Software Development · · 5 min read · By the Query Logix team
Almost every growing business reaches the same point. The spreadsheets are getting out of hand, the team is copying the same information into three places, and someone says: "We need a proper system." The next question is whether to buy one or have one built.
Neither answer is always right. It depends on how ordinary or how unusual your way of working is.
When ready-made software is the better choice
If your process is the same as thousands of other businesses, somebody has already built good software for it. Accounting, email, payroll and basic customer management are typical examples. Ready-made tools are quick to start, cost little at the beginning and are maintained by someone else.
The trade-off is that you work the way the software works. You pay every month for every user, and you cannot add the one feature you really need.
When custom software pays for itself
Custom software makes sense when the way you work is part of what makes your business good, or when no ready-made product fits. Common signs:
- You use several tools and re-type the same data between them
- Staff keep a "real" record in a spreadsheet because the system cannot hold it
- You pay for a large product but use a small part of it
- Monthly per-user fees keep rising as the team grows
- You need different screens and permissions for different roles
Five questions to ask yourself
- Is our process standard, or do we do it differently from others in our industry?
- How many hours a week does the team lose to manual work and double entry?
- What will monthly licence fees cost over three years?
- Do we need to own our data and control who sees what?
- Will this process change as we grow?
A sensible middle path
You do not have to replace everything at once. A good approach is to keep ready-made tools for the standard jobs and build one custom system for the part of the business that is truly yours. That system can then be connected to the other tools through an API, so data moves without anyone re-typing it.
What to look for in a development partner
Ask to see working software, not slides. A company that builds business systems should be able to show you one, let you log in and click through it. Our own portfolio includes live demos of a school system, a restaurant system and a clinic system for exactly this reason.
If you would like a second opinion on whether custom software is worth it for you, read about our custom software development or tell us about your process.