contrast to "mandatory", which of course implies that it is a "must-have" rather than a "nice-to-have".

Using your example: After investigation, we believe that (1) The acquisition of XXX is mandatory as it's concerned with XXXX; (2) Taking ownership of XXX is preferred/ideal, but considering current human resource, we may not take immediate action.

Answer 4

Thesaurus.com gives a number of antonyms for "mandatory". My own preference would be to have a list of essentials and nonessentials, taking the Collins definition of "not necessary".

I know that "nonessential" doesn’t convey "nice to have" from the point of the salesman, but from the point of the buyer, it shows where monetary savings can be had.

The alternative is to flip it on its head and create a gold level list, where all the "nice-to-have" items are included, making the silver and bronze lists (of just the essentials) look like inferior options.

Answer 5

It might help to have a little more context.

The usual “formal” term for something that is not a necessity is luxury:

an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain. [Oxford Living Dictionary]

but it’s quite an unpleasant term to use for things which, while optional, are hardly sumptuous; I would prefer the latter term unless the items (or services) concerned are a way up the scale towards voluptuous.

Edit: I didn’t notice it, but @Lambie’s comment up top is a good enough answer. I’ll delete this answer if you add one.

Answer 6

Consider MoSCoW terminology.

MoSCoW helps us set priorities together

To address this common contracting problem, we’ve adopted a practice called MoSCoW, which is an acronym:

Must Have: These user stories must be delivered for the project to be considered a success.
Should Have: These user stories should be delivered for the project to be considered a success, but there is flexibility how they are delivered.
Could Have: These user stories could be included in the project, but only if there is sufficient time and budget.
Would Have: These user stories would be included if we had time and budget, but we all agree that it’s not feasible to include them in the current project.
https://yellowpencil.com/blog/learn-how-to-share-risk-moscow/

So perhaps you could define them in the document and rewrite as follows:

After investigation, we believe that
(1) XXX must be acquired, as it's concerned with XXXX;
(2) XXX should be taken into ownership but considering current human resource, we may not take immediate action.

Answer 7

I have used:

Required Features:

1. Most important
2. Next most important
3. etc.

Optional features: (Resources and schedule permitting):

1. First nice thing
2. Second nice thing
3. etc.

Joey

Answer 8

Acceptable formal words may depend on the sector, but I would go for a plus:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plus

²plus

3: a positive factor or quality

The listed example sentences match the use in your sentence pretty well:

Examples of plus in a Sentence

The apartment isn't perfect, but the fact that it has new appliances is a plus.

The job doesn't pay well, but the convenient hours are a definite plus.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/plus also lists a related idiom:

Idioms

15. pluses and minuses, the good and bad points of something; the advantages and disadvantages; the pros and cons :
    She spent hours listing the pluses and minuses of each of the apartments she had looked at, trying to narrow down her choices.

Answer 9

Coveted. From Vocabulary.com:

coveted means "in demand" or "desired." If the most coveted seat on the bus for you is the one right next to the bathroom, then you shouldn’t have any problem getting it because most people don't want it.

I think ‘coveted’ lends a little thrill to the acquisition of whatever-it-is that would be ‘nice-to-have.’ It acknowledges this “extra” may not be necessary but is definitely desirable and possibly evoke the envy of others.