Build vs buy is not a procurement question. It is a capital allocation decision, and an internal build only feels free because it never arrives as an invoice. This free guide gives flow assurance and simulation teams a quantitative framework for the build vs buy call on engineering workflow software.
Drawing on evoleap research across more than 30 flow assurance organizations, it walks Engineering, IT, Finance and Operations leaders through the full cost of each option. It maps the real workflow being replaced, from simulation input preparation to reporting, then prices both options against the same standard.
Inside the build vs buy guide
- How to map the full simulation workflow, so the scope covers more than “just reporting”
- The five layers of internal build cost, and why core development is the smallest
- How to price hidden ownership, opportunity and risk costs that most models leave out
- A six-step decision matrix and weighted executive scorecard for a side-by-side comparison
The guide puts realistic annual ownership cost at $200K or more for most small to mid-sized engineering service providers, before opportunity cost, and notes that most internal builds reveal their true cost in Year 3. Its bottom line: the strongest decisions are the ones leadership can still defend after delays, turnover and audit review.
Ready to put numbers on the value side? See the Flow Assurance Software ROI Guide.