Insights
Practical notes on software for business.
Guides, build notes and opinions, written for owners rather than developers.
Articles
Guides
How much does custom software cost a UK small business?
How much custom software costs depends on a handful of things you can check yourself. Here's what moves the price and how to get a real number quickly.
4 min read
Guides
Bespoke vs off-the-shelf software: how to decide
Bespoke or off-the-shelf software? A simple way to tell whether a spreadsheet, a ready-made product or a custom build fits your problem, and when to mix them.
4 min read
Guides
What a good software development proposal includes
A software development proposal is your protection. The six things it should set out before you pay anything, and what to ask if one is missing.
4 min read
Guides
Source code ownership: managed hosting or full handover?
Who owns the source code of your custom software? Two sensible ways to run it after launch, managed hosting or full handover, and how to choose.
4 min read
Guides
Automate repetitive tasks: five admin jobs to start with
Five small admin jobs most businesses automate first, and how to pick the one that pays back fastest in your own business.
3 min read
Guides
Xero integration: what's possible and what to check
What a Xero integration can and can't do for your business, and what to check before you connect your other tools to Xero.
3 min read
Build notes
Build notes: Templio, an offline timesheet app built around three roles
How we designed Templio, an offline timesheet app, by giving each person involved the simplest possible step.
2 min read
Guides
What is a discovery call, and how do you prepare?
What a discovery call is, what happens on it, and the three things worth preparing. Twenty minutes goes a long way.
3 min read
Opinion
Zapier vs Make vs custom code: which one do you need?
Zapier vs Make, or custom code? Start with a no-code tool, then spot the point where it stops being the cheap option.
4 min read
Guides
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: what it means for your software
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has started for sole traders and landlords over £50,000, and the threshold drops twice more. What it means for your records and software.
5 min read
Opinion
AI for small business: five jobs worth handing over, three to keep
How can AI help a small business? Mostly with boring paperwork, not chatbots. Five jobs worth handing over, and three that should stay with a person.
4 min read
Guides
How to choose a software development company: ten questions
How to choose a software development company without being technical: ten plain questions about people, work, money and ownership. Ask them of us too.
4 min read
Guides
Software subscription audit: a one-afternoon guide
A software subscription audit shows what your business pays for and never uses. Here's how to run one in an afternoon, and what to do with the result.
4 min read
Guides
Software maintenance costs: what a custom system costs to run
The build is only part of the bill. These are the software maintenance costs you keep paying after launch, why they matter, and how to keep them small.
3 min read
Guides
What is bespoke software? A plain guide, with examples
Bespoke software is built for one business and the way it works. Here's what it means in practice, with examples, pros and cons, and how to tell if you need it.
5 min read
Guides
Custom CRM system or off-the-shelf? When building makes sense
Most small businesses should start with an off-the-shelf CRM. Here's how to spot the point where a custom CRM system starts to pay for itself.
4 min read
Guides
Business process automation for small businesses: where to start
Business process automation means letting software handle repetitive steps in your work. Here's what it covers, what to automate first and how to start small.
4 min read
Guides
Client portal software: when your business needs one
What client portal software does, the three ways to get one, and the signs your business has outgrown email attachments and "just checking in" calls.
5 min read
Guides
Choosing a software development company in London: a checklist
A practical checklist for choosing a software development company in London: where to look, how to check a firm is real, local versus remote, and red flags.
5 min read
Guides
Business dashboards: what to track and how to start
A business dashboard shows your key numbers live, in one place. Here's what businesses usually track, where the data comes from and how to start.
5 min read