Custom Software vs. Pre-Packaged Software

When researching software you will find that there are 3 distinct types of systems available. These are: Custom, Generic (pre-packaged), and Tailored. It is important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each type of software before you purchase a high dollar system.

Custom Software'

Custom Software allows you to design and implement software based on your requirements. It is flexible, but takes a long time to create. Usually one hires a team of programmers and they work on a system for a year or more. Although changes can be made after implementation, those changes also take a long time – probably a few weeks to a few months depending on the extent of the modification. Since it requires so many programming hours, custom software is usually expensive. Plus when you need to upgrade the system as technology progresses, it requires a rewrite of the code.

Pre-packaged Software'

Pre-packaged Software can be implemented and upgraded very quickly. Good generic software has been tested to work well for many industries and can give you ideas as to how to streamline your operations. The downside of pre-packaged software is that it is rigid so it can not be changed easily. This means that you must conform all of your procedures to the way the software company thinks you should perform them – even the procedures that you’ve perfected. When business opportunities arise or you improve your business structure, the software will not conform to your new processes.

Tailored Software'

Tailored Software, though rare, offers the benefits of both custom and pre-packaged software without most of the draw backs. Sometimes referred to as configured software, tailored software is flexible, but starts from an existing structure. This means you have all the agility of a custom software without the long development and high price. The software can conform to procedures that have made the company successful while offering suggestions for structure regarding unrefined business processes. Tailored software can also be upgraded without reworking it’s configured components.