Link two parts of your business together
When your website, accounts package, CRM, inbox or booking system does not quite join up, AlphaFirst can help build the missing connection.
Custom software
Looking into custom software?
Articles and examples about practical custom software, appDB and the way AlphaFirst helps businesses replace manual workarounds with systems that fit how they actually operate.
Software services
Practical custom software and appDB articles
Service articles about software, appDB and the kind of systems AlphaFirst builds when standard tools do not quite fit.
What is appDB and why would you want to use it in your business?
appDB is the build engine AlphaFirst uses to turn spreadsheets, trackers and manual processes into practical business systems more quickly.
Custom software for the way your business actually works
Custom software for the jobs that no off-the-shelf system quite understands. We help you decide whether the right next step is a focused Day-1 Build, a small first version, a fuller custom system or something simpler.
Deep dive
How we think about systems
Background reading on appDB, AI-assisted delivery, design and the thinking behind practical business software.
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.
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?
Have a software problem that standard tools do not quite fit?
Start with a practical conversation about the job your business needs the software to do.
Book a software call