When BambooHR is too rigid and Rippling is too expensive.
Custom team and workforce app with RBAC, schedules, profiles, HRIS sync, and the specific workflows your ops team actually runs on.
Who this is for
HR or ops lead at a 50–500 person company where off-the-shelf HRIS is either too rigid for the workflows or too expensive for the value delivered.
The pain today
- HRIS tool (Rippling, BambooHR, Gusto) costing more than its value
- Workflows that don't fit the off-the-shelf data model
- Scheduling done in spreadsheets because the tool can't handle complexity
- Employee data living in 3–4 systems with no source of truth
- Custom fields for compliance or industry-specific needs not supported
The outcome you get
- Custom team app with directory, scheduling, PTO, performance modules
- RBAC scoped by role, team, location, and manager hierarchy
- HRIS sync two-way with BambooHR, Rippling, Gusto, or Workday
- Payroll integration (ADP, Gusto, Rippling) with hours and commission data
- Mobile PWA for field or hourly staff to check schedules and request PTO
Build vs BambooHR or Rippling
Three questions decide. One: does your business have workflows that don't fit a generic HRIS data model (union rules, commission structures, industry-specific compliance)? If yes, custom. Two: is your HRIS bill approaching or exceeding $20–40/mo per employee with low utilization? If yes, custom often pays for itself within 12 months. Three: does your team have strong opinions about the UX and the off-the-shelf tool is generating complaints? If yes, custom. Otherwise, BambooHR, Rippling, or Gusto are often the right call — I'll tell you honestly which path fits. Custom HRIS is a heavy investment; it earns its cost in specific contexts, not every context.
Key modules
Most team apps need the same core. Directory: employees with photos, roles, reports-to, location, contact info. Scheduling: shifts, availability, time-off requests, approvals, schedule publishing. PTO: accrual, requests, approvals, calendar integration. Performance: goals, reviews, 1:1 notes. Onboarding: task lists per role, e-sign for documents, IT provisioning integration. Reporting: headcount trends, PTO balances, overtime patterns. I scope which modules you actually need — most mid-size companies use 3–4 core modules and skip the rest. Starting with the whole platform is how team-app projects take 12 months instead of 4.
HRIS and payroll integrations
The custom team app is rarely the only system — HRIS (source of truth for employee records) and payroll (where hours turn into checks) usually stay. I integrate rather than replace. HRIS two-way sync: new hires in HRIS auto-provision in the team app; profile updates flow both ways; terminations deprovision. Payroll one-way (from team app to payroll): approved hours, commissions, bonuses flow to ADP, Gusto, or Rippling. This keeps the custom app focused on the workflows that matter to you without forcing you to rebuild the commodity HRIS/payroll features (e.g., tax filing, W-2 generation) that exist elsewhere for good reason.
Case study: GigEasy worker platform
GigEasy is a gig-worker platform with workforce-management characteristics — onboarding, scheduling, earnings tracking, compliance (background checks, tax forms), payment. I built this in 3 weeks as part of the investor-ready MVP. Laravel backend, React frontend, AWS infrastructure. Barclays and Bain Capital validated the build. The same pattern — modular team app with workflow-specific modules, tight integration with payment and payroll providers, RBAC scoped to the actual organizational hierarchy — applies to internal workforce apps for traditional companies.
Pricing
Team management apps fit the Applications Standard tier at $3,499/mo for typical builds (2–4 core modules, HRIS integration, 50–500 users). Pro at $4,500/mo for larger scale or complex compliance requirements (union rules, multi-state tax, industry-specific). First-version timeline: 6–8 weeks. Subscription continues through module expansion — most teams ship one module per quarter after the core goes live. 14-day money-back, cancel anytime, Work Made for Hire.
Mobile for field and hourly staff
A custom team app used only on desktop leaves 30–50% of value on the table. Hourly and field staff live on their phones — checking schedules, clocking in, requesting PTO, submitting expenses. I build with a Progressive Web App layer from day one: installable to the home screen on iOS and Android, offline-capable for spotty connectivity (warehouses, remote sites), push notifications for schedule changes. Full native apps (React Native, Swift) are occasionally the right call for specific workflows (GPS-tracked field service) but PWA covers 90% of team-app mobile use cases at 20% of the native-app maintenance cost.
Recent proof
A comparable engagement, delivered and documented.
Built and shipped an investor-ready MVP from scratch
Built the entire technological base and delivered MVP in just 3 weeks, enabling a successful rapid launch and investor demo.
Frequently asked questions
The questions prospects ask before they book.
- Can this replace my existing HRIS entirely?
- It can, but I usually recommend integrating instead of replacing. Core HRIS features (tax filing, W-2 generation, benefits administration) are commodity and handled cheaper by BambooHR, Rippling, or Gusto. The custom app handles the workflows your HRIS can't. Full replacement is possible but rarely the right cost-benefit call.
- How does scheduling handle complex rules?
- The scheduling engine supports role-based availability, location/team constraints, overtime limits, union rules (seniority, bid-by-rank), and coverage requirements. For extremely complex domain rules (airline crew scheduling, healthcare specialty coverage), I evaluate whether a specialized tool (Celayix, Deputy) integrated into the custom app is a better fit than building from scratch.
- What about PTO and leave tracking?
- Configurable accrual rules (by tenure, role, location), multiple PTO types (vacation, sick, personal, bereavement), approval workflows with manager and HR routing, calendar integration (Google, Outlook), and balance reporting. State-specific leave compliance (California, New York) configurable. Complex leave laws require a compliance specialist's input; I implement what's specified.
- Does it work offline?
- Yes, as a PWA. Staff in warehouses, on job sites, or in low-coverage areas can check schedules, clock in/out, and queue PTO requests offline. Data syncs when connectivity returns with conflict resolution for edge cases (e.g., two offline clock-ins).
- How do you handle employee data privacy?
- RBAC enforced everywhere — managers see their team, HR sees everyone, employees see themselves. PII fields (SSN, bank account) encrypted at rest with separate keys. Audit log captures every access to sensitive data. Data deletion pipelines honor GDPR/CCPA. Security questionnaire answers ready for employee-facing privacy policy reviews.
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