Build vs. buy · Executive guide
Custom finance software
When a focused finance application is more rational than forcing a specialized process into another generic platform.
The underlying problem
Start with the operating reality.
Standard finance systems are designed for common requirements. Competitive, industry-specific, or unusually complex decisions often live in the gaps between them.
Signals to investigate
When the workaround becomes infrastructure.
01
The process contains proprietary business logic
02
Multiple systems hold parts of the required context
03
Existing tools require extensive workarounds
04
The economic value of a better decision is material
A practical approach
Improve the process before prescribing technology.
01
Define the decision or operating outcome before features
02
Determine whether configuration, integration, or a focused application is sufficient
03
Prototype the highest-risk logic with real users
04
Build governance, ownership, and maintenance into the scope
Questions worth answering
01
Is the requirement genuinely differentiating?
02
Could an existing platform solve 80% without harmful compromise?
03
Who owns the logic after launch?
04