Our custom software development process: five steps, free pilot first

The software development life cycle usually has six or seven phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, development, testing, deployment and maintenance. Timeline Digital’s five steps cover the same ground in a buyer-friendly order: Understand (requirements), Plan (scope and design), Select Technology (architecture), Pilot (2 to 3 key modules built as working software, free) and Build & Scale (development, testing, deployment, training and support).

The free pilot of 2 to 3 key modules is ready in about 2 days. It comes after the Understand, Plan and Select Technology steps, and the full project starts only after you approve it.

No. In the Select Technology step we present technology options that suit your requirements: business size, number of users, security, performance, scalability, budget, cloud, on-premise or offline operation, web, desktop or mobile, and future expansion. We explain the trade-offs and write down why the recommended option fits, and you agree it before development starts.

No. We do not start by selling ready-made software. We first understand how your business works, then plan and build the system around your workflow, roles, approvals and reports. Custom ERP development, custom CRM development and enterprise software development all follow the same five steps.

Understand ends with a written summary of your workflow, problems and requirements. Plan ends with an approved solution plan covering modules, workflows, roles, permissions, approvals, reports and integrations. Select Technology ends with a written technology recommendation and architecture. Pilot ends with working pilot modules you can test. Build & Scale delivers the complete system with testing, deployment, user training, documentation and ongoing support.

Timeline Digital offers three. A Monthly Subscription suits startups and long-term products where we develop, host, maintain, and improve the software under an ongoing agreement. One-Time Ownership suits organizations that want the full source code and project-specific intellectual property handed over on full payment. Installment-Based Development spreads payment across up to five milestone-tied stages. The right fit depends on whether you want a managed partner, an owned asset, or staged delivery. It is agreed after the free pilot, and whichever model you choose, any requirement outside the approved scope is reviewed and agreed before additional work begins.

Both, for different kinds of work, and we say which one fits before you sign. A new system is a project build on an approved scope: we build a free pilot of 2 to 3 key modules first, and after you approve it the scope, milestones and commercial terms are agreed in writing. Anything outside that scope is reviewed and agreed before extra work begins. Ongoing product work runs as a dedicated team on a monthly retainer. A live system is maintained on a monthly retainer or on time and materials. Timeline Digital does not publish prices for custom software, because every project is custom.

The free pilot costs nothing, and you test it before any commercial terms are agreed. After you approve it, the contract sets the scope, milestones and payment schedule. A deposit is paid before full development starts, and the remaining payments are tied to the milestones in the contract. On installment-based development there are up to five installments, each tied to a milestone and an approved deliverable, so you fund the next stage only after signing off the last one. Project source code, designs and documentation transfer to you on full payment.

Yes. Within the Build & Scale step, larger systems are delivered in releases: a core platform first, then advanced features, automation, integrations, and finally optimization and scaling. You start using and getting value from the core release while later releases are built, and priorities can change as you learn from real usage.

On eligible builds, the first calendar year of application hosting and database hosting is included in the project. After the first year, you can move the software to your own infrastructure (you own it) or continue on a hosting and maintenance plan with Timeline Digital. Terms are stated in writing before the project starts so there are no surprises at renewal.

There is no fixed timeframe: the schedule for your enterprise project is set from your requirements in the Plan step. The free pilot of 2 to 3 key modules is ready in about 2 days, and with 1,200+ developers we have the capacity to deliver a complete system in as little as 2 weeks. Long-term support under a service level agreement (SLA) follows launch. The full project starts after you approve the pilot, and the scope, milestones and terms are agreed after it. You see working software regularly rather than waiting for one final delivery.

After the approved scope is agreed, we define the project milestones, delivery plan and commercial terms. Any requirement outside the approved scope is reviewed and agreed before additional work begins, so changes to cost or delivery are transparent and agreed in advance. The process is collaborative, with continuous feedback and regular check-ins so the software matches what you actually need.