Purple Shirt Studio puts it to the test by building software to address one of our own operational challenges.
At Purple Shirt, we spend a lot of time helping organisations design and deliver better digital products, so it was only natural that we would eventually apply the same thinking to our own business. Through Purple Shirt Studio, we help companies create fit for purpose software without the cost, complexity, or inertia of a traditional in-house development model. Recently, we used that approach to solve one of our own operational challenges.
The question was simple: could we build something better for ourselves than the SaaS product we were already paying for? More specifically, could Purple Shirt Studio create an internal platform that better reflected how our business works, improved visibility across projects and profitability, and reduced our ongoing software costs at the same time?
So far, the answer is yes.
By replacing our existing time sheeting software with a bespoke internal solution, we are on track to save around $4,500 per year in subscription fees. More importantly, we now have a platform that gives us stronger operational visibility and can evolve alongside the business instead of forcing us to work around the limitations of an off the shelf product.
The business problem
Our previous SaaS time sheeting tool handled the basics well enough. We could log hours, review timesheets week by week, and filter by consultant. But that was where its usefulness ended.
What it could not do was connect project estimation to delivery, show us whether work was tracking to budget in a meaningful way, or provide a clear view of profitability across clients, projects, and team members. For a consultancy, those are not nice to haves. They are essential to running the business well.
At the same time, the subscription cost kept increasing without the product becoming materially more useful. We were paying more for software that still was not giving us the visibility we needed.
The brief
The brief for Purple Shirt Studio was clear: build a secure, maintainable internal product that could outperform the SaaS tool we were paying for while costing less over time.
It needed to support estimation, convert estimates into active projects, provide a straightforward time sheeting experience, and deliver reporting across time periods, clients, projects, team members, and gross profit. It also needed appropriate roles and permissions so it could be used confidently across the business.
What we built
What emerged was not simply a cheaper version of the software we had before. It was a much more useful internal platform designed around how our business actually operates.
The product includes an estimation tool with tables that can be copied directly into proposals, the ability to convert estimates into active projects, time sheeting, user roles and permissions, and reporting across time periods, clients, projects, and team members.
That connected view is where the real value sits. Saving money on licence fees matters, but the bigger gain is having software that supports better decisions and fits the way we work.
How the build worked
As with any good product work, the project started with requirements rather than code. We reviewed the existing system carefully, identified what worked, where it fell short, and what was missing entirely, then used that to create a clear brief for delivery.
From there, Purple Shirt Studio combined product thinking, design, and engineering oversight from the outset, so the build was shaped not just around functionality, but around production readiness as well. Security, structure, and maintainability were considered throughout the delivery process rather than being left until the end. That clarity meant the build could move quickly because the requirements were well defined from the outset, and because the right technical thinking was built in from day one. Rather than adapting ourselves to a generic tool, we were able to design a product around the commercial realities of our business.
Testing it properly
Because time sheeting and project billing are critical systems for us, we ran the new platform in parallel with the existing one, using the same data in both and comparing outputs. So far, the results have been strong.
So, is SaaS dead?
Not at all. For many businesses, SaaS is still the right answer.
But the equation is changing. For businesses with clearly defined problems, growing subscription costs, and a need for software that better reflects how they operate, the gap between buying and building is narrowing. Bespoke software is becoming a far more viable option, but only when it is delivered with the right mix of product thinking, design discipline, and experienced engineering oversight. Just as importantly, it depends on working with the right partner, one who can bring those capabilities together in a way that is commercially pragmatic, technically sound, and aligned to the realities of your business.
A better way to build business software
This project is a direct example of what Purple Shirt Studio is built to do. We help start-ups and SMEs define, design, and deliver software that solves real problems, whether that means an MVP, an internal tool, a service platform, or a customer facing product.
What makes the model work is the combination of product and design thinking, AI assisted delivery, and having senior engineers leading the process. The goal is not simply to generate code quickly. It is to create software that is commercially useful, technically sound, and shaped around the reality of the business it serves.
In our case, that meant replacing a subscription tool with something better fitted to our operations. The result is lower ongoing cost, stronger visibility into project performance, and a product we can continue to adapt as our needs evolve.
You can learn more about Purple Shirt studio here
