Blog

Page 30 of notes on software, automation, integrations and online presence.

A wooden gear stands beside an empty chair at a plain table.

Automation & AI

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Automate a Task or Hire Another Person?

Automate when you can point at the step, and hire a person when the step still changes shape each time. The service page is the conversation after that.

A handmade wooden pipe lies beside a plain metal pipe on a workbench.

API Development

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Build an API or Use Someone Else's?

Use the other system's contract when it already carries your record, and build one when your system is the thing others must call. The service page is the conversation after that.

Unfinished lumber lies next to a plain finished wooden box on a workbench.

Software Development

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Build Software or Buy It?

Choose a product when the step survives inside it, and a build when the step keeps falling out. The service page is the conversation after that.

A plain metal hand tool lies beside a handmade wooden tool of a similar shape.

AI-Powered Tools

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Buy an AI Tool or Build One Around Your Process?

Buy when the check can happen in the tool you already have, and build when the draft has to land inside the record your process uses. The service page is the conversation after that.

A plain plug lies beside a hand-wound cord with a wooden toggle.

CRM Integrations

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Use a Native CRM Connector or a Custom Integration?

Use the native connector when it lands on the same person, and a custom integration when it creates a near-duplicate instead. The service page is the conversation after that.

A closed wooden crate sits beside a glass tube holding a thin line of beans.

Data Integrations

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

Should You Use a Nightly Export or a Live Data Integration?

Use the nightly export when the person can wait, and a live move when a stale record would cause the wrong next step. The service page is the conversation after that.

Three identical blank cards lie in an even row on a walnut desk.

CRM Integrations

October 1, 2026David Goncalves

What Should You Check Before Hiring for a CRM Integration?

Check that a sample enquiry becomes one person, with a source you can name, before you hire the build. The service page is the conversation after that.