Buy when the problem is standard. Build when the workflow is your product.
Score each option 1-5
- Fit: Does off-the-shelf match how you actually work?
- Frequency: Daily workflow or quarterly annoyance?
- Integration: How many tools must talk?
- Ownership: Is this core IP or commodity?
- Cost of glue: Hours spent working around the tool.
Decision rule
If SaaS scores 4+ on fit and glue is low, buy. If fit is below 3 and glue is high, scope a narrow build.
Use this as a working checklist inside your team first. When the same steps repeat every week and spreadsheets start breaking, that is usually the moment to scope a decision map covering product value, frequency, integration needs and ownership risk as an owned system. See the relevant Standen service · More guides · SaaS ops audit.