Guide · Definition
Business software: definition
The term comes up in every quote and every software offer, rarely explained. Here's a simple definition, concrete examples, and the criteria to work out which form of business software suits your company.
Business software is a program that serves a specific activity of a company: scheduling jobs, tracking cases, managing an equipment fleet, approving orders. It applies the business rules, roles and data of that activity. It can be bought off the shelf (market software), assembled with a no-code tool, or custom built for a company.
What is business software?
Business software (also called business application) is a tool designed for a given business or activity, as opposed to general-purpose software like a word processor, a spreadsheet or an email client, which serve everyone the same way.
What defines it is three things: the business rules it applies (who approves what, in what order, with what exceptions), the roles it distinguishes (technician, manager, accountant, customer), and the data it handles (jobs, cases, machines, orders). Business software isn't necessarily a mobile app: it can run in a browser, on a phone, or both.
Examples of business software
A few common examples, to show what the term covers. Each can exist as off-the-shelf software or as a custom build.
- Scheduling and tracking technician jobs, with field reports
- Equipment fleet management and tracking of regulatory inspections, like Trackary for construction equipment
- Tracking cases or requests with an approval workflow
- Order, stock or spare parts management
- A client portal to track a service or submit documents
Business software, off-the-shelf software, no-code: what are the differences?
There are three ways to get business software. They aren't mutually exclusive: many companies combine off-the-shelf software for accounting with a custom tool for their core business.
| Form | Principle | Suits when | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-the-shelf software | Same product for every company, configured | Your rules resemble those of the sector | Workarounds when your exceptions don't fit |
| No-code tool | App assembled from preconfigured building blocks | Simple need, process that changes often | Permissions, history and volumes soon limited |
| Custom development | Software designed for a company, built from its rules | Your rules and exceptions shape the work | Requires scoping and ongoing upkeep |
When should you have custom business software built?
Custom-built software is justified when the same information circulates between several files with no reference version, when the same data is re-entered several times, or when off-the-shelf software forces permanent workarounds. It's also justified when the tool has to work in particular conditions, for example on a site without a network.
It isn't justified when existing software covers your activity well, or when a shared spreadsheet is still enough. Our guide Replacing Excel with business software helps you decide, and the page Custom business software describes how we build one.
- Double entry across several tools
- Approval rules or access rights that off-the-shelf software can't handle
- Information scattered across spreadsheets, emails and paper
- Field work without guaranteed network coverage
How is custom business software built?
The starting point isn't a list of features, but the real work: who does what, with what information, and where it gets stuck. We then write the rules, roles and exceptions, quote, and deliver a first usable version early for the people concerned to test. The guide Software requirements specification offers a simple plan for preparing this step, and the guide How much does custom software cost? explains what makes the budget vary.
- Describe the problem and the people concerned
- Scope the rules, roles, exceptions and data
- Quote based on this scoping
- Test a first version with users
- Migrate data, train and go live
Frequently asked questions
What is the definition of business software?
Software designed for a specific activity of a company, which applies its business rules, distinguishes its roles and handles its data, as opposed to general-purpose software like a spreadsheet or an email client.
Is business software the same as a business application?
Yes, the two terms are used interchangeably. 'Application' is more often used when the tool is accessible in a browser or on mobile.
Is business software always custom built?
No. It can be configured off-the-shelf software, a no-code tool, or a custom build. Custom-built is justified when your rules and exceptions don't fit a standard product.
Does business software work on mobile?
It can be web-based, mobile, or both. For field teams, a field app can work without a network and sync once the connection returns.
How much does custom business software cost?
There's no standard price: the budget depends on the roles, the rules, the data migration and the integrations. The guide How much does custom software cost? details the line items.
A project, a question?
Describe what you need in a few lines: you deal directly with the team, in Lille.