Time-tested guidelines to answer the question, "Should I build or buy my software application?"
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Build or Buy?

It’s a question we hear all the time, and like the answer to many big questions, "It depends."  But that's not what you want to hear, so we've compiled time-tested guidelines to answer the question, "Should I build or buy my software application?"

Buy if

• a commercial application meets 75 percent of your needs,
• you need to automate common business processes,
• or, you can't explain why you want to build instead of buy

If you buy, don't modify.  Instead adjust your processes to fit the software.  Trust us, this is good advice.

Build if

• you’re dealing with the core processes that differentiate you from others,
• you're introducing new web services to your market that will differentiate you,
• or, your needs are unique and software does not exist to address them

If you build, the options are limitless; and so are the corresponding invoices.  Make sure you identify your core needs and address these first.  Get half the functionality 100% right instead of all the functionality half right.

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