Small Business Software & Automation
Agreed hourly help for small, well-defined software jobs.
Many small businesses and sole traders are carrying a software job that is too small to justify a full project but too fiddly to keep doing by hand: a report with totals that no longer add up, a spreadsheet that eats half a day every month, or an export that has to be reshaped before anyone can use it. I take those jobs on as agreed, scheduled tasks under Hourly Services.
Most work is carried out remotely. Where local access genuinely helps, I can attend in the Newtownards or Belfast area by arrangement; any travel time and expenses are agreed in advance.
These are small, defined software tasks rather than general IT support. If the job is mainly computer repair, a slow PC, domestic setup or failed-drive recovery, it is outside what I offer; the FAQ below sets out the boundaries.
Typical small software jobs
Spreadsheets, reports and small scripts
Totals that are wrong or no longer match the underlying data. A report that is rebuilt by hand every month and could be produced from the source files. Several exports that need combining into one usable sheet. Cleanup steps repeated every week that could run themselves. Small macros or scripts that remove the copy-and-paste between stages.
Data conversion and cleanup
Converting between CSV, Excel and JSON. Reshaping an export into the layout another system expects. Splitting, merging or de-duplicating files, with one sample checked with you before the rest are processed. Tidying dates, names and reference numbers that have drifted into inconsistent formats.
Business software troubleshooting and integration
A specific error that keeps appearing, or an import or export that has stopped working. Two business tools that should exchange data but currently do not. A repeated copy-and-paste step that a small script could replace. Where it is agreed as a defined task, Microsoft 365 and email work such as shared-mailbox permissions, mail flow rules or a mailbox data move. Backup configuration can be considered as part of an agreed task, but I do not provide monitoring or ongoing backup support.
How a small job works
- 1.Tell me the job and what a good result looks like. A non-confidential sample file or a redacted export usually settles the scope faster than a long description; if the material is sensitive, an NDA can be agreed first.
- 2.I confirm whether it is a sensible small task, then send the Hourly Services v1.7 terms and a short Work Brief with the agreed output, rate and spending cap before you accept.
- 3.You accept by email. I do the work, then hand over the result with a time summary.
Larger or open-ended jobs are agreed under Flexible Engineering, which uses the same rates and the same Work Brief process.
What it costs
Small jobs use the same hourly terms as Flexible Engineering: £95 for the first hour, then £23.75 for each additional 15 minutes or part of one.
I agree a spending cap before paid work starts, so you know the maximum before I begin. The rate, minimum, rounding and eight-hour ceiling are confirmed in your Work Brief and explained on the Flexible Engineering page.
The full terms are in the Terms & Conditions for Hourly Services (v1.7, PDF), read with the accepted Work Brief. No VAT is currently charged; prices include any applicable taxes.
Coming from Ards Tech Fix?
That small software and automation work is now booked here, as Protoworks work under the terms and Work Brief process described on this page. If you had an existing arrangement, mention it when you get in touch and I will confirm how it applies.
Small business software FAQ
What counts as a small software job?
A defined task with a clear output that one person can complete in a few hours: correcting a report, automating a spreadsheet, converting or cleaning a data file, replacing a copy-and-paste step with a small script, or diagnosing a specific error in a business application.
How much does a small job cost?
The rate and spending cap are summarised under What it costs above. The exact rate, any applicable minimum and the eight-hour ceiling are confirmed in your Work Brief, and the Flexible Engineering page explains the full process.
Can you guarantee a fix?
No. I agree the output up front, but I cannot promise that every fault will be fixable within the brief. An investigation can still give you useful findings and recommended next steps. If my work does not meet the agreed brief or the standard of reasonable care and skill, I correct it under the terms at no extra charge.
Do you offer emergency call-outs or on-call support?
No. This is agreed, scheduled software work rather than an emergency or managed IT service. I do not offer emergency call-outs, on-call cover, monitoring, guaranteed response times or round-the-clock support.
Do you fix general computer problems or set up home PCs?
No. I do not offer general computer or Windows repair, virus removal, slow-computer tune-ups, hardware upgrades, new PC, home wifi or phone setup, data recovery from failed drives, managed IT, monitoring or on-call support. The work here is agreed, scheduled software tasks with a defined output and a spending cap.
I used Ards Tech Fix. How do I book?
Ards Tech Fix is a Protoworks service. Send a short description of the job through the contact form or call +44 2891 621976. Mention any existing arrangement you had through Ards Tech Fix and I will confirm how it applies to this booking.
Tell me about the job
A short description is enough to start. If a sample would help, send a non-confidential extract or an NDA can be agreed first. The rate and cap are confirmed in your Work Brief before you accept.
Before sharing sensitive files or account details, please review the NDA & Confidentiality Guidelines.