Replace spreadsheets and notes
Several lists, file versions and manual transfers are replaced by one shared, traceable data source.
Custom software development for SMEs
Custom software for SMEs – less Excel, less manual work
When orders, customer data and job reports travel between Excel, email, WhatsApp and several programs, I develop a web app for exactly your workflow – and look after it once it is in use.
Prefer to talk?+43 676 487 91 38
Not another tool, but less manual work
Custom software sounds like a big project. For small businesses it is usually about something more concrete: avoiding duplicate entries, seeing the status of an order, keeping customer data in one place or completing a report on site. For this I develop lean web apps that replace spreadsheets, paper lists and disconnected one-off solutions.
Standard software remains the better choice if it covers the workflow without awkward detours. Custom app development pays off when a recurring, business-critical process doesn’t fit the existing tools or several systems need to be connected reliably.
Workflows small businesses often simplify
Typical workflows in sole traders and in trade, service and project-based businesses in the DACH region.
Keep track of customers and enquiries
Contacts, call notes, quotes, follow-ups and next steps stay connected in one simple workflow.
Manage orders and projects
Status, responsibility, dates, documents and work done are visible and up to date for the office and field staff.
Record job reports on mobile
Time, materials, photos, checklists and signature are captured on site on a smartphone or tablet and output as a report.
Connect existing programs
Website, CRM, accounting, email, calendar or file storage exchange data without everything having to be typed in again.
Understand figures and workload
An internal dashboard shows open orders, deadlines, capacity or other figures that are tedious to gather today.
What an order looks like in your web app
An example of a service workflow: from the phone call through the on-site job to the finished report – in one application instead of five programs.
- An enquiry becomes an order with one click – customer, address and requested service are already recorded.
- The office and field staff see status and responsibility at the same time, without asking by phone or WhatsApp.
- On site, staff record time, materials, photos and signature directly on their smartphone.
- The report is created as a PDF and goes to the customer or accounting – without retyping.
What else can be included
- Check, clean up and import spreadsheet data
- Customers, quotes and follow-ups
- Mobile forms and checklists
- PDFs, approvals and reminders
- Data exchange with accounting, CRM or calendar – via APIs or import and export
- Roles, audit log, backups and data export
Before and after: a service order
The benefit of an internal app doesn’t show in its features, but in the steps that disappear.
Today
7 steps · 5 tools
- Phone call noted on a slip of paper
- Order transferred to the Excel list
- Appointment sent to the technician via WhatsApp
- Job report on paper on site
- Job report typed up in the office
- Report created in Word
- Data entered again for the invoice
With the web app
3 steps · 1 application
- Create the enquiry as an order and assign it
- Complete the job report on the smartphone
- Report and invoice data passed on automatically
No longer needed: Paper notes Excel transfer WhatsApp queries Retyping Word template Duplicate invoice data
Simplified example. The process check records your actual steps and the time they take.
From your current workflow to a first usable version
The process isn’t invented on a whiteboard, but checked with real cases, real data and the people who will use it.
Describe the bottleneck
Make the current workflow, the people involved, tools, exceptions and time spent visible.
Check standard options first
Clarify whether existing software, an integration or a small automation is already enough.
Define the first version
Set users, data, core steps, permissions and a measurable goal for a small scope.
Test with real cases
Make it usable early, take in feedback from daily work and check error cases.
Introduce and extend
Import data, document, back up and only add further workflows once usage has proven itself.
Start with a single bottleneck
A clearly defined first web app can start at a mid four-figure sum. Several roles, complex integrations, offline use or extensive data migration usually lead to a five-figure project scope. You receive a transparent scope and cost frame before development starts.
Cost frame after the process checkHave your workflow checked
- Standard software and small automations are checked first
- First version with clear users, data and acceptance criteria
- Code, accounts and exportable business data remain transferable
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions freelancers and small businesses ask most often before commissioning a custom app.
When is it worth replacing Excel with an internal app?
When several people need the same data, versions drift apart, information is entered twice, entries are made on the move or a mistake directly costs time and money. For a personal calculation or a rarely used list, Excel often remains the more economical solution.
Do I need custom software, or is an off-the-shelf program enough?
Off-the-shelf software makes sense when it covers the core process without many detours and offers suitable integrations. A custom application pays off when your workflow is business-critical, recurring and can only be handled with standard software through ongoing manual work or several add-on tools.
What does it cost to have an internal app developed?
The biggest cost factor is the feature scope. A clearly limited first web app can start at a mid four-figure sum; user roles, integrations, offline capability, complex rules or data migration usually lead to a five-figure scope. After the process check (€390, credited if you go ahead) you receive a reliable frame.
Does an internal app have to be in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store?
No. For many internal workflows a responsive web app that runs in the browser on computer, smartphone and tablet is enough. A native iOS or Android app is only needed when device features, offline use or other requirements genuinely justify it.
Can BMD, Lexoffice, sevdesk, bexio, DATEV or a CRM be connected?
Often yes, provided the system offers a suitable API or a reliable import and export. Some providers only make their API available in certain plans or through partner programmes; in that case, data exchange via import and export is often the more economical solution. Before a quote, access rights, data scope, technical limits and the running costs of the integration are checked.
Can existing Excel data be imported?
Yes, after reviewing the spreadsheets, formats, duplicates and required fields. The import itself is usually not the hardest part; what matters is which data is reliable and which rules have so far only existed in individual people’s heads.
How long does it take to develop an internal web app?
A small, clearly defined first version can be ready in a few weeks. Extensive role models, integrations, data clean-up and approvals extend the timeline. A reliable schedule only follows once the first complete workflow has been defined.
Does an internal app make sense for a sole trader or one-person business?
Yes, if a frequent workflow takes up a lot of time, causes errors or delays revenue. With only a few invoices or a simple contact list, standard software is usually cheaper. For sole traders, the benefit has to be weighed particularly clearly against development and running costs.
What happens after launch with maintenance, data protection and security?
Operation, backups, access rights, updates, logging and recovery are defined before launch. Which data protection and security measures are needed depends on the data, users, hosting, integrations and the consequences of an outage.
Describe the workflow that costs you time
You will receive a personal reply with an initial assessment and the sensible next step – usually within one working day.
- Phone+43 676 487 91 38
- Emailoffice@jkconcepts.at
- LocationGraz, Austria
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