Custom business apps, trackers and software built around you.

Custom business software is an app or system designed around your processes, rather than a fixed set of features. Forge can build tools for managing leads, customers, projects, jobs, stock, bookings and reporting. That could be a simple enquiry tracker, a customer portal or a connected system that takes work from first contact through to completion.

It can be, especially when repeated admin or awkward workarounds are costing your team time. Start with one clear problem and a small, useful scope. If an existing product already fits your needs, configuring it may be the better option. A discovery call helps establish whether a custom build is justified by the work it will improve.

Yes. A custom CRM can bring together contact details, enquiry sources, sales stages, conversation history, next actions and follow-up reminders. The fields and workflow are shaped around how you sell and serve customers. It can also connect to website forms, email and job tracking, so an accepted enquiry can move into delivery without being retyped.

Outlook integrations can support workflows such as creating records from enquiries, linking relevant emails to customers, preparing follow-ups and connecting appointments to a calendar. We check your Microsoft 365 setup, administrator permissions and available access before agreeing the integration. You decide which mailboxes and information the system needs to use.

Gmail and Google Workspace integrations can connect relevant emails, calendar events, forms and spreadsheet data to your business app. For example, an enquiry could create a lead record with an owner and a next action. The exact connection depends on your accounts, permissions and the workflow agreed during scoping.

Yes. A spreadsheet used to track jobs, customers, stock or projects can become an app with forms, searchable records, clear statuses and access for different users. We review the existing columns, formulas and data quality before planning the move. Useful spreadsheets can also stay in place and connect to the app where that makes more sense.

Yes. A customer portal can let clients view progress, upload documents, submit requests or approve work. A supplier portal could collect onboarding information and track outstanding documents. We agree what each type of user can view and change, so the portal supports the customer journey without exposing internal working information.

Yes. Examples include job boards, scheduling tools, task assignments, site visit records, completion checklists and project milestone trackers. A team member could update a job from their phone while the office sees its latest status. The build can focus on a single stage or connect quoting, booking, delivery and follow-up in one workflow.

A dashboard brings together information such as sales, workload, overdue tasks and performance measures. A business app also lets people do the work: create records, assign tasks, approve requests and update progress. A custom system can combine both, with a useful overview alongside the screens your team uses every day.

Often, yes. Connections can include your website, CRM, accounting software, booking tools, spreadsheets and email platform. We check what each provider allows, how information should move and whether there are plan restrictions or additional costs. The aim is to reduce repeated entry while keeping a clear source of truth for each type of information.

There is no single useful price for every build. Cost depends on the workflows, screens, user roles, integrations and data migration involved. A focused tracker has a different scope from a portal connecting several systems. Forge provides a tailored quote after discovery, with hosting, third-party subscriptions and any ongoing support considered separately so you can assess the full commitment.

The timeline depends on the scope, integrations, data preparation and feedback needed. We agree milestones once the workflow is understood, rather than promise a fixed delivery time before reviewing it. Starting with the most useful features lets your team test the core workflow before deciding what to add next.

A browser-based business app can be designed for the devices your team uses, including phones, tablets and computers. This is useful for staff updating jobs or submitting forms away from a desk. Offline access, device-specific features and a native app-store release are separate requirements to discuss during scoping.

Yes. We can scope user roles so people see and change the information relevant to their work. For example, a manager may need reports and approvals, a team member may need assigned jobs, and a customer may need only their own records. Account access, sensitive information and permission checks should be agreed as part of the build.

Handover should cover how the system works, who manages access and how to report issues or request changes. We agree the hosting, maintenance and support responsibilities for your project, including any ongoing costs. New features and integration changes can then be assessed against what your team actually needs as the business develops.

No. We build dashboards around how your business actually runs, using tools like Supabase or Airtable, and hand over full access and documentation.