Tag Archives: business software

Options for Integrating Business Software With 3rd-Party Apps

Options for Integrating Business Software With 3rd-Party Apps

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Among the services we offer here at Modest is integration with Gmail and Google Calendar. We can modify existing systems or build brand new business software with integration included. Best of all, integration isn’t limited to Google Workspace apps.

Business software can be fully integrated with thousands of third-party apps. The benefits of doing so include:

  • Centralization of all applicable data.
  • More streamlined data transfer.
  • More efficient workflow.
  • Increased automation capabilities.

Depending on use case, integrating business software with third-party apps can literally revolutionize the way companies use their software. Third-party integration could very well be the most useful – and simultaneously, the most underutilized – capability of modern software development.

API Integration

We have several options for deploying third-party integration as we build custom business software. The most common method is arguably API integration. APIs, also known as application programming interfaces, are small apps written expressly for the purpose of facilitating integration. That is why they exist.

API-based integration allows different software systems to seamlessly communicate and exchange information. The advantages of such an arrangement are clear:

  • Communication between apps is standardized.
  • Data exchange occurs in real time.
  • Workflows and individual tasks can be automated.
  • Access to third-party data and services can be granted on an as-needed basis.

Third-party integration by way of APIs is more common than most people know. It is so prolific that the chances of you using an integrated app on any given day are pretty high.

Other Ways to Integrate

While API integration is a fairly common way to handle things, it is not the only option. Another popular option is something known as the integration platform. An integration platform is an online platform designed to be an intermediary between applications and ecosystems. The key components of a solid platform include:

  • API management.
  • Pre-built connectors.
  • Data transformation tools.
  • Workflow automation.
  • Built-in monitoring and analytics.

Within the integration platform sphere there are multiple options. Developers can look at enterprise iPaaS (integration platform-as-a-service), embedded iPaaS, and unified API solutions. Each option has its strengths and weaknesses.

Above and beyond integration platforms are:

  • Data Extraction Solutions – When API integration is not technically possible (usually older software without API capabilities) integration can be achieved through data extraction. Data extraction is clunky and not very efficient, but it gets the job done.
  • Plugins – Some software vendors prefer to offer integration through plugins, addons, and extensions. These additional pieces of software tend to offer limited integration with just one other software package.

A general rule in modern software development is to look at API integration first. We move on to integration platforms if they are more appropriate, but we stay away from data extraction and plugins unless absolutely necessary.

Security Is a Top Concern

Regardless of how third-party integration is achieved, security is always a top concern. There is no point to building custom business software that doesn’t utilize the latest and greatest security strategies for protecting data and keeping hackers out.

The challenge in this regard is distrusting API developers. Whenever you’re mixing software developed by separate entities there is always a risk of unknown vulnerabilities. But with the right policies and procedures in place, those risks are minimized.

What does your current business software look like? Is it integrated with third-party apps your organization uses frequently? Third-party integration is a normal part of the development process here at Modest. We invite you to learn more about it and how it can streamline your workflow, improve productivity, and unlock the full potential of your business software. If you require it, we can build something new from the ground up.c

Does Your Software Create Pain Points Rather Than Mitigate Them?

Does Your Software Create Pain Points Rather Than Mitigate Them?

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The launch of the personal computer changed everything. The promise of that launch, made some 40 years ago, was greater efficiency and productivity. And it was all supposed to be possible with little to no pain points. How are we doing in 2024?

More to the point, how is your business software doing? It should be mitigating the pain points that normally reduce efficiency and productivity. But as we have seen time after time, off-the-shelf business software has a bad habit of creating pain points. It is not supposed to be that way.

Common Pain Points for Business

Software pain points vary from one business to the next. Some organizations are held back by a long list of pain points that are never addressed. Others only deal with a few of them, successfully working around them with creative solutions. The Modest philosophy is to eliminate pain points altogether. Where they cannot be fully eliminated, they should be mitigated as much as possible.

Here are some of the common pain points related to business software:

  • Outdated Tech – Modern technology moves at breakneck speed. Trying to keep up while using outdated tech only makes life harder. The outdated technology is just not as efficient.
  • Inefficient Processes – Inefficient business processes create huge pain points at nearly every level. Inefficiencies disrupt workflow, waste resources, and eat up valuable time.
  • Limited Integration – Off-the-shelf software solutions are often crippled by limited integration capabilities. If an organization isn’t using the most popular apps and data sources, their business software might not integrate at all.
  • Limited Insights – Business software incapable of delivering detailed analytics ultimately ends up offering limited insights. As a result, decision makers do not have the maximum amount of data they need to plot a course forward.

Other types of pain points can directly impact the customer experience, an organization’s competitive capabilities, and even the ability to scale and adapt. If an off-the-shelf solution creates more pain points than it eliminates, what has an organization gained by investing in it?

We Do Things Differently

Off-the-shelf business software will always exist. It will always be an option for organizations that don’t want to invest in custom software. Still, we want you to know that Modest does things differently. We design custom business solutions tailored to meet each client’s specific needs.

One of the things we take great pride in is our ability to get to know each and every client. Before we start building any software, we invest ourselves in fully understanding what the client wants to accomplish. We also learn the client’s workflow, business processes, tasks, etc.

We want the finished product to work for the client rather than forcing the client to adapt to the way we wrote the software. Forcing clients to adapt is the start of creating pain points that might never be overcome.

Your Software Shouldn’t Be Painful

The Modest philosophy is that your software should not be painful. No matter the work you do or the industry you are involved in, your business software is a tool that should enhance everything from productivity to customer satisfaction. Nothing about your software should be holding your organization back.

An off-the-shelf solution requiring workarounds to function only creates pain points. Being stuck with such software is motivation enough to look into a customized solution. We encourage you to take a look at what Modest has to offer.

We also want you to know that custom software does not have to be prohibitively expensive. Thanks to our module-based approach, we can design and build affordable business software for nearly any organization.

Software for Small Business: Key Characteristics of Customization

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Software for small businesses comes in all shapes and sizes. You have off-the-shelf software companies buy for less if they can live with limited function. There are off-label deployments of commercial software packages that were designed for an entirely different purpose but that can be utilized effectively enough with some workarounds. Then there is custom software.

Custom software is what we do. We create software specific to each client’s needs based on a modular system that keeps costs in check without sacrificing function. We are firmly committed to custom software as a better solution than off-the-shelf packages and off-label commercial deployments.

That being said, not all custom software solutions are created equally. If you are thinking about software customization, be careful about the vendor you ultimately choose. Here are some key characteristics you should insist on:

1. User Friendliness

There is always the temptation among software developers to create solutions from their point of view rather than the view of those users who will ultimately have to work with it. The end result can be a package that isn’t user-friendly. This is a non-starter for a lot of companies searching for new software.

Software for small businesses should always be user-friendly. It should have as gentle a learning curve as possible. Users should be able to master the software in a few weeks. It should never take months for users to get comfortable.

2. Built-In Scalability

Custom software for small businesses should offer built-in scalability. Otherwise, a company is left having to deploy multiple solutions as their business grows and expands. That might be good for a software developer looking to maximize revenues, but it is not good for the small business. As the customer, a small business deserves scalability.

3. Some Amount of Flexibility

Custom business software should be flexible enough to adapt to a company’s unique needs. However, it should not be so flexible as to be filled with bloat (see the next point). It should definitely not be so rigid as to force users to change workflow unless, of course, changing the workflow would make things more efficient.

Unfortunately, this particular aspect is generally touch-and-go for software developers. It can be hard for them to determine how much flexibility a package needs because they will not be working with the finished project in the wild. Their experiences will be limited to the more sterile development environment.

4. No Bloat (or as little as possible)

For some companies, the impetus for going with custom business software is the opportunity to get a tailor-made solution without any bloat. You know the score. So many off-the-shelf commercial products are so bloated as to be difficult to use. They offer tons of features that never get utilized. In the end, they are paying developers to create a whole bunch of bells and whistles that will remain forever buried in so many menus.

Minimizing bloat makes software more efficient. Just saying no to bloat makes software easier to use, more secure, and decidedly more user-friendly. A smaller footprint on the company’s network is an added bonus.

5. A Budget Friendly Price

Last but not least is a budget friendly price. Companies in need of custom software for small business should not have to pay an arm and a leg to get it. Granted, it’s probably going to be more expensive than off-the-shelf software. Still, custom software should be affordable.

Modest specializes in custom software for small businesses. If you would like to know more about what we do, we are always willing to answer questions, discuss software needs, and propose the best solutions we can.

Like Buildings Software Can Be Built With Modules

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Have you ever heard of modular homes? How about modular hotel construction? The modular concept represents a way to build both residential and commercial structures quicker and more cost-effectively. It turns out we can do the same thing with software.

The Modest software development approach is based on hundreds of different modules, or ‘blocks’ as we like to call them, being assembled and adapted to meet a client’s needs. This model allows us to develop custom business software that is still affordable, even for small businesses.

Building software with blocks doesn’t hamper function or force companies to do with less. In fact, it is just the opposite. Modular software design is capable of giving small businesses everything they need along with nothing they don’t need, including a high final cost.

Constructing with Modules

Modular home and hotel construction is based on a pretty simple premise: building individual modules in a factory setting and then assembling them on site to create the final structure. Modules can be customized to meet the specific needs of the client.

One of the earliest examples of modular construction is found in Walt Disney World’s Contemporary and Polynesian resorts. Both were built via the same process. The frames of the buildings were constructed on site while contractors were building modular rooms at another site located nearby. Once the frame was finished, the modules were trucked to the site and lifted into place via crane.

Although the idea was deemed brilliant, it was also new. The project exceeded anticipated expenses and took longer than planned. But architects and engineers learned a lot. Fifty years later, modular construction is a lot more mature. It works well and saves money.

Building Software with Blocks

Building software with blocks has followed a similar pattern. In the early days, there was a lot to learn. Software developers had to figure out how to build an endless number of blocks that could be interchangeably added and removed to create the perfect piece of software. These days, the process works extremely well.

To build custom business software with blocks, a developer first needs to fully understand the client’s business. That means getting to know the client’s industry, how software is used, and exactly what software needs to accomplish. Getting it right will not happen if the developer doesn’t understand what the client really needs.

With needs understood, the next step is to create the basic framework with the fundamental blocks that will power the software. From there, additional blocks can be added to create the kind of function the client wants. Modifications to those blocks fine-tune everything.

The Perfect Software Every Time

We’ll be honest and say that we love building custom business software using blocks. It allows us to create the perfect software every time. Our customers get exactly what they want without bloat. They get the functions they want, the access control that will keep their software secure, a more affordable fee structure, regular updates, and unparalleled support from our team.

We do all of this in a secure software-as-a-service (SaaS) environment. We give our clients cloud-based software that does exactly what they want it to do. And we owe it all to the block concept.

Building software in blocks might seem strange to you. If so, we get it. But a lot of people thought that Disney was crazy for building two hotels with modular rooms. The truth is that the modular concept works extremely well if it is applied correctly. It works with software just as well as it does with residential homes and commercial buildings.