Custom software development company for Sydney

Start with the process you need to support. An existing product is often a good fit for standard work such as accounting, payroll or email. Custom software is more useful when the process itself sets your business apart, or when staff have to bridge gaps between several tools. List the steps that fall between those tools and the records people copy by hand; that gives you a clearer basis for the decision.

A low-code platform such as Airtable, Zoho Creator or Retool suits a simple workflow used by a small team. Check its limits before choosing it: complex rules, per-user licences and moving your data out later can reduce flexibility. A hybrid is another option. Keep a proven accounting product, for example, and build the missing workflow around it with an API connection.

You also have a choice about how much to replace. Starting with one workflow lowers risk and lets you assess its value before expanding. A wider replacement suits an old system that is failing or being withdrawn.

Some small Australian businesses are covered by the Privacy Act, including health service providers and businesses that trade in personal information. If your software holds personal information, identify which staff need access to each kind of record as part of the build. We set up logins and permissions for each part of your team, along with audit trails that record who changed a record and when. Agreeing those roles gives the screen designs a clear basis.

You will speak directly to the people designing and building your software, so bring material that helps explain the work.

• Copies of current spreadsheets, forms, templates and sample records, with notes on the columns people rely on.
• A list of users and what each person must be able to see, do and not see.
• Admin access, or a contact who has it, for accounting, CRM or email tools that need connecting.
• A named decision maker and a staff member who can test, give feedback and champion the system with colleagues.
• A view of the records you need, their statuses and how they link, so the reporting needs can be discussed early.

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  Copying the spreadsheet screen for screen

  Fix the underlying process first, then build the simplest system that supports it.

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  Importing records unchanged

  Old errors travel with messy data, so allow for cleaning and checking before import.

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  Leaving permissions until late

  Define roles while screens are being designed to avoid rework and showing data to the wrong people.

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  Putting every request into the first scope

  Start with the biggest bottleneck, then use what you learn to shape the next phase.