Custom applications and portals
Custom apps and portals for when off-the-shelf software does not fit
Some workflows do not fit Procore, your ERP or a spreadsheet, and forcing them in costs time every week. We build focused applications and portals around that workflow, connected to your existing systems, with roles, secure sharing and an audit trail. Connect, the multi-agent scheduling platform we built for Syncify, is one example running in production.
The value it creates
Time saved
Fewer handoffs and re-keyed data
An app built around the workflow pulls data from the systems that already hold it and captures new inputs once, instead of copying between email, spreadsheets and portals.
Standardization
The process runs the same way every time
Steps, required fields and approvals live in the application, so every project follows the same procedure no matter who runs it.
Collective intelligence
Clients and owners in the same record
Secure links and portals let clients answer questions directly, with answers stored in the record and marked as client verified, as in Connect.
Visibility
See status without asking for it
Dashboards and admin views show what is open, who owns it and what changed, from portfolio down to a single item.
Better decisions
Decisions backed by a history
Version history and audit trails show who changed what and when, so a decision can be defended with the record rather than memory.
Cost saved
Own what you build
A focused application can replace a costly workaround or a tool you only half use, and the code is yours to keep and extend.
What we build
Workflow platforms
Multi-step applications that turn a team's standard procedure into guided steps, such as Connect, which takes schedulers from project documents to a reviewed CPM schedule.
Client and owner portals
Portals and password-protected share links where clients answer questions, review updates and confirm requests, with timestamps and history on both sides.
Admin portals
Admin views for workspaces, roles, feature flags, configuration and usage, like the executive admin portal that governs the agents in Connect.
Internal tools
Focused tools for one job, such as a structured input form, an approval queue or a data-quality review screen, that replace a shared spreadsheet.
Field and mobile capture
Mobile-friendly screens for checklists, photos, video and audio on site, tied back to the project, as in the Connect job walk feature.
AI-enabled applications
Applications with agents built in, such as Construct.Chat, where users create agents, give them MCP tools against Procore and inspect every tool call.
Embedded apps and extensions
Applications that sit next to a system you already use and add what it lacks, the way Connect works on top of the Syncify scheduling engine instead of rebuilding a Gantt chart.
Access control and audit
Sign-in, workspace roles such as admin, member and guest, per-feature switches and a recorded history of changes.
How it works
1.Users & roles
Staff, subs and clients each see only what their role allows.
2.App
Portal, workflows and screens built around your process.
3.API & auth
Sign-in and access rules enforced on every request.
4.Data layer
Your existing systems plus the lakehouse.
5.Audit & monitoring
Who did what, when — and alerts if something breaks.
- 1
Check whether you need custom software
We start with the workflow, the people who run it and the tools you already own. If configuration, an integration or an automation covers it, we recommend that instead.
- 2
Define users, roles and data
We agree who uses the application, what each role can see and change, which systems it reads from and writes to, and what must be recorded.
- 3
Build in short, reviewable increments
We build on a common stack, typically Next.js and TypeScript for the application and Python for data and agent work, and show working screens early so feedback lands before the design is fixed.
- 4
Connect and secure it
We integrate with your systems through their APIs, apply least-privilege access, and add version history and audit logging where decisions are made.
- 5
Launch, measure and hand over
We launch to a first group of users, compare the workflow against its baseline, and hand over code, documentation and admin access you control.
Systems we work with
- Next.js
- TypeScript
- Python
- Procore
- Syncify
- Oracle Primavera P6 and XER files
- Model Context Protocol (MCP)
- Microsoft Azure
- SharePoint
How we measure the value
We agree a baseline before we build and measure the same things after go-live. Use the monthly report cost calculator to put your own numbers on it.
| What we measure | How baseline and after are captured |
|---|---|
| Time to complete the workflow | We time a sample of the workflow done the current way before the build, then the same workflow in the application after launch. |
| Handoffs and re-keyed fields | We map each copy, paste and email handoff in the current process, then count how many remain once the application is in use. |
| Client response time on requests | We compare how long client answers take by email today with the time from sending a portal link to a client-verified answer. |
| Revision rounds and rework | Version history records how many drafts it takes to reach an approved output, compared with the rounds on recent projects done the old way. |
| Adoption by role | Usage tracking shows active users and completed workflows per role from launch, so we can see whether the application replaced the old process. |
Use cases
- Built and shown
Client and owner portal for project updates and reports
Owners and clients get one secure place to read updates, answer questions and confirm requests, with every response stored on the project.
- Built and shown
Field data capture app for checklists, photos and site notes
A mobile screen built for one field job, such as walks, checklists or quantities, that files data straight to the project and onward to your systems.
- Built and shown
AI schedule builder for CPM schedules with evidence and XER export
Specialized agents draft a CPM schedule from project documents and client answers, show the evidence behind each activity, and export XER for the scheduler to review.
- We design and build this
Weekly owner update reports assembled from live project data
A weekly owner update built from live project data, with an optional AI-drafted narrative that a project manager reviews before it is sent.
- Built and shown
Structured manual inputs in SharePoint for data no system tracks
Wins, risks, safety, and QC registers move from loose spreadsheets into SharePoint lists with defined fields that flow through the same quality checks.
- We design and build this
Subcontractor onboarding and prequalification without re-keying
One intake for new subcontractors that collects documents, routes prequalification for review, and sets the vendor up in Procore and accounting once approved.
- Built and shown
AI assistant for project drawings, specs and documents
Ask questions of a project's drawings, specs and meeting notes and get answers that cite the file and passage they came from.
Proof
Ways to start
Frequently asked questions
When does a custom application make sense instead of off-the-shelf software?
When a workflow is central to how you work, runs often, and does not fit the tools you own without spreadsheets and re-keying around it. If configuration, an integration or an automation solves it, we will say so and recommend that instead. Custom software is worth it when the workaround costs more than building and maintaining the application.
Will a custom app replace Procore or our ERP?
Usually not. We build alongside the systems of record and connect to them through their APIs. Connect, for example, works on top of the Syncify scheduling engine and imports schedules into it rather than rebuilding a Gantt chart.
Can clients and owners use the application without an account?
Yes, where it fits. Connect lets a scheduler send a secure, password-protected link so the client can answer questions directly, and the answer is stored with a timestamp and marked as client verified. For ongoing access we set up guest roles with limited permissions.
What technology do you build on?
Typically Next.js and TypeScript for the application, and Python for data pipelines, integrations and agent work, hosted in your cloud or a managed environment agreed during discovery. We choose boring, well-supported tools so another team can maintain the code.
Who owns the code and the data?
Ownership, hosting and handover terms are agreed before the build starts. We design for you to hold the code, the data and the admin access, with documentation so the application is not tied to us.
How is a custom build priced?
Each build has a fixed scope and price, agreed after discovery. Many start with an integration sprint or an AI readiness review to confirm the workflow, the data and the users before the application is scoped.
Next step
Which report or workflow would you like to improve?
Tell us what your team does today, which systems are involved, and what you want to change. We'll discuss whether there is a practical fit.
Prefer email? charley@buildflows.ai