Check the workflow, not just the feature list
Walk a representative task through each option from start to finish. Note the manual steps, duplicate entry, approvals and exceptions. A product with many features may still miss the one handover that causes most of your delay.
Compare three options
Consider buying and configuring a product, connecting existing tools, and building a focused application. These can be combined: a small custom layer may be all that is needed to make existing systems work together.
Compare the options against the same users, data, access rules and outcome. Ask to see a representative task rather than relying on a generic demonstration.
Include the ongoing costs
Subscriptions and the initial build price are only part of the comparison. Include integration, migration, staff training, support, maintenance and the time spent on workarounds. Check how pricing changes with additional users, records or AI usage.
For custom work, ask who owns the source and data, how deployment works, what documentation is delivered and how another team could maintain the application. Put agreed responsibilities in the project scope.
Start with a decision brief
List the problem, must-have workflow, current systems, expected users, operating constraints and a definition of success. That brief helps compare proposals on the work you actually need.
Intellagens offers a free 60-minute consultation to discuss the options and a useful next step.