
Industry solution or standard software? Advantages and disadvantages at a glance
Industry solutions and standard software
The terms industry solution and standard software can be confusing and are often used synonymously. However, their meanings are different: an industry solution is an enhancement of a standard software, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, with industry-specific functions.
Microsoft partners such as agiles adjust the standard software to the requirements of a specific market segment and offer concrete solutions for the respective industry. For example, agilesFood is an industry-specific solution for fresh food companies, while our agilesTrade solution is tailored to the non-food consumer goods industry.
Individual programming
An individual software is specially developed for the requirements of a single company. It does not necessarily mean that you have to use your own IT department; external service providers can also help here.
Historically, in the early days of software products, only individual solutions were developed that were geared to the hardware of a vendor and were sold with it. Hardware-independent software solutions were first sold by IBM in 1969 (“unbundling”). Growing standardization and an expanding market with vendors for a variety of applications has enabled an increasing adoption of standard and industry solutions.
Today, individual software solutions are more likely to be used in business-critical areas or large companies, which are hoping to differentiate their competitors.
What to think about when considering custom programming:
Whether individual programming results in the desired added value depends on the specific requirements of a company. But: Even with industry solutions or standard software, individual adjustments are possible. This allows you to benefit from the relatively short-term availability of a solution and you will still be able to handle the processes of your company.
In industry solutions such as agilesFood or agilesTrade, standard software is the foundation – in this case Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central / Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Industry-specific functions as well as special add-ons and workflows are added to the standard. Optionally, customer-specific requirements follow.
Other factors that make an industry solution a better choice for most businesses are:
For the majority of companies, a high-tech industry solution is the right choice. It does not have to be a solution that fixes all the problems of your business processes, because individual modules can be added depending on the requirements.
Contact us for a non-binding live demo and get to know our industry solutions agilesFood or agilesTrade!