Here’s a pattern we see constantly: a business approaches software as one giant, intimidating project — “we need an ERP” — and then stalls for a year because the scope, cost and disruption all look overwhelming.
The truth is simpler. Most operations are run by five or six core workflows. Get those into real software and 80% of the daily chaos disappears. The rest can wait.
This post is a practical method for finding your six modules in one afternoon.
Step 1: Follow the WhatsApp messages
Open your business WhatsApp groups and scroll one week back. Every recurring message type is a workflow running on manual labour:
- “Is Ramesh on leave today?” → HRMS (attendance, leave)
- “Visitor at gate for Priya” → Visitor management
- “AC not working in Block B” → Facility management / Helpdesk
- “How much stock of X do we have?” → Inventory management
- “Who has the projector?” → Asset management
- “Is the conference room free at 3?” → Workplace management
The frequency of each message type is a direct measure of how much a module would help.
Step 2: Follow the spreadsheets
List every Excel sheet that more than one person edits. Shared spreadsheets are databases wearing a disguise — and each one maps to a module. The ones with version-confusion (“final_v3_REAL.xlsx”) and manual reconciliation are bleeding the most time.
Step 3: Follow the disputes
Where do arguments happen? Attendance disputes point to HRMS. Stock mismatches point to inventory. “I never got that complaint” points to helpdesk. Disputes mark the workflows where the absence of a system of record costs trust, not just time.
Step 4: Rank and cut
You’ll typically surface eight to twelve candidate workflows. Rank them by two questions: How often does this hurt? and How many people does it touch? Take the top five or six. Be ruthless — everything you defer can be added later, because a modular system grows module by module, without re-platforming.
A typical result
For a mid-sized facility-heavy business, the exercise usually lands close to this: HRMS, facility management, visitor management, inventory management, workplace management, and reports & analytics across all of it.
That exact suite — five modules plus reporting — is our benchmark build: assembled in 8 days, live within a month, around ₹80,000 one-time, then a per-active-user licence covering hosting, updates and support.
What NOT to do
- Don’t design for hypothetical scale. Build for the operation you run today; add modules when reality demands them.
- Don’t start with the hardest workflow. Start with high-frequency, well-understood ones; momentum matters.
- Don’t let edge cases balloon scope. A module that handles 95% of cases cleanly beats a six-month project chasing 100%.
Bring us your list
Do the afternoon exercise. Write down your six. That list is literally all we need to come back with a plan, a timeline and a transparent price — in days, not weeks.
[email protected] · +91 95000 93600
