The spreadsheet your business relies on more than it should
Many businesses have one spreadsheet that everything depends on. Everyone uses it, one person understands it, and no one really wants to touch it.
Day-1 Build
Considering a Day-1 Build?
Articles and examples to help you understand what a Day-1 Build is and whether it could help with how your business currently gets work done.
Start here
First, diagnose the real problem
These are the core ideas behind a Day-1 Build: spreadsheets become hidden systems, AI alone will not fix them, and structure counts.
How can I tell if my spreadsheet is too complex?
Most business spreadsheets don’t start out complex. They start out useful. Then the business grows, people come and go, and the spreadsheet quietly becomes something else. This article helps you decide whether that is happening in your business, and what to do next.
The spreadsheet dashboard that quietly becomes someone’s second job
A monthly dashboard spreadsheet can start as a simple way to give management the numbers they need. But if one person has to keep feeding it by hand, the report can quietly become part of the problem.
When a CRM is not enough for the way your business works
A CRM can help with contacts, leads and follow-ups. But if the real problem is how work moves through your business after the sale, it may not be the right tool on its own.
Deep dive
How we think about systems
These articles explain the philosophy behind the work: privacy, AI, user-centred design and behaviour change.
What are the real alternatives to spreadsheets for running a growing business?
Spreadsheets are flexible, but they are not always the right place to manage important work. Here is how to choose between a better spreadsheet, a shared tool, a CRM, no-code or a small custom system.
Why working software beats long specification documents
A lot of software projects start with long documents and too many guesses. We prefer to get a first working version live quickly, then learn from how people actually use it. This article explains the thinking behind that approach, and how it connects to our Day-1 Build work.
How much does custom software cost for a small business?
Custom software costs more than off-the-shelf software because it is built around the way your business works. The better question is how big the job is, and whether it is small enough to fix quickly.
Can AI build a business system you can rely on?
AI can make a business system look ‘finished’ very quickly. The problems come a few weeks later, when records are wrong, staff need different access, reports have to be trusted, or small changes can’t stay small. By then, someone inside the business is relying on something they may not be able to fix.
How long does software development take?
Why some software can be built quickly, why larger projects take longer, and how to choose the right starting point.
What do you need to prepare before a Day-1 Build?
Bring the spreadsheet, inbox, tracker or old database your team uses now, plus a few examples showing how the work really moves through the business.
What happens after a Day-1 Build?
A practical guide to what happens once your new system is live, including the old process, later changes, hosting, data and ownership.
What systems does a growing business need?
A growing business needs ways to manage money, customers, work, information, people and security. This guide explains what needs formal structure now, what can remain simple and what to understand before choosing software.
Why a costly way of working can still feel safer than replacing it
Some small businesses keep using a messy spreadsheet, inbox or tracker long after everyone knows it wastes time and money. The current way survives because people still rely on what they can see, fix and override. Any replacement has to preserve that sense of control before it will be accepted.
Proof
Real systems in practice
Real examples of business systems, reporting tools and process software we have built and supported over time.
AlphaFirst create a revolutionary online training solution for Mi Crow
What happens when a successful, visionary, and passionate corporate training entrepreneur approaches a talented, creative and equally passionate software developer? Sparks fly – sometimes!
AlphaFirst create first-in-class system for Managed Learning Services pioneer Now Training
How our bespoke software created an opportunity for local company Now Training to deliver their managed learning solution to a major global aerospace supplier
AlphaFirst set the standard for Fujifilm UK financial reporting
How does a small software development business get taken on by the UK arm of one of the largest corporations on the planet – AND retain their business for 15 years and counting?
If the articles sound familiar, start with one process.
The fastest way forward is not a big software project. It is replacing one important spreadsheet, tracker or manual job properly.
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