Build and buy options must be evaluated against the same workflow, permissions and output requirements.
Compare the same outcome
Build and buy options must be evaluated against the same workflow, permissions and output requirements. An off-the-shelf product may solve the core job quickly; a custom build may suit a distinctive process. Neither conclusion follows from the feature count alone.
Estimate the ownership cost
For a purchased product, include configuration, seats, usage, integration and exit effort. For a custom system, include design, testing, hosting, maintenance, security updates and support. Specify who operates the system after launch. A build estimate that ends at delivery leaves important costs out.
Test the hardest requirement first
Use a short trial or prototype to examine the requirement most likely to block the decision. That may be a data import, approval rule or unusual calculation. Record assumptions and compare a growth case. Choose the option that meets the essential outcome within the business constraints, then keep a migration or rollback route.