YOUR APPLICATION: SHOULD YOU USE OFF-THE-SHELF OR BESPOKE SOFTWARE?

When you need a software application for your business, should you license off-the-shelf software or should you commission bespoke software? There's no answer that's right for every business and every application, but there are some points which you should consider.

If you are looking for a standard application such as invoicing software, you will find a wide range of off-the-shelf packages to choose from. Accounting software design is fairly standard, and if you have fairly standard needs you will find an off-the-shelf solution to be economical and convenient. However, if your business has unique needs that go beyond the customization provided by a packaged solution you could consider bespoke software.

Bespoke application development can be done in-house, or contracted out to a freelance programmer. A freelance software developer can be cost-effective, often having fewer overheads than an in-house team. Bespoke programming by a VBA developer could provide an effective way to develop custom invoicing software, for example.

Perhaps your business needs a database driven website. In this case you are less likely to find an off-the-shelf solution available, except for certain standard parts of a website such as support forums or order handling. Your business is likely to need a custom database, and you may find that an Access database developer can produce a great custom database solution by means of Access VBA programming.

If you need an SQL database programmer, you can find database developers whose bespoke software development skills include custom database design and custom database development. An SQL Server programmer will perform bespoke database design and develop custom database software to match the requirements of your business.

VBA development skills are widely available, but for an SQL-backed website you will need a developer who is also a skilled database programmer, perhaps an SQL Server freelance developer. Bespoke development isn't just programming - you will need a custom software developer able to succeed at all phases of work related to the bespoke database: analysis, design, coding, testing, and commissioning or handover.

Custom databases underlie most database driven websites. Fortunately, the bespoke software UK market is lively. When it comes to a choice between off-the-shelf software and bespoke development software, UK business might be tempted to choose the standard software package but in many cases it would be better to consider bespoke development.