Key takeaways
→Try configuring existing software before building.
→Repeated workarounds and disconnected data are the clearest signs of a need for custom work.
→Integration can often solve the problem without a rebuild.
→Count maintenance, not just the build.
Start with existing tools
Off-the-shelf software is mature, supported, and cheaper to adopt. If a product fits most of your process, adapt your process a little and keep it.
Signs you have outgrown them
Workarounds everywhere
Staff keep side spreadsheets because the tool cannot represent how work really happens.
Data in too many places
The same information is typed into several tools and they disagree.
A capability no product offers
Your process is a source of advantage and no product supports it.
Build what makes you different; buy what everyone needs.
The hybrid option
Often the answer is to keep existing tools and connect them, with a small custom layer for what is missing. Integration costs less than replacing everything.
Counting the real cost
Custom software needs hosting, maintenance, and ongoing improvement. Include those in the comparison, not just the initial build.
A practical starting point
- 01Write down the process the software must support.
- 02Check how closely existing products fit.
- 03List what is missing and how much it costs you today.
- 04Consider integration before replacement.
- 05If you build, start with the smallest useful version.