Business management system
In short
A bespoke business management system brings sales, purchasing, production and administration into one system, built on your company’s rules and workflows, with data shared across departments.
A bespoke business management system is software that brings your company’s core processes together in one place: sales, purchasing, production, administration and documents. It is for small and medium-sized businesses that currently use a different program for each department, shared spreadsheets and endless email, and want a single place to find up-to-date data. The result is custom management software that follows your rules, reduces errors and saves hours of repetitive work.
Unlike an off-the-shelf system, you do not have to change the way you work to suit the program: the program is built around your workflows, your documents and your roles.
When do you need a business management system?
These are the signs companies most often describe to us before we start:
- the same information is entered two or three times in different programs;
- to find out where an order or job stands, you have to ask someone;
- shared spreadsheets keep multiplying and nobody knows which version is right;
- your current system is slow, outdated or will not connect to newer tools;
- management reports take days of manual work;
- when a key person is away, some tasks grind to a halt.
What we build into your business management system
Every project is different, but these are the modules we build most often:
- Master data: customers, suppliers, products and price lists in a single database, with no duplicates.
- Sales and quotes: from quote to order to delivery note, with status always visible. If the core problem is on the sales side, you can start with a custom CRM and connect it to the rest.
- Purchasing and stock: supplier orders, goods received and stock levels. For more complex warehouse needs there is a dedicated inventory and order management module.
- Production and jobs: work phases, timings, resources and progress. In this area we are developing MekPlan, our production planning software for machining workshops.
- Documents and deadlines: a file archive linked to customers and orders, with reminders for deadlines and renewals.
- Users and permissions: each person sees and edits only what they are responsible for, with a log of who did what.
- Reports and overviews: key figures in real time. If you need a view that combines several sources, we build it as a dedicated dashboards and reporting project.
How we work
- Process analysis: over one or more calls we walk through, with you and the people who will use the system, how you work today, which documents you produce and where errors creep in.
- Phased proposal: you receive a document with modules, priorities, timelines and costs. Each phase delivers something you can already use.
- Screen prototype: before writing code we show you the main screens, so you can check the workflow is right.
- Development in short releases: we release one module at a time to a test environment, gather your feedback and make corrections.
- Data import and go-live: we bring master data and history into the new system, train users and support the team during the first weeks.
- Evolution: with support and maintenance, the system grows alongside your business.
Technical choices
We use widely adopted, well-documented technologies, so the software stays maintainable over time, by other developers too. The system is usually a web application: it runs in the browser, with nothing to install, on computers, tablets and smartphones. On the server side we work with languages such as PHP and Python and relational databases such as PostgreSQL or MySQL. To connect the system to accounting, e-invoicing, e-commerce or other services we use API integration. The software can be hosted on a European cloud server or on your own infrastructure, with automatic backups.
Timelines and costs: what they depend on
The cost of a business management system depends mainly on:
- the number of modules and the complexity of the rules involved;
- the number of different roles and permission levels;
- the amount and quality of data to import;
- integrations with external programs;
- reporting and document printing requirements.
As for timing, a first usable phase typically takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on how many modules it includes. Later phases are added without stopping work. After the initial analysis you receive a clear estimate for each phase.
Why choose us
- A single point of contact: one person follows the project from analysis to support, in English or Italian.
- You own the code and the data: no lock-in, you can change supplier whenever you like.
- Speed and accessibility as standard: fast interfaces that meet WCAG 2.1 AA, clear even for people who are not confident with computers.
- Connected to our other areas: we can link the system to your website, online store and marketing activity, with one partner.
Want to know whether a bespoke business management system is right for you? Contact us for an analysis of your management needs: we start from how you work today and propose a concrete first phase.