How to commission software: seven steps from idea to launch

Commissioning software moves in seven steps: write down the need, check whether an off-the-shelf solution is enough, set a budget and timeline range, collect comparable quotes, set up the contract, follow development through regular releases, and take the handover. Most projects go wrong not while the code is being written but because the first three steps were skipped.

The sequence below is written for a business owner having software built for the first time. Each step says what needs to happen on your side.

1. Write the need on one page

Write the problem, not the solution. “We want a CRM” is a solution. “Enquiries land in three different places and we do not know who called which customer” is a problem, and it usually determines the right solution.

One page should cover: how the work is done today, where time or money is lost, who will use the software, and what you expect to have changed six months from now.

2. Check whether an off-the-shelf solution is enough

Before building, ask whether it can be bought. If a ready-made package covers most of the need, using it is almost always cheaper and faster.

Custom software makes sense when your workflow does not fit the packages, when licence costs grow quickly with user count, or when the software itself is what sets you apart. The decision threshold is in custom software vs off-the-shelf.

3. Set a range for budget and timeline

Think in ranges, not a single figure. An exact number given before the scope is clear is either padded or will grow later.

Realistic bands for the timeline: a corporate website 3–5 weeks, an e-commerce platform 6–10 weeks, custom business software 8–16 weeks. These exclude content preparation and third-party approvals such as payment providers. Details are in how long a software project takes and software development pricing.

4. Collect comparable quotes

If you describe three different things to three firms, you get prices for three different jobs. Send them all the same written document; how to prepare a requirements brief is covered separately.

Compare quotes on these three things, not on price:

• Is the scope written down? Does it state what is excluded as clearly as what is included?
• What is the delivery rhythm? Will you see a working release every two weeks, or only at the end?
• Who will do the work? Is the person in the meeting the person writing the code?

If you are not sure who to work with, see the agency, freelancer and in-house comparison. The full list of questions to ask is in choosing a software agency.

5. Make sure the contract has these five clauses

• Code and account ownership. Source code, repository, domain and server accounts in your name.
• Scope and acceptance criteria. What “done” means and under which conditions you will sign off.
• Payment schedule. Tied to delivered stages, not to dates.
• Change process. How price and timeline are updated when an out-of-scope request arrives.
• Warranty and maintenance. How long bugs are fixed for free after delivery, and how work is charged afterwards.

The first clause matters most. If the accounts were opened in the firm’s name, you have nothing in hand the day you want to change firms.

6. Your job during development

Commissioning software is not placing an order and waiting. Most of what stretches a timeline piles up on the client side:

• Name a single decision-maker. If feedback arrives five days late, a third of a two-week cycle is spent waiting.
• Prepare content in parallel. Copy, images, products and price lists should start alongside development.
• Actually try each release. Looking at a screenshot is not enough; click through it, enter wrong data, try to do your own work with it.
• Put new requests on a list. Every new idea grows the scope; this is the most common cause of budget overruns.

7. Take the handover and plan maintenance

On delivery day you should have: access to the repository, a setup and deployment document, a list of the third-party accounts in use, and the admin credentials.

Plan maintenance for what comes after. Security updates, testing that backups can really be restored, and small improvements are ongoing work; software left unattended turns into a security problem within a year.

The five most common mistakes

• Choosing the cheapest quote. A cheap quote is usually an incomplete scope; the difference arrives later as extra work.
• Starting without a written scope. Work agreed verbally is two different jobs in two heads.
• Leaving the accounts with the firm. It makes your exit cost infinite.
• Putting everything in the first release. Ship the most valuable flow first and add the rest later.
• Not budgeting for maintenance. The spending does not stop the day the software goes live.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to have software built? It depends on scope; business rules and the number of systems to connect matter more than the number of screens. A sound firm gives a range rather than a single figure and narrows it after discovery.

Who owns the code? Whoever the contract says. So have it stated explicitly that the source code and all accounts belong to you.

Will my idea be stolen if I describe it? A non-disclosure agreement can be signed before the call. In practice, though, an idea alone is rarely valuable; the value is in execution and in reaching customers.

I have a half-finished project. What should I do? First the existing code is reviewed to see whether it can be salvaged; details are in taking over a software project.

If you are considering an app installed on phones, the extra decisions are in building a mobile app.

If you would like to take the first step together, describe your need in a few sentences; you can book a free 30-minute call from our software agency page.