Spreadsheets emailed around
A database with logins, roles and a full history, so everyone works from the same numbers and nothing gets overwritten.
Thunder Bay, Ontario · Software developer
Custom software development in Thunder Bay.
DOODLESAVE INC is a software development company incorporated in Ontario and based in Thunder Bay. We build custom web applications, client portals, internal tools and AI automations that replace spreadsheets, paper forms and copy-paste, for businesses in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario and across Canada.
Who we build for
Teams whose work has outgrown spreadsheets and email: contractors, suppliers, clinics, property managers, non-profits and industrial firms. Our client work so far sits mostly with engineering, energy and industrial companies.
How software is quoted
Custom software starts with a paid discovery phase that sets the scope, then a written quote for each phase. Each phase is invoiced 70% before it starts and the balance on delivery.
What it replaces
Software that replaces the workaround.
Most custom software starts with a spreadsheet, an inbox or a stack of paper that a team has outgrown.
Paper forms and job sheets
Inspections, timesheets, work orders and sign-offs filled in on site, with photos, and filed automatically.
Copy-paste between systems
Data moved between your inbox, forms, spreadsheets and other tools without anyone re-typing it.
Customers emailing for documents
A secure login where clients find their documents, invoices and project updates themselves.
Quotes written from scratch
Quotes and replies drafted from your own price lists and past jobs, ready for you to check and send.
Stock counted by hand
Scanning, stock levels and transfers between locations, like our own Doodle Inventory web app.
Northwestern Ontario
Built for how businesses here actually work.
Where custom software tends to pay for itself first.
Mining and contracting
Site reports, equipment logs, safety sign-offs and crew scheduling, built for people working in the field rather than at a desk.
Health and clinics
Online booking, intake forms and patient communication, with privacy handled to the rules that apply to you.
Trades and suppliers
Quotes, job tracking, invoices and customer records in one place instead of three.
Tourism and outfitters
Bookings, availability and customer messages for lodges, outfitters and tour operators.
Non-profits
Member records, program sign-ups and volunteer scheduling in one system instead of several spreadsheets.
Property management
Parcel logging, resident notices and maintenance requests. Doodle Inventory already handles parcels for apartment buildings.
How a software project runs
Phased, written down, and yours at every step.
01
Paid discovery
We map how the work is done today, who touches it and what the first version must do. You get a written scope and a quote for each phase.
02
Design
Screens and workflows reviewed with the people who will use them, with three rounds of changes included.
03
Build in phases
Each phase is invoiced 70% before it starts and the balance on delivery, and your team tests it on a private preview before it goes live.
04
Handover
Every account is in your company’s name, and copyright in the design and code passes to you on final payment.
05
Care
Thirty days of free fixes after launch, then the optional Portal care plan: eight hours of changes a month, same-day response, database maintenance and a quarterly review.
At handover
What you own when the software is finished.
- Every account in your company’s name — hosting, database, domain and any payment gateway, from the first day.
- The design and the code — copyright passes to you once the balance is settled.
- Your data in a managed database — industry-standard PostgreSQL with daily backups, row-level access rules and a choice of region where it is stored.
- Running costs at cost — billed to you directly by the providers, never marked up.
- One number when something breaks — you should not have to work out whether the problem is the host, the database or the gateway.
Questions
Custom software in Thunder Bay, answered.
If an off-the-shelf tool would do the job, we will tell you before you pay for discovery.
How much does custom software development cost in Thunder Bay?
Custom software is quoted after a paid discovery phase, because the price depends on what the system has to do. You then get a written quote for each phase with a fixed figure and a timeline, so you only ever commit to the next step. Smaller tools and automations are quoted after a short call.
How long does it take to build custom software?
A focused tool or automation can take two to six weeks, a client portal eight to sixteen weeks and a custom web application four months and up. It is released in phases, so your team is using the first part long before the last part is built.
Can new software work with the systems we already use?
Usually, yes. We connect new software to the tools you already rely on, such as email, forms, spreadsheets and payment gateways, and we tell you during discovery if something cannot be connected cleanly.
Where is our data stored?
In accounts registered to your company. Databases are managed PostgreSQL with daily backups and a choice of region, so where it matters your data can stay in a Canadian data centre. We tell you where each service stores data before you commit.
Who owns the software?
You do. Every account is in your company’s name from the first day, copyright in the design and code passes to you once the balance is settled, and you can revoke our access at any time.
Do you support the software after launch?
Yes. Anything broken is fixed free for thirty days after launch. After that, the optional Portal care plan covers eight hours of changes a month, same-day response, database maintenance and a quarterly review, cancellable with thirty days’ notice.
Also in Thunder Bay
Website design in Thunder Bay
Custom, fast, mobile-first websites set up to be found on Google.
App development in Thunder Bay
Mobile apps for iOS and Android, web apps, client portals and AI tools.
Outgrown your spreadsheets?
Tell us how the work is done today. We reply within one business day, and the first conversation commits you to nothing.