We Build Software Now, Too: Custom Web Apps and SaaS for SMEs
Until now, Lyron has been known for automation – n8n workflows, AI agents, integrations. From now on we also build what often comes next in those projects: custom software. Web apps, internal portals and tailored SaaS tools connected to SharePoint, Google Drive, your CRM and your databases. This post explains why this step isn't a departure for us, but the logical continuation – and shows, with a real example, what it means.
From workflow to app: why we're taking this step
In almost every automation project we reached the same point. The workflow ran, the data flowed – but the team wanted something to see and operate: a small dashboard, a portal to look things up, a form that does more than a Google Form. We often just built those things along the way: a SharePoint connection here, a Google Drive sync there, an internal "info hub" that pulls scattered knowledge into one place.
At some point it was clear: this is a service in its own right, and people ask for it. So we're making it official instead of treating it as a by-product. Anyone who automates processes sooner or later needs an interface, a portal or a tool that fits their exact workflow – rather than bending the workflow to fit a standard tool.
What we mean by "custom software"
Not the big, multi-year custom-software project with a six-figure budget. We mean pragmatic, tightly scoped software for a concrete problem – quick to use, cleanly integrated, maintainable:
- Internal web apps & portals – one place where the team looks something up, enters or manages it.
- Dashboards – KPIs, status and reports from multiple sources at a glance.
- Tailored SaaS tools – browser-based software that your team or your customers log into.
- Integrations & middleware – the "glue" between systems: SharePoint ↔ Google Drive ↔ CRM ↔ database.
- Customer portals – login, upload, status lookup and self-service for your customers.
A quick word on "SaaS app": for many companies it sounds bigger than it is. At its core it's web-based software that runs in the browser and that you log into – for your own team or your own customers. That's exactly what we build, in the size you actually need.
A real example: the info hub
One of the projects that tipped the scales was an internal info hub – built as part of an automation project. Almost every company knows the starting point: knowledge was scattered – some files in SharePoint, others in Google Drive, important spreadsheets somewhere in between, plus links in a wiki. Nobody found anything quickly, the same documents existed in three versions, and new hires spent their first week searching.
What we built was a lean web app that connects to SharePoint and Google Drive (and a few other sources), indexes the content and makes it searchable from one place – respecting existing permissions, so nobody sees anything they shouldn't. The result: one entry point instead of five. The team stops asking each other, "now where did we put that…?"
Technically such a hub borders on our AI knowledge base with RAG – and the clean data connections are exactly what we describe under MCP servers for SMEs. The difference: here the tailored interface is in the foreground, not the automation behind it.
Why it fits automation – and why we're not opening a second company
A fair question: isn't this a different business? Our honest answer, after weighing it up, is no – and we deliberately stay under one roof. Three reasons:
- The same craft. APIs, authentication, data models, integrations, permissions – the building blocks are identical, whether we build a workflow or an app.
- The same audience. It's the same small and mid-sized companies with the same problems: scattered data, manual steps, tools that don't talk to each other.
- Software is the next step after automation. Automation speeds up existing processes; software gives them an interface to work with. They belong together.
A second company would split the focus, force customers to juggle "two vendors", and give away the trust we've built. The more honest positioning is: automation and custom software from one team. And yes – not everything is a recurring automation. Some things are simply good, tailored software. That's no contradiction, just the same skill applied differently.
What you get out of it
- check Built for your process, not forced into a tool: software that fits your process – not the other way around.
- check Integrated: connects to what you already use (SharePoint, Google, Microsoft 365, CRM) – instead of another island.
- check Automation built in: where it makes sense, automation is in the app from day one.
- check EU hosting & GDPR: hosting and data in the EU, set up to be compliant.
- check Maintainable & documented: no black box – documented and handover-ready, so you're not locked in.
How a project runs
We start small and tangible, so you see early whether it works – before a larger budget flows.
- Initial call & scoping (free): what's the problem, and what's the smallest version that already helps?
- Concept & prototype: something tangible fast – a clickable or working prototype before big investment.
- Build & integration: we build, connect your systems and test with real data.
- Operation & iteration: hosting, maintenance and step-by-step expansion – at your pace.
Typical use cases
- Internal knowledge or info portal (SharePoint + Google Drive + more sources)
- Customer portal with upload, status lookup and self-service
- Dashboards for KPIs from multiple systems
- Quote or order tools that do more than a form
- Middleware between systems that don't talk – e.g. via our API integration or SharePoint workflows
- Small SaaS products that you want to offer your own customers
Got an idea for a tool, a portal or an app?
Tell us about it. In a free initial call we work out together whether automation, custom software or both is the right way.
Frequently asked questions
How much does custom software or an app cost?
It depends on the scope. We deliberately start small and tightly scoped – often with a prototype first, so you see the value before a larger budget flows. In a free initial call we narrow down the feature set and give a realistic ballpark instead of a flat rate.
Do you also build just single integrations, e.g. connecting SharePoint with Google Drive?
Yes. Many projects are exactly that: connecting two or three systems that don't talk to each other. That doesn't need a large application, just a clean, documented interface.
Isn't custom software something completely different from automation?
Technically it's the same craft: APIs, data models, integrations, permissions. Automation speeds up existing processes, software gives them an interface to work with. We do both from one team – you don't need two vendors for it.
About Lyron: Lyron is an automation and software consultancy based in the Düsseldorf/Neuss area of Germany. We help small and mid-sized companies automate processes and put custom software to work – productive, integrated and GDPR-compliant.