Examples of Business Web Applications
When people hear "business web application examples," they often think of massive enterprise platforms. But the reality is far more practical. UK businesses of every size are building custom web apps to solve specific operational problems — from managing client relationships to automating daily workflows. Here are the most common types we build and what they do.
Client Portals
A client portal is a secure, logged-in area where your customers can access their own data without contacting your team. This is one of the most requested web applications we build for UK businesses.
Typical features include:
- Project status tracking — clients see real-time progress on their orders or projects.
- Document sharing — contracts, invoices, reports, and files available for download.
- Messaging — a structured communication channel that replaces email chains.
- Invoice and payment history — clients can view and pay outstanding invoices online.
Client portals reduce inbound support enquiries dramatically. Instead of your team answering "where is my order?" emails, clients check themselves. This improves the customer experience while freeing your staff to focus on productive work.
Internal Dashboards and Reporting Tools
Dashboards give business owners and managers a real-time view of what is happening across the company. Instead of waiting for weekly reports or pulling numbers from multiple spreadsheets, a dashboard shows everything in one place.
Common dashboard views include:
- Revenue and sales performance — daily, weekly, and monthly figures with trends.
- Staff utilisation — who is working on what, and where capacity exists.
- Project pipeline — what is in progress, what is overdue, and what is coming next.
- Customer metrics — new signups, churn rates, satisfaction scores.
The value of a dashboard is not just data — it is decisions. When you can see your numbers in real time, you spot problems earlier and act on opportunities faster.
Booking and Scheduling Systems
Off-the-shelf booking tools work for simple use cases, but many businesses have scheduling needs that generic tools cannot handle. A custom booking system is built around your specific rules, availability logic, and client flow.
- Appointment booking for clinics, salons, or consultancies with custom availability rules.
- Job scheduling for trades, field services, or maintenance companies with multi-staff calendars.
- Resource booking for meeting rooms, equipment, or shared facilities.
- Event management with ticketing, attendee tracking, and automated reminders.
Custom booking systems integrate with your calendar, send automated confirmations and reminders, and can include payment processing — all tailored to your workflow rather than forcing you into a template.
Inventory Management Platforms
Businesses that manage physical products — whether in retail, wholesale, manufacturing, or e-commerce — need accurate inventory tracking. A custom inventory web app gives you control that spreadsheets and generic tools cannot match.
- Real-time stock levels across multiple locations or warehouses.
- Automated reorder alerts when stock falls below set thresholds.
- Supplier management with purchase order creation and tracking.
- Integration with e-commerce platforms to sync online and physical stock.
- Barcode scanning for faster stock checks and goods-in processing.
The difference between a custom solution and a generic tool becomes clear at scale. When you have hundreds of SKUs across multiple channels, you need software that handles your specific product categories, pricing rules, and supplier relationships.
CRM and Client Management Tools
Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive are powerful — but they are also expensive and packed with features most small businesses never touch. A custom CRM gives you exactly the client management tools you need, without the bloat or the monthly subscription that scales with your user count.
- Contact and company management with custom fields relevant to your industry.
- Deal pipeline tracking tailored to your actual sales process — not a generic funnel.
- Activity logging and follow-up reminders to keep relationships active.
- Integration with email, invoicing, and project management tools you already use.
A custom CRM is particularly valuable for businesses in niche industries where off-the-shelf CRMs do not have the right data fields, workflow stages, or reporting views.
Workflow Automation Tools
Workflow automation is about replacing manual, repetitive steps with software that handles them automatically. This is where web apps deliver the most measurable return on investment for most businesses.
- Automated client onboarding — new client signs up, welcome email sends, tasks are created, and team members are notified automatically.
- Invoice generation — invoices are created and sent based on completed work or recurring schedules.
- Approval workflows — expense requests, leave requests, or content approvals route to the right person and track status.
- Status notifications — clients and team members receive automatic updates when tasks progress or milestones are reached.
Learn more about automation possibilities: Web Apps for Workflow Automation.
Staff Management Applications
Managing a growing team with spreadsheets and email becomes unsustainable quickly. Staff management web apps centralise everything your managers need to keep operations running smoothly.
- Shift scheduling and rota management with availability tracking.
- Holiday and absence management with approval workflows and calendar views.
- Time tracking and timesheet submission for accurate payroll and project costing.
- Performance tracking with goal setting, review scheduling, and progress notes.
- Onboarding checklists for new starters — ensuring nothing gets missed.
These tools are especially valuable for businesses with shift workers, remote teams, or field-based staff where coordination is complex. Read more: Internal Web Apps for Staff Management.
All of these examples are types of custom web applications that we design and build for UK businesses. If you are unsure which type fits your needs, explore our web application services or get in touch for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common business web applications include client portals, internal dashboards and reporting tools, booking and scheduling systems, inventory management platforms, CRM systems, workflow automation tools, and staff management applications. The right type depends on which business process you want to improve or automate.
Absolutely. Small businesses often benefit the most because they have specific workflows that off-the-shelf tools do not support well. A custom web app built around your exact process — whether that is client onboarding, job scheduling, or order management — can save hours of manual work each week and allow you to grow without hiring additional admin staff.
Start by identifying your biggest operational bottleneck. Where does your team spend the most time on manual, repetitive tasks? Where do errors occur most frequently? Where do clients experience friction? The answers point directly to the type of web app that will deliver the most value. A discovery session with a development team can help you map this out.
Ready to Build a Web App for Your Business?
Tell us about the problem you want to solve and we will show you the type of web application that fits — with a clear scope, timeline, and cost. Free consultation, no obligation.