Custom Systems vs. COTS (Commercial "Off-The-Shelf") Software

At its simplest, the decision to use standard commercial software versus developing custom software depends on the people in your business. 

For an enterprise with on-going operations, there is a set way of doing things.  It includes the use of software to automate portions of the work and keep appropriate records - spreadsheets, word processors, accounting systems and other databases.  An important feature of organizations like this is a culture that communicates "how things are done" to new hires.  If you have an organization that has shown capability and willingness to "do things differently than they have in the past," and there are commercial software packages that automate the relevant operations, then your business may well be a candidate for a standard product.

But more often than not, an organization isn't capable of too-much change in too short a period of time, particularly if the organization is already successful.  In a case like this, there are valid reasons in culture and profitability that argue for creating software that mirrors successful business processes.

TCA can assist your organization with a market analysis and requirements documents that specify and lay out prospective solutions.