A grown operation runs on workflows no off-the-shelf product anticipated. Custom software development starts exactly there: we build the application that fits your workflows, your staff and the systems you already run – from PLCs and OPC UA to MES and ERP. Requirements first, then software in short cycles; at the end, the source code is yours.
Every operation works differently: the shift handover runs on a form, the inspection record on an Excel sheet, order progress by word of mouth. We take these workflows as they are and build the software around them – instead of bending the operation to fit a product. Standard software covers the core of most processes well; the detours appear at the edges: double entry, exports, macros only one person understands. Those edges are exactly where custom software solutions built to your requirements belong.
Having business software developed does not mean rebuilding everything. Usually it is one application that connects to what is already there: the controller via OPC UA, the ERP system through its interface, the archive of inspection reports as PDFs. For a mid-sized business the decisive point is that the solution can be run without an in-house development team. So we keep the architecture small, document it and hand over the source code – you stay independent, including from us.
What sits with you at the end of a project, and who works with it – the deliverables, not the feature list.
Three phases, three decisions. Each phase ends with a result you can continue with – with us or without us.
In about 30 minutes by phone or video we talk about the workflow that holds you up, the systems involved and the people who work with them. You learn whether custom software is the right answer – or whether an existing tool will do.
Within one to two weeks you receive a requirements document with roles and workflows, a target architecture with every interface, and a quotation – at a fixed price or on a time-and-materials basis. The concept is yours, even if you implement it with another partner.
Every cycle ends with a running version that you test with real data and accept. We plan for a first usable version after four to eight weeks. Then we run the application in the EU or at your plant – or hand it over to your IT department.
From the ralwo blog – background, worked examples and checklists, each with its sources.
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Free · No obligation · approx. 30 minutes
In a free initial consultation we clarify your goals, your data situation and the feasibility – with no obligation.